Distinctive features of the Kalanchoe, tips for growing at home, recommendations for its transplant and reproduction, difficulties in growing, interesting facts, types. Kalanchoe, or as it is also called Kalanchoe, belongs to the genus of succulent plants (those that accumulate water in their leaves) from the Crassulaceae family. This genus includes more than 200 species of green inhabitants of the planet. Their homeland is considered to be the territories of southern Africa, the south and south-east of Asia, as well as the regions of South America, where the tropical climate reigns supreme. This genus sometimes includes species of the genus Briophyllum SALISB., Which is a close relative of the Kalanchoe.
The plant got its name thanks to the Chinese language, in it "Kalanchoe" is a phonetic transcription in French of the Chinese phrase "that which falls and grows" or "viviparous". Naturally, this is due to the fact that daughter processes appear on the bush directly on the leaves.
Kalanchoe has a thick, fleshy stem that grows to a height of 35-50 cm indoors, but in the natural environment or when grown in greenhouses, its size will be much larger and higher. The leaf plates are also fleshy and thick with an ovoid shape and a pointed tip. Along the edge of the plate there is a "path" of small processes in the form of droplets, which are filled with moisture. The color of the leaves in a healthy Kalanchoe plant should be rich, light green in color. If a leaf or twig is ripped off, then a large drop of juice appears at the breakage site.
With its ability to collect liquid in leaves or shoots, the succulent owes to the special structure of the aquiferous tissue, it is it that is responsible for the distribution of moisture in the parts of the plant. Branches and leaf plates are covered with a thick film of a substance that does not allow water to pass from the outside and does not allow it to evaporate. This allows the Kalanchoe to survive periods of drought in their natural environment.
Kalanchoe cultivation, transplantation and home care
- Lighting and choosing a place for the pot. The plant loves bright lighting and will feel great in direct sunlight in the morning and evening hours. Therefore, it is better to put the pot on the window sills of windows that face west or east. On the window of the southern location for the flower, it will be necessary to arrange shading from 12 to 16 o'clock in the spring-summer period, but this will not be needed in the winter months. If the leaves of the Kalanchoe have pubescence, then they have a great ability to withstand the scorching rays of the luminary, and in shade (for example, on the northern window or in the back of the room) they do not grow at all, their stems stretch out, and the leaves grow very small - a felt variety. A Blossfeld plant will require longer daylight hours (about 10 hours) and good lighting. In winter, it is better to arrange Kalanchoe supplementary lighting, and then the flowering will stretch over the winter months, since its dormant period is not pronounced.
- Content temperature for a plant it should be in the range of 18-28 degrees, and with the arrival of autumn, you can lower the indicators to 14-18 degrees, but if the temperature drops to 10 degrees Celsius, the plant will get sick and die.
- Air humidity does not play a big role for the Kalanchoe, but for hygiene purposes, spraying and showering can be carried out to remove dust from the leaves.
- Watering the Kalanchoe. As soon as the soil on top of the pot dries out, it is necessary to moisten with soft warm water, and in winter it is watered 3-4 days after the top layer of the soil has dried. Waterlogging and drying out of the earthen coma should not be allowed, otherwise the leaves will fly around.
- Fertilizer succulent is carried out once a month, while complex mineral solutions are used. It is also recommended to add organic preparations (for example, mullein solution). The main thing is that the supplements do not have a high nitrogen content, as this can lead to decay of the root system. They begin to feed from the beginning of spring to the end of autumn, in winter at low temperatures the Kalanchoe content should not be fed, at this time the plant "rests".
- Transplant recommendations. The flower should only be repotted when it is growing strongly. Several holes will need to be drilled in the bottom of the container so that the unabsorbed moisture can drain out. Also, 2-3 cm of drainage material is first placed in the pot (it can be expanded clay or medium-diameter pebbles) - this will help keep moisture longer and prevent the soil in the pot from drying out quickly, and will also protect the plant from root rot. Kalanchoe is transplanted in the spring.
The soil mixture is compiled on the basis of the following components:
- raised sod, leafy soil, peat soil and river sand (in proportions 4: 3: 1: 1);
- universal soil for flowers, coconut substrate, vermiculite and humus soil (in a ratio of 2: 1: 1: 1).
Tips for self-breeding Kalanchoe in the apartment
It is possible to get a new flowering bush by cuttings, planting "children" or sowing seeds.
