Kalanchoe tomentosa
The panda plant life is a fuzzy - leave behind succulent suited to outdoor cultivation in USDA Hardiness Zones 11 and 12 .
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With low H2O needs and few maintenance prerequisite , it is also a pop houseplant in all regions .
Photo by Krzysztof Ziarnek, Wikimedia Commons, viaCC BY-SA.
Read on to learn how to grow a panda plant indoors . Here ’s a preview of the topics we ’ll cover up :
What You’ll Learn
Get quick for a new gain to your indoor garden folk .
What Is a Panda Plant?
Panda plant , aka pussy ear and stitch plant , is a member of thewidespreadKalanchoegenusand is aboriginal to the pile of fundamental Madagascar , where it grows in granite rock outcrop .
In this temperate place setting , the warm , rainy summers have daytime highs in the 80 , while in the nerveless , dry wintertime , highs are in the 60s .
It has an upright , branching growth habit , and soft , fine hair’s-breadth called “ trichomes ” pass over the blue - green leave of absence . This protective covering insulates against temperature extremes , aids wet retention , and create a fuzzy spirit and palpate .
The leave-taking are elliptical with reddish - brown dots and bands along the tolerance .
And while indoor succulents may not bloom , when grown outdoors , K. tomentosaproduces panicles of tubular icteric blossoms in early springtime and into the summer .
fledged heights in the crazy range from one to three feet , and widths are from two to three feet . Indoor cultivation may result in reduce height .
This slow - growing species multiplies by producing outgrowth . And like theChristmas cactus , the root word are potential to become woody with age .
K. tomentosawas a 1993recipient of the Royal Horticultural Society ( RHS ) Award of Garden Merit ( AGM ) , a testament to its reliable note value for the home gardener .
Please note that the professional at the California Poison Control System listK. tomentosaas nontoxic to humans and pet .
However , they stress that eat this plant may cause emesis and pose a exit luck . Do not eat any part of this plant and keep pets and children away from it .
Propagation
This succulent metal money is easy to propagate . you could take a leaf or fore cutting , divide an offset , or purchase a potted plant from a nursery to get started .
Ourguide to diffuse succulentshas full details .
allow ’s take a ready expression at each method .
From Leaf Cuttings
The unspoiled metre to take a leaf clipping is during active bounce growth . Begin by pinching off a leaf at the base .
occupy a shallow container with cactus and succulent potting metier and lie the leaf or leaves on top .
In a day or two , the deletion end will take shape a voiceless , juiceless callus from which new foliage and roots will burgeon forth over the next few weeks . Keep the cut wry during this fourth dimension .
From Stem Cuttings
Another way to commence is by taking base newspaper clipping in the leap .
rather of top off an individual folio , apply clean , sharpprunersto cut back a stem about an eighth of an inch below a foliage knob , a natural growing point .
lie in the stem on its side on a paper towel and keep it dry . grant the cut prow to dry out out and organise a hard callus before transplant .
Divide an Offset
To divide first , use a clean , sharphori hori knifeto sever the roots that connect the parent to an offset .
Transplant the division instantly .
If the parent plant or the offset demonstrate signs of pest infestation or disease , rinse the soil off the beginning and examine them for sign of damage , dehydration , discoloration , or rot .
Cut off any unhealthy roots and let the remain origin dry out entirely before transplanting the salvaged healthy part .
Learn more about propagating succulent with showtime here .
From a Nursery Pot
If you purchase a potted plant life , you could transplant it to a young container of your pick .
take a pot that is poriferous and well - draining .
Set the plant at the same depth it was in its original container . There should be half an column inch to an inch of way between the deal rim and ground Earth’s surface for tearing without grease runoff .
stave off implant too profoundly as it may impair evaporation and promote rot .
How to Grow
In the state of nature , K. tomentosathrives in full sun to part tad . The soil is rocky , comprised primarily of granite , with a slightly acidulous pH of 5.5 to 6.0 .
Indoors , this coinage thrives in bright indirect sunlight with a room temperature of between 65 and 75 ° F .
Avoid draught and spacious temperature fluctuation that may cause tenseness to the plant and stunt its growth . Replicate the well - draining , farinaceous filth of its natural habitat with a timber cactus and succulent potting medium .
One you may like to assay is Tank’s - professional Cactus and Succulent Mix .
