Kalanchoe
Kalanchoe blossfeldiana · also called Flaming Katy
Succulent
- Light
- Part sun
- Pot size
- Small pot (up to about 5 litres)
- Care level
- Easy
- Year round or seasonal
- Kept year to year; in a pot, keep it above about 7.2 °C (45 °F)
- Pets
- ASPCA: toxic to pets
Light and position
Bright, indirect light with afternoon shade; long hours of direct sun can scorch it. It needs 6 to 8 hours of bright light a day to flower well.
Size and pot
NC State lists 6 to 18 inches. Our pot band: small pot (up to about 5 litres).
Watering
Let the soil dry out, then water deeply. It is drought tolerant.
Potting mix and feeding
Well-drained cactus or succulent mix; overwatering causes root and stem rot.
Growing through the year
To flower again, NC State says it needs 14 hours of total darkness each night for at least six weeks. Bring it indoors before temperatures drop to 45 °F (about 7 °C).
Winter outdoors
Cold limit in a pot: about 7.2 °C (45 °F). NC State says to bring it indoors before temperatures drop to 45 °F.
| Your coldest winter nights | What to do |
|---|---|
| Coldest nights 15 °C or warmer | Can stay out through this winter |
| Coldest nights 10 to 15 °C | Can stay out through this winter |
| Coldest nights 5 to 10 °C | Move it to shelter before nights fall to 7.2 °C |
| Coldest nights 0 to 5 °C | Move it to shelter before nights fall to 7.2 °C |
| Light frost: nights down to about −5 °C | Move it to shelter before nights fall to 7.2 °C |
| Hard frost: nights below −5 °C | Move it to shelter before nights fall to 7.2 °C |
A plant can stay out only when its limit is below the coldest night in your band; a limit equal to that night counts as needing shelter. A rare cold snap, wind or a wet pot can still damage plants. We convert °F to °C with NIST’s formula.
Watch for
Aphids, mealybugs and spider mites; powdery mildew where air is still.
Pets and people
ASPCA lists Kalanchoe species as toxic to dogs and cats (bufadienolides). Signs include vomiting, diarrhoea and, rarely, abnormal heart rhythm.
General gardening information, not professional advice. Plant toxicity details are a starting point, not veterinary or medical advice: if a pet or child may have eaten a plant, contact a veterinarian or doctor promptly.
Care level: NC State’s maintenance rating (Low). Pot band and summary wording are ours, based on the sources below.