How to Grow Kalanchoe and Key Day-to-Day Care Tips

Kalanchoe, also known as shouxing flower or Christmas kalanchoe, is a perennial succulent herb in the genus Kalanchoe of the Crassulaceae family. Its leaves are thick and emerald green, and its flowers are small and densely packed, often opening in clusters during winter and spring. The flower colors cover a range of shades including red, pink, orange and yellow, the ornamental period is long, and the plant carries an auspicious meaning, making it well suited to placement on a balcony, windowsill or in the living room.

When growing kalanchoe, the first thing is to provide plenty of light; insufficient light easily leads to leggy growth, thin and weak stems, and sparse flowering. In spring, autumn and winter it can be kept in a sunny spot, while at midday in summer light shading is enough. It likes warmth and fears severe cold, with a suitable growing temperature of roughly 15 to 25 degrees, and in winter attention should be paid to keeping it warm so the plant does not freeze.

Watering should follow the principle of preferring dry over wet; kalanchoe is drought tolerant and fears waterlogging, so water thoroughly only after the soil has dried out completely, as long-term standing water in the pot easily causes root rot. For cultivation, choose a loose, breathable, well-drained sandy soil. During the growing season apply light fertilizer frequently, and as the flowering period approaches supplement with phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, which can promote flower bud differentiation and make the blooms more numerous and vivid.

Kalanchoe is mainly propagated by cuttings: cut healthy stems or leaves, insert them into a slightly moist medium, and place them in a warm spot with indirect light, and they will quickly take root and survive. In daily care, if the plant is slow to flower, it is mostly related to insufficient light, too small a day-night temperature difference, or too much nitrogen fertilizer; you can increase light and control water appropriately. Removing spent flowers promptly after blooming keeps the plant shape more compact and also helps it bloom again the following year.