Kalanchoe serrata, Bryophyllum serratum

Kalanchoe serrata, commonly known as Kalanchoe Magic Tower, is a tough little shrub with a lot of punch. This plant species can reach heights of 2-5 feet and will display an array of vibrant pink flowers from late spring through to autumn, making it an ornamental foliage in any garden. From midseason to late summer,Kalanchoe serrata produces red and crimson vinous flowers that add some depth and color to gardens.

Kalanchoe serrata is known to be a very easy plant to care for and is adaptable to a range of USDA hardiness zones from 9-11, so it can be found thriving in many parts of the USA. This succulent can tolerate both full sun and dry conditions, making it a low maintenance garden beauty. Even better, this magnificent specimen is also highly tolerant of salty wind and spray, making it a great seaside or coastal favorite.

A mature Kalanchoe serrata can handle hard frost, as is cold hardy to temperatures as low as 30sF. It can survive a short time in these colder regions, but should be properly protected with a warm layer of mulch or a thick layer of leaves. It may also benefit from being planted in containers or pots, and can then be brought indoors to overwinter. This will ensure the pot and root system keep warm and is better for the health of the plant.

All in all, Kalanchoe serrata may provide a cheerful addition to your garden and is worth the investment for its beautiful flowers and salt-tolerance. With minimal effort and proper plant care, this small shrub is sure to prosper!

Kalanchoe sp.

Members of Kalanchoe genus are characterized by opening their flowers by growing new cells on the inner surface of the petals to force them outwards, and on the outside of the petals to close them.

Species and varieties:

Kalanchoe beauverdii

Kalanchoe beharensis

Kalanchoe blossfeldiana

Kalanchoe bracteata

Kalanchoe crenato-daigremontiana

Kalanchoe dinklagei

Kalanchoe farinacea

Kalanchoe fedtschenkoi

Kalanchoe figuereidoi

Kalanchoe gastonis-bonnieri

Kalanchoe kewensis

Kalanchoe laciniata

Kalanchoe laetivirens

Kalanchoe luciae

Kalanchoe manginii

Kalanchoe marmorata

Kalanchoe millotii

Kalanchoe mortagei

Kalanchoe orgyalis

Kalanchoe paniculata

Kalanchoe pinnata

Kalanchoe pumila

Kalanchoe rhombopilosa

Kalanchoe rosei

Kalanchoe scapigera

Kalanchoe schizophylla

Kalanchoe serrata

Kalanchoe sexangulares

Kalanchoe synsepala

Kalanchoe tetraphylla

Kalanchoe tomentosa

Kalanchoe tubiflora

Kalanchoe uniflora

Kalanchoe velutina

Kalanchoe x richaudii

Bryophyllum is a plant genus of the Crassulaceae family that has sometimes been included within the genus Kalanchoe. The group is notable for vegetatively growing small plantlets on the fringes of the leaves; these eventually drop off and root.

Kalanchoe synsepala

Kalanchoe synsepala is a very attractive succulent plant, up to 20 inches (50 cm) tall. The enormous fleshy leaves are with red margin. Flowers are tubular, very pale pink to reddish, small in dense terminal cymes. It produces baby plants at the ends of long stems, which eventually and bend down to the ground and take root, giving rise to its common name of Walking Kalanchoe.

Kalanchoe thyrsiflora, Kalanchoe tetraphylla

USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map

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This Kalanchoe has large paddle-shaped leaves which redden beautifully from the margins in direct sunlight. Leaves can grow to be 6 inches long and 3-4 inches wide. It will form a lovely clump over time. Very similar to Kalanchoe luciae.

Kalanchoe tomentosa

Densely leafy shrub to 2 ft high branching from base; leaves and stems velvety, leaves 3" long and 1" wide with blotches on margins and at tips; yellow-green flowers. Kalanchoe tomentosa need full sun to light shade, or bright indirect lighting in the home. They need a well-drained soil and warm temperatures. Plants are watered and allow to dry thoroughly before watering again. During the winter months, plants are watered only enough to keep the leaves from shriveling.

Kalanchoe uniflora, Kalanchoe ambrensis, Bryophyllum uniflorum

Kalanchoe uniflora need full sun to partial shade with intermediate to warm temperatures. Let the plant dry thoroughly between waterings. Trimming and grooming should be done in spring after flowering.

Kalanchoe velutina

Petals open in ranges of red, crimson, vinous flowers and yellow, orange colors. The flowering of Kalanchoe velutina is prolific and long-lasting.

