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by Jeannette
(Boca Raton)

I live in south Florida and wanted to plant Flap Jacks in a large planter on a patio that gets a lot of sun in the summer and gets pretty hot.

Will they do well in that kind of environment?

Everything I’ve tried planting shrivels with the heat or needs water 1 or 2 times a day to keep from wilting.

How large will they get? Could I do three plants in a well drained 16″ square planter Thanks

Hi Jeanette, I think Kalanchoe thyrsiflora would do great in a big planter.

If the pot is clay, then it would be best if it was a lighter color; dark colored glazes get really hot in full sun, so if it gets really warm out, this could be an issue. If it could be in afternoon shade, that would be the best.

Wood or other materials won’t have this issue.

Three in a 16″ planter will be really full. The leaves on these plants can be over 8″ long, so one in the middle will still hang over the sides, just so you know.

They can also reach a considerable height, especially when they start to bloom – I’ve seen them well over 4′ tall. Make sure if it’s windy to give them some protection as they tend to be top heavy.

You will still need to give it adequate water, but it won’t be quite as desperately thirsty as some other plants.

Best of luck with your decor!
Jacki