The Flaming Käthchen (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana) is usually sold in specialist shops already in bloom and is then often left to waste after the first season until it is disposed of. With a little care, this popular house plant can even enrich the balcony seasonally with its magnificent flowers.
Can I keep my Flaming Käthchen on the balcony?
The Flaming Cat (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana) is suitable for the balcony as long as it is protected from direct midday sun and rain. Use loose cactus or succulent soil, water once a week and provide drainage. Have it moved indoors in late summer.
Enjoy Flaming Käthchen beyond the first season
The Flaming Käthchen is usually already in full bloom when it is sold in stores. However, after the long-lasting flowering period, it may well happen that another flowering does not occur so easily on its own. In the belief that it is a short-lived plant with no chance of blooming again, many specimens of Kalanchoe blossfeldiana are then disposed of unnecessarily early. The chances of flowering again are not bad at all if either cuttings are taken or the short-day plant is pruned and the short-day plant is exposed to a shorter amount of light to ensure the formation of new flower buds.
Not every balcony is suitable as a location
The Flaming Käthchen certainly appreciates brightness in its location, but the direct rays of the midday sun can cause sunburn in the form of reddish leaves after just a short time. A balcony that faces east or west also ensures that temperature fluctuations are as small as possible. So that the succulent plant is not overwhelmed by too much moisture, it should also be kept covered and protected from the rain on the balcony. You should also note the following care instructions:
- use loose cactus or succulent soil
- water only once a week even in summer
- Prevent waterlogging with drainage made of pottery shards or expanded clay
Wintering the Flaming Käthchen properly
So that this non-hardy plant does not die after a long balcony season, it should definitely be moved inside the house in good time when temperatures fall in late summer. So that the artificial light in the living room does not prevent the bud formation and thus the flowering success of the coming season, the location in the house should be as dark as possible with a maximum of 9 hours of brightness per day and a temperature of at least 16 degrees Celsius.
Tip
It can sometimes be problematic if Flaming Käthchen shares space on the balcony with your house cats. Unfortunately, house cats tend to nibble on the thick-fleshed leaves of this plant in the room or on the balcony and suffer symptoms of poisoning due to the steroids they contain.
