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by Andrew S.
(Ithaca, NY, U.S.)

Big fat leaves

I’ve had this plant for at least a year now and it has grown some babies (???) at the end of it. Not long after I first got it the end flowered and it has developed into what appears to be 5 new stalks with leaves of their own. It was only about 5-7 inches shorter when I first got it (the sprouting end piece wasn’t there.)

I was curious as to the name of this plant and if it normally grows like this, or if I should try and propagate and grow multiples together or what, I have no idea.

The stalk is also covered in a white chalk like powder(?).


Drought Smart Plants reply:

Hi Andrew,
The trait of the white chalk like powder is the give away characteristic here – this is one of my favorite plants, Kalanchoe thyrsiflora, sometimes also known as Kalanchoe luciae, or Flapjacks.

In the case of your plant, what has happened is a lack of light, causing it to stretch to reach more, and it’s made it fall over.

They do have long flower stalks, sometimes a ridiculous height, after which you can probably cut the top off.

They root easily from cuttings, and this is probably the best thing to do with the part you call ‘babies’ – these are just new shoots; possibly the growing tip was damaged, and the plant responded by allowing some lower buds to emerge.

Cut off each of these, allow to callous, then root them in dry soil for a week or two – oh, and put them in the brightest light you have so they stay compact.

Jacki


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