Kalanchoe Care As A Houseplant & In The Garden
Oh, how I love succulents! And a succulent with lots of long-lasting flowers is just the cat’s meow. Enter the popular Kalanchoe blossfeldianas that are most commonly sold as indoor plants. In Santa Barbara, where I used to live (USDA zone 10), mine enjoyed the great outdoors year-round. This is about Kalanchoe Care indoors and outdoors, or Kals as we call them.
These long, lasting blooming plants with colorful flowers will brighten up both your garden and home. If you want the flowering period to be more long-lasting, buy your plant with at least half the flower buds partially or not yet opened. They’ll gradually open after you get them home.
I buy mine at the farmers market, and although we used them a lot in the interiorscaping trade in offices and homes, I had never grown them in the garden before. I’ve discovered that Kalanchoes bloom almost all year round here with very little care. My kind of plant!
Botanical Name: Kalanchoe blossfeldiana
Common Names: Kalanchoe, Flowering Kalanchoe, Florist Kalanchoe, Flaming Katy
NOTE: This post was published on 07/16/2014. I’m updating it on 06/22/2023. It’s one of the very first posts that I ever wrote. My how blogging has changed!
I’ve since written newer posts on Kalanchoe Care as houseplants. Rather than extensively update this post, I will list these more current posts Kalanchoe Care, Calandiva Care, and Growing Kalanchoe FAQs with more information and tips.
Kalanchoe Care In The Garden
Light Requirements
Bright shade. Mine get bright light and one or two hours of direct sun in the summer, no more. Too much direct sunlight will cause burn.
Water Requirements
Once a week, thoroughly. They’re succulents, so they like to dry out between waterings.
Soil
Mine are planted in pots in half organic potting soil and half Succulent and Cactus Mix. Kalanchoes are succulents susceptible to root rot; they must be planted in well-draining soil.
Fertilizer
I don’t use any. I plant with worm castings, then top dress with worm castings and compost every spring. Once or twice during the warm months, I’ll water in some seaweed extract.
Pests
None so far, but then they can be susceptible to mealybugs and aphids.
Pruning Tip
I trim off the spent flowers, taking the stem down to where it meets the foliage. I don’t have to do it too often because the flowers are long-lasting, and the plant looks better this way.
Kalanchoe Care As Houseplants
Now, onward to caring for them as houseplants. At the end of this post, I touch briefly on how to get them to bloom again indoors. Hint: it’s not easy.
Light Requirements
Give yours lots of bright indirect light. As bright as possible, something close to but not in a south and/or west-facing window. Keep it away from the hot windows – touching that glass will burn it. Ouch!
Water Requirements
Every two weeks in the warmer months. Wait until the soil drys out before watering again. And don’t let it sit in water. Remember, they’re succulent plants that store water in their fleshy leaves and stems, so keeping them too wet can cause mildew.
Too much moisture will also lead to root rot. They like to be kept on the dry side.
Tip: Yes, that paper or foil wrapping may be prettier than the grow pot but remove it when you water your plant. Remember, the Kalanchoe is a succulent, and too much water building up in the bottom will drown it out.
Soil
Use a potting soil mix formulated for houseplants with good drainage. A mixture of half potting soil and half Succulent and Cactus Mix would be fine. That’s what I used to plant up my new pink Kalanchoes.
Tip: Make sure the pot has drainage holes so the excess water can freely flow out.
Temperature
I say if your home is comfortable to you, then your houseplants should be just fine too. They would enjoy a vacation outdoors in the warmer months (refer to outdoor care above).
Fertilizer
Use an organic balanced liquid fertilizer like Sea Grow if you feel yours needs it. Easy does it—only two yearly applications – once in mid-spring and the other in mid-summer.
Here are some of our houseplant guides you may find helpful: 13 Stores Where You Can Buy Houseplants Online, 6 Low Maintenance Plants For Travelers, 11 Pet Friendly Houseplants, Tips For Buying Houseplants, Best Low Light Indoor Plants, Easy Care Office Plants, 7 Easy Care Floor Plants, 7 Easy Tabletop & Hanging Plants
Pests
Keep an eye out for Mealybugs. They leave behind a residue that looks like specks of cotton. Aphids and Scale can also be an issue.
Pruning Tip
The foliage grows very densely. I snip away some of those leaves growing over the blooms. Those purdy little flowers will show more!
Getting Kalanchoes To Rebloom
Now, on to how to get them to bloom again. If yours hasn’t ever repeat bloomed, don’t feel bad. I’ll start by saying “good luck” because you must work for it.
Kalanchoes, like Poinsettias, are photoperiodic. This means they react to periods of light exposure and need at least 12-14 hours of darkness to bloom again.
Chances are, if you have them in your home, you have them in a room that isn’t getting that amount of complete darkness. Starting in winter, you must put them in a closet or a pitch-black room for 12-14 hours. And yes, they need that every night for two months. Be sure to cut back on the watering too.
