The best-known Kalanchoe varieties are probably those that beautify our homes with their colorful flowers. However, the thick-leaf plants that come from Madagascar and the tropical regions of Asia and Africa include around 150 species, such as:
Which Kalanchoe species are best known?
The best-known Kalanchoe species include flaming kitten (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana), Madagascar bell (Kalanchoe miniata), cat's ear (Kalanchoe tomentosa), elephant ear (Kalanchoe beharensis) and the brood leaf species (Kalanchoe daigremontiana). They are popular houseplants with different growth forms and flower colors.
- Kalanchoe blossfeldiana (Flaming Kat)
- Kalanchoe miniata (Madagascar bells)
- Cat's ear (Kalanchoe tomentosa)
- Elephant ear (Kalanchoe beharensis)
- Kalanchoe daigremontiana (broodleaf species)
which we would like to go into in a little more detail here.
Flaming Kat (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana)
The name of this multicolored Kalanchoe honors the German plant breeder Robert Blossfeld. The succulent, which rarely exceeds thirty centimeters in height, with its dark green leaves is probably one of those houseplants that every plant lover has owned at some point. Originally always red, the color palette of the flowers now ranges from white to yellow and orange to shades of pink and purple.
Kalanchoe miniata (Madagascar bells)
These Kalanchoes, which reach a height of between thirty and eighty centimeters, originally thrive in central Madagascar. The inflorescence looks extremely attractive and wonderfully fragile thanks to the small, hanging bells.
Cat's ear (Kalanchoe tomentosa)
This species, which comes from Madagascar and is also frequently cultivated, has a bushy, compact habit. The leaves of the plant, which grow up to 50 centimeters tall, are elongated, narrow and covered on both sides with a light, velvety down. The edge is only slightly serrated and has beautiful, bronze-colored dots.
Elephant ear (Kalanchoe beharensis)
This Kalanchoe has relatively large, very fleshy leaves, the appearance of which is strongly reminiscent of elephant ears. The top and bottom have a velvety, felty structure, the edges are wavy. This Kalanchoe is one of the largest varieties, it can grow up to two meters high and is unfortunately one of the poisonous plants.
Kalanchoe daigremontiana (broodleaf species)
The brood leaf always has its offspring with it, because the offshoots grow directly on the leaf edges of the mother plant. From here they fall to the earth, where they grow directly. According to current scientific knowledge, the brood leaf species are only close relatives of the Kalanchoe, but we would still like to list them briefly here. The independent plant family includes around 30 varieties. Among them is the famous Goethe plant (Bryophyllum calycinum) and these varieties:
Bryophyllum pinnatum
The light green, triangular leaves of the brood leaf are about ten centimeters long and are toothed. New plants form on each tooth, already with a small root ball.
Regular brood leaf (Bryophyllum daigremontianum)
This Kalanchoe grows like a bush, with brown-spotted, narrow leaves. It only carries its children on the outermost tip of the leaf. In botanical gardens, the proliferation of this plant sometimes becomes very annoying, as its children thrive in every possible place.
Tip
It is a brood leaf that Goethe described in his poem “The Metamorphosis of Plants”. The great German poet was interested in botany throughout his life; the Kalanchoe is said to have been one of his favorite plants.