Over time, living offshoots appear on the leaf plates, which grow from brood buds. These buds Kalanchoe can drop on the ground, or when the "kids" are sufficiently developed, they themselves fall off the mother bush and take root in the substrate. Associated with this is another name for it "bryophyllum", which means "sprouting leaf" in the Greek dialect. If you take the baby and separate it from the bush, then plant it in a separate pot with suitable soil.
When grafting, it is necessary to use the apical or leaf part of the plant, put it in a vessel with water and wait for the appearance of root processes. If you do not want to wait for the appearance of the roots like that, then the cuttings are planted in a moistened sandy-peat soil. Then you need to regularly water the twigs. You can wrap the cuttings at will, but in the state of a mini-greenhouse, they take root faster. The temperature is maintained at room temperature and the cuttings are not placed in direct sunlight. Once the plants are rooted, they can be transplanted into larger pots with soil for further growth.
Seeds must be planted at the end of February in any humid garden substrate. They are lightly pressed into the soil with a finger and powdered with soil. The container is covered with a piece of glass or polyethylene. Germination temperature should be 18-22 degrees. The soil must be regularly moistened without letting it dry out. After about 3-4 weeks, the seeds will sprout. When a pair of leaves develops on the sprouts, it is possible to dive into separate containers with a sand-peat mixture. After a month, a new transplant is carried out in large containers, at the bottom of which drainage is poured and the soil is suitable for adult plants.
Difficulties in cultivating succulents
Problems that arise when growing Kalanchoe indoors:
- if there is not enough light for the flower, then the stems begin to stretch, the lower leaves fly around or take on a pale or greenish-yellow tint;
- with a lack of nutrition or poor soil, after flowering, the plant stops growing or becomes bare (foliage flies);
- when damaged by pests or high temperatures in winter, the leaf plates dry and die off;
- at high humidity and low temperatures in the room (without ventilation), brown or black spots may appear on the leaves, even mold is possible;
- if there was an overfeeding with fertilizers (especially organic or mineral complexes with a high nitrogen content), then the leaves of the plant are beautiful, juicy and bright green, but there is no flowering;
- if wintering takes place at increased heat indicators, then the leaves will fly around and the plant will lose its decorative effect.
Most often, the defeat of the Kalanchoe is possible with a mealybug, scabbard and spider mite. In this case, the leaf plates turn yellow, deform, they are covered with a thin translucent cobweb or a sticky sugary bloom appears, or formations on the leaves or in internodes in the form of cotton wool lumps. It is necessary to carry out the treatment with soap, oil or alcohol, applying it to a cotton pad and manually remove the pests. If this does not help, then spraying with insecticides is carried out.
When manifestations of rot or powdery mildew appear (parts of the plant begin to become covered with wet brown spots or a whitish bloom), then they are treated with fungicides.
Interesting facts about Kalanchoe
If we translate the name "Kalanchoe" from Portuguese, we get "the grass of life." Naturally, this is due to the medicinal properties of this plant, in fact, it is a whole pharmacy on the windowsill of the room. And the bush for healing abilities can compete with such a familiar scarlet.
According to the beliefs of many nationalities, if a “plant of life”, as this succulent bush is also called, successfully grows in the house, then luck will always accompany all members of the family. The first mentions of the Kalanchoe in ancient and almost decayed records of healers about the medicinal properties of plants are at the beginning of the 18th century. And this led scientists to the idea that the plant was brought from distant countries by Russian merchants who traveled the world. Also in the ship's log of one of the Russian merchant ships a story is recorded in which there is a mention of the medicinal properties of the Kalanchoe. The sailor, who contracted a rare form of tropical fever, had to be removed from the ship and left on one of the islands located in the coastal zones of South Africa. There, local residents began to treat the sailor. After a month of sailing, a completely healthy sailor returned to the ship, but in his pockets there were many leaves of an unknown plant, which he periodically chewed and called "Kalanch", which in translation from the language of the aboriginal inhabitants meant "health".
Local tribes were aware of the properties of the Kalanchoe to retain moisture in the stems and leaves, and knew that it was possible to quench their thirst with the juice of this plant. It is pleasant, but slightly sour in taste - it helped travelers to maintain their strength on the road.
Also, the properties of Kalanchoe medicinal helped to have a beneficial effect on the skin, and the aborigines rubbed their bodies with a liquid from the leaves, which perfectly protected from the scorching heat and hot African wind.
