Scientific Name
Kalanchoe daigremontiana Raym.-Hamet & H. Perrier
Common Names
Mother of Thousands, Alligator Plant, Devil’s Backbone, Mexican Hat Plant
Synonyms
Bryophyllum daigremontianum, Kalanchoe daigremontianum
Scientific Classification
Family: Crassulaceae
Subfamily: Sedoideae
Tribe: Kalanchoeae
Genus: Kalanchoe
Description
Kalanchoe daigremontiana is an upright succulent perennial, up to 3 feet (1 m) tall, with opposite, fleshy oblong-lanceolate, grey-green leaves, often spotted with brown-red and with a row of plantlets on each edge. The plantlets form roots while on the plant. The leaves reach up to 8 inches (20 cm) long and up to 1.2 inches (3 cm) wide. The flowers are tubular, greyish pink in color, up to 1 inch (2.5 cm) long.
Kalanchoe daigremontiana – Mother of Thousands, Alligator Plant
Photo via 2minutegardener.blogspot.com
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zone 9b to 11b: from 25 °F (−3.9 °C) to 50 °F (+10 °C).
How to Grow and Care
Kalanchoes are not particularly hard to grow, and the flowering varieties are highly rewarding for their colorful and long-lasting flowers. They prefer bright, sunny locations, especially in the summer growing season. During the winter, consider a south-facing window. Water moderately throughout the summer and reduce watering in the winter. Let the soil surface dry out between waterings, and in the winter, the plant can almost dry out. Watch the fleshy leaves for signs of water distress. They prefer warmth. Do not let fall below 55ºF (12.7ºC). An ordinary potting soil mix is fine. Feed bi-weekly in the summer with a liquid fertilizer, or use slow-release pellets.
Many kinds of Kalanchoe will produce tiny plantlets along the leaf margins that can be individually potted up… – See more at: How to Grow and Care for Kalanchoe.
Origin
Native to the Fiherenana River valley and Androhibolava mountains in southwest Madagascar.
Subspecies, Varieties, Forms, Cultivars and Hybrids
Kalanchoe х houghtonii
Kalanchoe ‘Pink Butterflies’
