Kalanchoe x houghtonii (Mother of Thousands)

Kalanchoe x houghtonii, commonly known as Mother of Thousands or Mother of Millions, is a succulent hybrid in the Crassulaceae family, derived from Kalanchoe daigremontiana and K. delagoensis, both native to Madagascar. It was originally developed in cultivation but has become naturalized in warm regions worldwide. Plants form upright, sometimes branching stems with narrow, fleshy, lance-shaped to triangular leaves, often marked with dark purple or brown spots. Numerous miniature plantlets develop along the toothed leaf margins, detach easily, and root wherever conditions permit. Tall terminal inflorescences bear clusters of pendent, tubular, pink to reddish flowers. The hybrid is frequently confused with K. daigremontiana, which generally has broader, more distinctly triangular leaves. The cultivar 'Pink Butterflies' produces conspicuous pink, often chlorophyll-deficient plantlets that rarely survive independently.

Kalanchoe x houghtonii prefers full sun to bright filtered light and sharply drained soil, with watering reduced during cool weather. It is frost-sensitive and is best grown in containers where winters bring freezing temperatures. Its prolific plantlets can spread aggressively, and some forms are invasive in warm climates. Like its parents, it contains toxic compounds and should be kept away from pets and livestock.