Kalanchoes: The Beautiful Plant That's Easy to Care for
Kalanchoes belong to the Crassulaceae family and are native to Europe, Asia, and Africa. They’re succulent plants characterized by their fleshy leaves that hold a lot of water. Its main function is to store water and nutrients which helps them to survive during high temperatures.
In this article, we’re going to tell you more about kalanchoes, their characteristics, properties, and varieties. Are you keen to discover more? Keep reading!
Main characteristics of kalanchoes
The leaves of kalanchoes are usually shiny and dark green in color. Although its tone can vary according to the season and depending on the particular species we’re talking about. Sometimes its leaves can have reddish or pink edges.
In addition, some types usually bloom when winter ends and until spring arrives. Despite this, they can flower throughout the year if they’re maintained and given excellent care. Below, we’ll tell you more about their other, more specific features.
Properties
Kalanchoes have various properties. Mainly, they’ve been used as living ornamental objects thanks to their beautiful colors. However, they also enjoy recognition through spoken tradition that praises them for their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
Types of kalanchoes
We can find a large number and variety of kalanchoes. Some may vary in their shape, which is usually due to their origin, but they all have some similarities. Next, we’ll discuss the best known.
- Kalanchoe blossfeldiana: one of the best known and easy to find in almost all countries. It can be found in various shades. Keep in mind that this particular species needs plenty of sunlight to develop well.
- Daigremontiana: the second most well-known type of kalanchoe. It’s easily identifiable because it resembles aloe vera, as it has curved edges with thorns on its leaves.
- Kalanchoe thyrsiflora: characterized by the shape of its leaves which are like circles arranged on top of each other. Its beautiful colors range from green to pink with yellow, which complements home decor.
- Tomentosa: native to Madagascar, its leaves are leafy green. They have a variant on the tips and on the edges, it has brown or reddish spots. Its shape is similar to aloe vera, but with shorter leaves and no spines.
- Kalanchoe Tessa: one singularity that stands out among the other types is that this variety is hanging. Measuring up to 30 centimeters, it’s a popular indoor plant that can also be grown outdoors. Its flowers grow towards the floor, forming a rain of flowers particularly suitable for terraces or balconies.
How to care for kalanchoes
After choosing the ideal type of kalanchoe for you, it’s important to learn about the care it needs to achieve a large and lush plant. We’ll describe the basic care that should be given to kalanchoes so that you can provide this at home.
Location
Since they usually need a lot of indirect, natural light, kalanchoes can be grown indoors or outdoors. They’re ideal for shaded balconies.
Irrigation
Kalanchoes have a clever function whereby they retain water in their leaves, which means that they don’t need constant watering. During the summer, once a week is enough without allowing its roots to become waterlogged. During the winter it can be watered twice a week.
Pruning
If you want your kalanchoes to grow quite large, it’s necessary to prune them every so often. This process can be done two or three times a year depending on the size. This will encourage it to grow better by not focusing its energies on dead or withered parts.
Fertilizer
Kalanchoes need fertilizer and a good substrate or soil to be able to develop. You can use the same fertilizers as the ones you use for cacti, due to how similar they both are. These types of nutrients are very important, since they help to prevent their stems from breaking.
Do you want to have a garden full of kalanchoes?
As you can see, kalanchoes are a beautiful species that you can collect to form a beautiful garden. With our advice and your care, you’ll be able to successfully grow them yourself.