Kalanchoe daigremontianaMother of Thousands

Kalanchoe daigremontiana, Mother of Thousands, is an upright succulent with paired blue-green leaves marked purple beneath, each leaf edged with a row of tiny complete plantlets that drop off and root wherever they land. It is that habit, rather than the flower, that gives the plant its name and its reputation.

As a specimen in a gravel bed or a container it is striking and needs nothing; planted into open ground in a warm climate it colonises, so containment is part of the specification.

Specifications

• Height0.4 to 1 metre
• Width0.2 to 0.4 metres
• Native toMadagascar
• FoliageUpright fleshy blue-green leaves marked purple beneath, edged with tiny plantlets; evergreen
• Growth rateFast

Conditions

• SoilRequires sharply drained sandy or gritty soils
• LightFull sun to partial shade
• WaterLow; drought-tolerant once established
• ClimateThrives in arid, subtropical and tropical regions; frost sensitive

Additional Features

• FormSingle upright stem carrying paired leaves, unbranched until it flowers
• FlowersDrooping clusters of grey-pink bell flowers in winter on mature plants
• UsesIdeal for rockeries, gravel gardens, container displays and collector planting
• SpacingPlant 0.2 to 0.3 metres apart in a contained bed
• Low MaintenanceNeeds very little attention; remove self-rooted plantlets to control spread
• Pest ResistanceGenerally resilient
• Drought ToleranceThrives on minimal water
• ToxicityAll parts are toxic to livestock and pets if eaten

Mother of Thousands is a striking container succulent, best kept in a container for exactly the reason it is famous.