Is Kalanchoe toxic? Understand clearly before keeping it at home

Is Kalanchoe toxic? ActuallyKalanchoe is non-toxic, a plant of the genus Kalanchoe in the Crassulaceae family, also known as Shouxing flower, false chuanlian, Christmas kalanchoe, and Christmas kalanchoe, native to the island of Madagascar in Africa, fond of warm and humid environments, not cold-tolerant, and a fairly easy-to-grow potted flower.

Kalanchoe prefers warmer temperatures, with suitable growing temperatures being no more than 30 degrees during the day and no lower than 18 degrees at night. Temperatures that are too high or too low will affect its normal growth.

Kalanchoe has a relatively low water requirement; finish watering before noon, and the leaves must stay dry before nightfall. It is a short-day plant and will bloom only after at least 6 weeks of treatment. During short-day treatment, there must be at least 14 hours of darkness per day. Generally, the natural short-day period runs from October 1 each year to March 1 of the following year. For those planted in larger pots, long-day treatment should be given in the early growth stage, so that after the plant reaches a certain size it can be given short-day treatment to make it bloom. Otherwise, the plant may be on the small side.

Kalanchoe is generally not pinched in Europe and America, but in China it can be pinched as needed. After pinching, the plant generally has a better shape; a single plant grown in a pot of more than 15 cm should be pinched, usually 3~4 weeks after planting. Removing some flower buds when they first appear can promote the formation of more flower buds. After the flowers fade, promptly remove the spent flowers.

The Kalanchoe plant is small and compact, with dense emerald-green leaves and richly colored flowers. Because its flowering period is close to Christmas and the flowering period is long, it has become a “holiday flower” used to enhance the festive atmosphere. In addition, Kalanchoe leaves are thick and fleshy, densely deep green, and glossy, with high ornamental value; when it is not flowering, its leaves can still be appreciated, making it a very ideal indoor potted flower.

At night, CO2 in the atmosphere enters the cytoplasm of Kalanchoe through the stomata, is catalyzed by phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase, and combines with PEP to form oxaloacetate, which is then reduced to malate by the action of malate dehydrogenase and stored in the vacuole, where its concentration can reach 100 millimoles per liter. The entry of malate from the cytoplasm into the vacuole through the tonoplast is an active process, while its return from the vacuole to the cytoplasm is a passive process. During the day, after malate is released from the vacuole, it undergoes decarboxylation to form CO2 and C3 compounds. Two decarboxylases can catalyze this reaction. In some plants, NADP (coenzyme II)- or NAD (coenzyme I)-malic enzyme catalyzes oxidative decarboxylation, forming CO2 and pyruvate; in other plants, PEP carboxykinase catalyzes the formation of oxaloacetate and decarboxylates it to produce CO2 and PEP. After CO2 is produced, it is re-fixed through the photosynthetic carbon cycle and ultimately forms sugars such as starch. Under weak light, especially when the temperature is high, part of the CO2 will be released into the atmosphere.

Kalanchoe's non-toxicity and strong adaptability make it an ideal plant for home cultivation. Placing a few pots in a newly renovated house not only beautifies the home environment but can also absorb harmful gases.