Kalanchoe plants (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana) or florist’s kalanchoe are popular holiday gift plants. These blooming succulents are relatively small, no bigger than a foot tall. You may see smaller versions, about 6 inches high, that are perfect for offices.
Kalanchoe plants have dark green, thick succulent leaves with scalloped edges. Plants can have orange, red, pink, or white blossoms. Because they are succulents, water them sparingly and provide as much light as possible. Fortunately, they tolerate low humidity, which is common in homes in the winter. Make sure they have been planted in a porous, well-draining potting mix in containers with drainage holes.
The flowers last for a long time. When they are past their prime, simply snip off the flower stalks and grow the plant for its foliage. You can keep the plant as a foliage houseplant in the home. When summer comes, you can either leave the plant as is in the house or take it outside on the patio after the last frost date. If you move it outside, put it in the shade first so the foliage does not get sunscald. Later in the summer, give it a well-balanced fertilizer.
It is possible to make kalanchoe plants re-bloom. Like poinsettias and holiday cactus plants, kalanchoe plants need short days and long nights to trigger flower bud formation. In nature, this would occur naturally as the days get shorter and the nights get longer in the fall. However, since you must bring these back in the house before it gets too cold, you have to mimic the transition by putting the plant in a place that has an extended period of darkness every night.
In the fall, put the plant in a room where lights are not turned on (i.e. gets dark naturally) or in a dark closet in the late afternoon for 14 to 16 hours every day. Water less often and do not fertilize. After six weeks, put the plant in a place where it receives light, either natural sunlight through the window or lamps. The plant should start to flower.
If you visit garden centers and plant stores now, even grocery stores, you will see plenty of blooming kalanchoe plants. Purchase an orange flowered one as a Thanksgiving centerpiece and a red flowered one as a hostess gift when you attend a holiday party in December.
