The illustrated growing guide
Kalanchoe
Kalanchoe blossfeldiana
Family Crassulaceae
Est. zones 10-12
The grocery-store flowering succulent that blooms for months on a sunny sill with near-zero care. To rebloom it, give it 6 weeks of long dark nights in fall (like a poinsettia) — that short-day trigger sets new buds. Nearly unkillable by underwatering; killed easily by overwatering.
Bright light — some direct sun for bloom
Low water
Moderate growth
Attracts bees
Attracts butterflies
Attracts hummingbirds
None winter chill
From the print shop
Growing kalanchoe? Hang it.
Our Houseplants Vol. 2 collection carries kalanchoe — Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, print Nº 14, “Kalanchoe.”
16 designsfrom $21.99white or black groundmatte poster, unframed
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Overview
Will kalanchoe suit your garden, and what goes wrong.
Will it thrive where you are?
Enter your ZIP — we look up your USDA hardiness zone (2023 map) and check it against what kalanchoe actually needs.
Hardy inZones 10-12Kalanchoe at a glance
Common kalanchoe problems
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Growing
Light, water, soil, propagation and the season’s jobs.
How to grow kalanchoe: light, water & soil
How to plant & propagate kalanchoe
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The year
What kalanchoe asks for, month by month.
The kalanchoe year, month by month
No fixed season calendar for kalanchoe — its care follows conditions, not the calendar.
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Ecology & uses
What it does for the garden, and what it is grown for.
Kalanchoe in the garden system
What kalanchoe is grown for
! Some parts toxic — see notesToxic to cats/dogs — bufadienolides (cardiac glycosides), so ASPCA flags possible abnormal heart rhythm alongside the usual GI upset
Edibility, identification, and traditional-use notes here are general reference — not medical or veterinary advice, and not a claim that any plant treats or prevents anything. Medicinal ratings record how strongly a plant features in herbal tradition, nothing more. Never eat or dose a plant you have not positively identified. More on how to use this library.
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Cultivars
Named varieties of kalanchoe, ruled as a catalogue.
Best kalanchoe varieties & cultivars
'Calandiva' (rose-like double); single-flowered types; K. 'Flapjacks' (paddle-leaf, foliage)
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Sources & plant ID
Where the care distinctions come from, and how the plant is filed.
Research basis
Sources behind this profile
No extension citations are attached to kalanchoeyet. The care figures below come from the library's own catalogue rather than a traced primary source.
Plant ID
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Where to buy
Third-party nurseries — not Story Thyme Farms.
Third-party nurseries, not Story Thyme Farms. Prices are theirs.
Story Thyme Farms may earn a small commission from these links, at no cost to you — it never changes what we recommend. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Questions
Kalanchoe questions, answered straight.
Is kalanchoe safe for kids and pets?
With care. Toxic to cats/dogs — bufadienolides (cardiac glycosides), so ASPCA flags possible abnormal heart rhythm alongside the usual GI upset Site it accordingly if children or pets roam the garden. This is general reference, not medical or veterinary advice — call a vet or poison control if something has actually been eaten.
How do you propagate kalanchoe?
Stem/leaf cuttings, division, or pups.
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Elsewhere
Where kalanchoe sits in the library.
Monstera
Golden Pothos
Snake Plant
Heartleaf Philodendron