Kalanchoe Blossfeldiana Flower Colors
Kalanchoes are known for their beautiful flowers, which come in vibrant red, orange, and pink shades. You can also find them in white and more subtle shades of pink. There are bi-color flowers as well.
The flowers are long-lasting, and the rich green leaves are attractive and shiny. A great blooming plant for the garden or your home!
Kalanchoe Care Video Guide
(Warning: This is an old video!)
In conclusion, taking care of a Kalanchoe plant is not as daunting as it may seem. With the right light levels, water, and well-drained soil, your kalanchoe can thrive and bring life to any room in your house or the right spot in your garden.
We have written more current posts on Kalanchoes: Kalanchoe Care, Calandiva Care, and Kalanchoe FAQs with lots more information and tips.
Note: This post was originally published on 07/16/2014 and updated on 06/22/2023.
Happy Gardening,
This post may contain affiliate links, you can read our policies here.
- About the Author
- Latest Posts
Nell, the founder of Joy Us garden, was born into a gardening family and grew up in Connecticut’s countryside. After living in Boston, New York, San Francisco, & Santa Barbara, she now calls the Arizona desert home. She studied horticulture & garden design, working in the field all her life. Nell is a gardener, designer, blogger, Youtube creator, & author. She’s been gardening for a very long time & wants to share what she’s learned with you.
Hi Nell! I have 4 new large Kalanchoe plants (some pink and some yellow) that have done amazingly well this season! They produced continual blooms and the foliage was healthy March-July! I am in Jacksonville, FL and it’s now extremely hot and humid. I’ve been growing them on a covered patio in their original pot. They gets bright shade with just a couple hours of direct sun in the late afternoon if weather conditions are right. On one of the plants, I have just noticed this week some very small black polka dots spotting the leaves and stems, even some of the newest tender growth. A friend told me they believe its a parasitic fungi, and that it can spread to my other plants. I trimmed off as much of it as I could and sprayed it with Fertilome’s Triple Action Plus for pests and disease, and I am wondering…do I need to dispose of the plant altogether or is there a way to save it? Also, the soil in the pots seem really compacted and dry, even with watering. Is it time to repot?
I can’t remember when I got my first Kalanchoes. I’ve kept them in pots for over 12 years, since before I moved from Mississippi to Michigan. I bring some in over winter and plant cuttings when I prune. This year something different happened. One of my plants formed a cup about one inch in diameter. It looks the same as the succulent leaf material and is actually holding water since it rained. Is this a normal occurrence? I wish I could attach a picture.
Gail – Be happy! Many people can’t keep them alive after flowering so you’re doing something right. Nell
Hi Sue – These kalanchoes typically bloom in late winter/ spring but the growers time them to bloom year round. They key is the light – equal sun to dark. Mine always re-bloomed best when the temps we’re a bit cooler, especially the evenings. Back off on the watering at this time. Nell
Got klonche plant in early spring. Planted it outside in late May. Growing very well. Live in PA. Any chance it can be left in the ground over the winter?
Zoe – So sorry to hear that. The kalanchoe is a succulent & would much rather be in a pot than directly planted in the ground where you live. I’m not sure how it’ll ultimately do in London, but you want to protect it from hot sun & water it thoroughly once a week in the hotter months. If you get a prolonged rainy spell, you’ll probably start to see rot. When temps dip below 40F, the plant will be hit. Hope it does well for you! Nell
Hi Rachel – I’ve lived in dry climates for so long it’s something I’m not 100% versed on. It could be as simple as black spot in which case you remove & destroy the affected leaves. The plant will be fine. Or, it could be a fungal pathogen like alternaria. Water on the leaves causes it. I don’t believe they have a control for it but you can do a little research & see it that’s it. Nell
Hi Angelique – I’ve never seen that happen before & really can’t picture it so can’t say. These kalanchoes do have some leaves which occasionally curl inward &/or outward. It could be a mineral deficiency, like zinc. Nell
Hi Lynne – Oh no, it’ll die when you get the 1st frost. Nell
Er “I’ve discovered that Kalanchoes bloom almost all year round here with very little care. My kind of plant!” have you! Thats incredible I can only get them to flower in winter with the shortening day lenghs. Whats your secrete? You cant possibly be putting your garden plants in a dark cupboard? Surely not?
I find these colorfull plants spread into a nice low clump and look attractive even without flowers, a nice shiny dark green. Mine do flower reliably every year around january feb. But never ever all year.
Are their hybrids that do flower almost all year. Can you let us know wich to look out for?
Thanks for the tips. My first one a lovely tall flowering stemmed scarlet one I planted in the full sun thinking it was a succulent that would take it. No way, the entire thing blistered, melted and collapsed, yes within days. I planted another one some time after and tried semi shade and it took off so I was hooked. Love them. Oddly enough they don’t seem to even mind our intensely hot humidity during our wet wet wet summers. I use terracota boxes so although they get wet when the sun comes out the whole thing (being terracota) dries in a matter of hours, maybe thats why they are doing fine, no idea.