Tank’s - Pro Cactus and Succulent Mix
With coconut straw chips , horticultural pumice , and constitutive compost , you ’ll have the exceptional drain ask for successful succulent cultivation .
Tank’s - professional Cactus and Succulent Mix isavailable from Tank ’s Green Stuff via Amazonin 16 - dry quart bags .
For best results , opt a holey pot made of a cloth like mud . It should be one inch broad than the leafage to allow way for a watering can spout . There should be one or more drainage holes in the bottom and you will demand a drip - catching dish or discus to post underneath .
To transplant offsets , frozen cuttings , or nursery starting signal , ready them at the same profoundness as in the original container and backfill with pot spiritualist for a firm hold .
Water using the “ dry and soak ” method acting , wait until the good deal is completely teetotal before giving the soil a thorough soaking .
appropriate extra water to drain out before fall the stack to its sweetheart to avoid standing weewee that may top to fungal infection and rotting .
Growing Tips
Like most succulents , a panda plant is well-off to tame when you :
Now get ’s sing about a few simple maintenance task .
Maintenance
Over fourth dimension , potted plant depletes the grunge of its food . Restore them by fertilizingonce in the give and once in the summertime with a liquid cactus and succulent solid food load to half strength .
Repot every few years as needed to adapt expansion . A snug fit is best , as it maintain the root sprawling from outpacing the leaf growth . There should be an inch of space between the foliage and the pot flange for gentle watering .
Water with the soak and dry method . Usea wet meteras your guide and reduce lachrymation during winter dormancy .
supervise for planetary house of pestis and diseases that may require prompt treatment . We ’ll discuss these shortly , but first , let ’s look at uncommitted leverage options .
Cultivars to Select
The speciesK. tomentosabears the same traits as its wild ascendant . Blue - green elliptic foliage with reddish - brown security deposit are its signature features .
Panda Plant , K. tomentosa
metal money pandas areavailable from CTS Air Plants via Amazonin four - inch starter tummy .
In addition to the species works , there are a few name cultivated varieties with unequaled features you may like .
Here are a couple of options to consider :
Chocolate Soldier
K. tomentosa‘Chocolate Soldier ’ is a cultivated variety , which feature more pointed leaf backsheesh and blue brown , almost blackened edging .
‘ umber Soldier ’
‘ Chocolate Soldier ’ isavailable via Amazonin two- and four - inch starter muckle and two- and four - in clay stack .
Golden Girl
K. tomentosa‘Golden Girl ’ warm up up the foliage , taking it from a cool blue - green to a warm yellow - green , while preserve the Hellenic reddish - dark-brown margins and elliptical leaves .
Managing Pests and Disease
Pests do not generally plague succulent , but there are two to follow out for :
interpret our scout to learn more about these cuss and for avoidance and obliteration measure .
There are also diseases to be mindful of , include :
Cactus root hogwash is get byPhytophthora cactorum , a fungous - same pathogen relegate as a water supply mold ( oomycete ) . It undermines the roots and cause brown foliar discolouration and disfiguration .
There are phosphonate fungicides on the market place for treating infection have by water molds , but once the soil is infected and the root begin to rot , there is minuscule hope of recovery . Your only option is to chuck out of the plant and the soil it was growing in , and start again .
Consultour templet to powdery mildewto learn more about this fungal disease .
Best Uses
The fuzzy texture and big brown outlining on the leave makeK. tomentosaa striking addition to your indoor garden , whether you ’re growing it as a standalone specimen or in a interracial succulent grouping .
You might use bear cat industrial plant decoratively as a soft and wind contrast to the keen Angle of a contemporary glass , metal , or Ellen Price Wood mesa .
Choose growing companions like bromeliads , cacti , and other succulents with standardised cultural requirement for a flamboyant collection .
Quick Reference Growing Guide
A Two-Tone Attraction
As you’re able to see , it ’s not grueling to grow your own panda plant .
Withwell - draining ground , burnished indirect sunlight , springtime alimentation , and soak and wry watering , you’re able to rest assured you ’ll carry out its cultural requirement .
Primed for success , you ’re quick to enclose this texturally - racy two - tone attraction to your indoor garden family line .
If you bask this article and need tolearn about other succulent houseplants , we recommend the accompany guides next :
© Ask the Experts , LLC . ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.See our TOSfor more details . Product photo via CTS Air Plants Store , Tank’s - Pro , and DH7 Enterprise Store . Uncredited pic : Shutterstock .
About
Nan Schiller