You can also use juice to cover cuts and wounds, it has a high regenerative and disinfecting effect. It is widely used in cosmetology and pharmaceuticals, to cleanse the skin of problems (removes acne and pustular processes).
In case of colds, mixing juice with honey can be cured and children can easily take it, since this composition tastes softer than the same tinctures from aloe juice.
Kalanchoe species
- Kalanchoe bentii. The birthplace of the plant is the Arabian Peninsula. The plant has a semi-shrub shape with a powerful stem reaching up to a meter in height. Leaf plates can grow up to half a meter in length and are distinguished by rounded outlines, a thick surface, usually they grow in 6 pairs. The inflorescence is an umbrella shape, in which white flowers are collected. Flowering occurs in April-May. Best grown in cool rooms.
- Kalanchoe Beharskoe (Kalanchoe beharansis). It grows in the south of the island of Madagascar. It mainly has a shrub growth. The stems grow over time and are bare from the leaves from below. The leaf plates are covered with hairs; the edge can be either solid or slightly serrated. The flowers reach less than a centimeter in diameter and are also pubescent.
- Kalanchoe Blossfeld (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana). The birthplace of growth is the island of Madagascar. A shrub with an upright stem, reaching a height of 30 cm. The leaf plates are green with a red edge, their shape is egg-like, measuring 7 cm in length and 4 cm in width. The surface is smooth. Flowers of a red shade are upright, of which umbrella inflorescences are collected. Flowering stretches from late February to early summer days. There are bred forms with orange, yellow, whitish, pinkish and other colors of buds.
- Kalanchoe grandiflora (Kalanchoe grandiflora). Also has the name Kalanchoe marble (Kalanchoe marmorata). The homeland of this variety is India. A semi-shrub a little more than half a meter in height. The leaf blades are usually deep green in color, but may turn reddish if the plant is in direct sunlight. The edge is coarsely serrated. The leaf petioles are short. Flowers with a pale yellow tint, from which an umbrella-shaped inflorescence is collected. It blooms in May with a very pleasant aroma.
- Kalanchoe paniculata (Kalanchoe thyrsiflora). It is a perennial with a herbaceous form of growth, reaching a height of 60 cm and above. The outlines of the leaf plate are ovoid, narrowed towards the base, up to 15 cm in length and 7 cm in width. Leaves at the base of the stem grow densely, but higher and higher they become more rare and small. New young leaves grow in a silvery-white hue. Flowering occurs in the month of May. The buds in opening reach 1.5 cm in length, with petals 5 mm in diameter. Reproduction takes place by baby shoots that appear after flowering.
- Kalanchoe daigremontiana. The main growing area is the island of Madagascar. It is a herbaceous form of perennials that grow up to half a meter in height. The leaf plates from the base to the top of the stem become more variegated. Above, the surface of the leaf is gray-green, the edge is uneven, they are not pubescent, the outlines are elongated-elliptical, reaching a length of 10 cm. The entire surface is covered with a purple spot. Inflorescences grow in the form of a panicle. The tube of the corolla of the bud is measured in length one and a half centimeters with a petal diameter of up to 5 mm. The color is pink. Blooms mainly in winter.
- Kalanchoe manginii (Kalanchoe manginii). This plant is distinguished by an ampelous growth form. It is similar to Blossfeld's Kalanchoe, but differs in the large flowers that grow hanging from the branches. The flowering period usually occurs in the spring months.
- Kalanchoe marble (Kalanchoe marmorata). It is also called the Somali Kalanchoe (Kalanchoe somaliensis) or the large-flowered Kalanchoe. The place of its growth is the mountainousness of Ethiopia. It is a half-meter half-shrub. The leaf plates are colored green, but over time they turn gray. The surface is covered with brown or burgundy spots. The leaf is egg-shaped in outline, but there is a narrowing near the base and grooves are located along the edge. Umbrella-shaped inflorescences are collected from white flowers. The corolla tube of the bud measures 8 cm in length, and the petals are oblong-ovoid.
- Kalanchoe pinnata (Kalanchoe pinnata). The homeland is the island territories of Madagascar. The plant reaches meter indicators, is a perennial with a herbal form of growth. Leaf plates on the same plant differ from each other. At the base of the stem, the leaves are ovoid with a heart-shaped base, simple, and the upper leaves are pinnate, with 3-5 divisions. The foliage is green. The tube of the corolla is white-green and the petals of the bud are reddish.
How to grow Kalanchoe at home, see this video:
