Flaming Katy

Sun

Bright light indoors, including some direct morning sun. Outdoors, give morning sun and afternoon shade in hot climates; acclimatise gradually to stronger light.

Water

Let the upper 1-2 in (2.5-5 cm) of compost dry before watering thoroughly, then drain completely. Water less in cool weather and never leave the pot standing in water.

Soil

Free-draining cactus or succulent compost in a pot with drainage holes. Outdoors, use gritty, sharply drained soil protected from prolonged winter wet.

Height

0.5-1.5 ft (0.15-0.45 m)

Spread

0.5-1.5 ft (0.15-0.45 m)

Flowers

Naturally flowers from winter into spring in response to long nights. Clusters of red, orange, yellow, pink or white flowers; double-flowered forms are common, and commercially timed plants are sold in bloom throughout the year.

Foliage

Evergreen. Fleshy, glossy, dark green leaves with rounded, scalloped edges; margins may redden in strong light.

Growth

Slow to moderate

Care needed

Low

• Drought tolerant
• Heat tolerant
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Very tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   0.8 ft (0.25 m)

2. After 1 year

   0.8 ft (0.26 m)

3. After 2 years

   0.9 ft (0.26 m)

4. After 3 years

   0.9 ft (0.27 m)

5. After 5 years

   0.9 ft (0.28 m)

About 8 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Toxic

Growth rate

Slow

• Water the compost rather than the leaves and allow excess water to drain away.
• Feed monthly at half strength with a balanced houseplant fertiliser during active spring and summer growth.
• Keep indoors before nights fall below 10°C (50°F), and protect from frost.
• Repot in spring only when crowded, using a pot just one size larger.
• For repeat flowering, provide about 14 hours of uninterrupted darkness each night for 6-8 weeks, with bright light by day; evening room lighting can prevent buds forming.

Pruning. Cut spent flower stalks back to the first healthy leaves once flowering finishes. Shorten leggy stems after flowering to encourage branching, using clean scissors.

Spring

After flowering, remove spent stalks, shorten leggy growth and repot if the roots are crowded.

Late spring

Move plants outdoors only once nights stay above 10°C (50°F), gradually introducing them to brighter light.

Summer

Water when the upper compost dries and feed monthly at half strength.

Late summer

Take stem cuttings from healthy, non-flowering shoots.

Autumn

Bring patio plants indoors before cool nights; provide long, uninterrupted nights if repeat flowers are wanted.

Winter

Keep in bright light away from cold glass, water sparingly and remove fading flowers.

• Use flowering pots on bright indoor windowsills or tables close to a sunny window.
• Group several pots in one flower colour for a compact display on a sheltered patio during warm weather.
• Combine with echeverias and small jade plants in a well-drained succulent bowl, leaving room between plants.
• Plant at the front of a sheltered, frost-free succulent border for seasonal flower colour.

Garden styles it suits: Modern, Urban city garden, Modern courtyard, Small-space, Low-maintenance and Modern Mediterranean.

Plant it with: Echeveria, Jade plant, Zebra haworthia and Elephant bush.

Wildlife: Open, single flowers may attract visiting insects outdoors, but this is not a major wildlife plant. Double flowers offer less accessible nectar and pollen.

• Root or stem rot: soft, dark stems and collapsing growth usually indicate wet compost; remove rotten material, improve drainage and take healthy cuttings if needed.
• Mealybugs: inspect leaf joints and remove visible insects with a cotton bud; isolate the plant and use a labelled treatment if infestation persists.
• Powdery mildew: improve air circulation, avoid crowded displays and remove badly affected leaves.
• Few flowers or stretched stems: increase daytime light; for flower initiation, provide uninterrupted long nights without room lighting.

Toxic to cats, dogs and horses if eaten. All parts contain cardiac glycosides, with flowers particularly hazardous; poisoning can cause vomiting and diarrhoea, and serious cases can disturb heart rhythm. It is also potentially poisonous to people if swallowed. Keep away from children and grazing animals, and seek medical or veterinary advice after ingestion.

• Beach bells (Kalanchoe manginii)

  Has arching or trailing stems and hanging, bell-shaped orange-red flowers, rather than upright clusters of small, open flowers.

• Flapjack plant (Kalanchoe luciae)

  Forms a rosette of broad, paddle-shaped leaves with smooth edges, often strongly red-flushed; Flaming Katy has smaller, scalloped leaves on branching stems.

The species name blossfeldiana honours German plant breeder Robert Blossfeld, while Flaming Katy refers to its vivid flowers.

Propagation. Take short, non-flowering stem cuttings in spring or summer. Allow the cut ends to dry for a day or two, then insert into barely moist, gritty compost and keep warm in bright, indirect light; do not enclose in a humid propagator.

Accepted botanical name

Kalanchoe blossfeldiana

In the US and Canada

Introduced in the lower 48 states and Puerto Rico.

Native range

Madagascar.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.