Kalanchoe velutina also known as Velvet Leaf Kalanchoe is a small shrub native to South Africa known for its ethnomedical properties and breathtaking beauty. This pleasure shrub is suitable to many gardens and growing conditions, tolerating full sun and moderate water perfectly. It is an evergreen perennial shrub that grows to be 2-5 feet tall, with thick, fleshy rich green oval plush leaves, and produces profuse flowers in colors of red, crimson, and vinous. The trumpet shape petals come in a hue range from yellow, to orange, and even to white tones. Its flowering season is vibrant throughout the entire year with multitude of colors that attract both butterflies and hummingbirds.

Kalanchoe velutina requires minimal care and can grow easily indoors or outdoors in USDA Zone 9-11. Outdoor cultivated plants require moderate amount of water during the flowering period and very little amount during the winter season when the plant does not blossom. For outdoor plants, add a layer of mulch to the garden bed in order to maintain the water under the base of the plant. For indoor plants, place the pot in a location that receives full sun exposure and water as necessary when soil looks dry. In cold regions, it should be kept indoors during winter or cover the pot with insulation material to keep the temperature warm enough. Fertilizing with a balanced fertilizer every month will help the plant produce more flowers. Regular pruning and removal of wilted flowers is also advised in order to keep the plant healthy.

Lenophyllum guttatum

Lenophyllum guttatum, or Sharpleaf Lenophyllum, is a small shrub that is native to Florida and the Caribbean. It is an evergreen with triangle shaped leaves that are silver-green in color with brown markings. It has a compact, upright growth habit and usually grows to a height of 2-5 ft with a spread of about 3 ft.

Generally, Lenophyllum guttatum prefers full sun and moderate water, although it is only moderately tolerant to wet conditions. Once the shrub is established it has a good drought tolerance and can easily handle dry conditions too. The foliage is its most ornamental feature, with the silver-green leaves that have the brown markings and yellow-orange flowers appearing in the summer.

When grown in USDA Zone 9-11, Lenophyllum guttatum can be planted either in the ground or in a pot. For those living in a colder region, it is best to keep the shrub in a pot so it can be brought indoors during the cooler months and overwinter. Growing the shrub in a pot requires well-drained soil, filtered sunlight and occasional watering. If possible, the container should be moved to an area with better sunlight, or suplement with artificial light. During the summer, it is important to remember to adequately water the shrub and to fertilize using a balanced fertilizer every couple of months to help promote healthy growth.

Portulacaria afra

This interesting plant can be used as an indoor bonsai where sunlight or strong artificial light is sufficiently available. The plant known to us as P. Afra was first illustrated from a rooted cutting in 1732 by Dr. Johann Jakob Dillenius, Oxford professor of botany, in his Hortus elthamensis. Not having flowered, it was understandably thought to be a species of Crassula. The common names derive from the succulent nature of the plant's leaves and stout trunk, and also from the observation that elephants will browse upon this. This is a stout juicy-stemmed, soft-wooded, semi-evergreen upright shrub or small tree, in the ground growing about 9 ft tall. The diameter of the trunk can be 9" or more. The leaves and young branches/branch tips are quite phototropic. Older branches, gray, shiny and up to 2" thick, will hang down or trail on the ground. Spreading outward, less frequently they will grow erect, especially at the center of the plant. Has opposite, obovate (egg-shaped), glabrous, very fleshy, blunt green leaves usually less than 1" long and without a distinct petiole or leaf stem. The flowers are white/pink/rose/lilac-colored. In South Africa P. afra bears these star-shaped flowers in late spring and summer after the rains, but seldom blooms in the western U.S., Hawaii, or Florida. The flowers are rare in cultivation, but if kept very dry the older and presumably unpruned plants may flower after rain. The berry-like fruit is pinkish, small, light, dry, transparent. Leaves of plants grown in full sun are smaller than those of the same variety grown in partial shade. Full sun is also known to bleach the leaves to a pale yellowish color on some large potted specimens. Brown patches on leaves can be due to sun scorch. Move the affected plant to a more airy place and shade from the hot sun for two weeks. Cuttings can become rooted in water, but after about one month the cutting needs to be put in soil or else it will rot.

In Africa, it is a favorite food for both Elephants and Rhinoceros, and is grown in farms for feeding both animals and people. The foliage when eaten raw, steamed, lightly boiled, or especially stir-fried, is not only delicious but actually very nutritious, containing more beneficial Beta 3 fatty acids than most fish.

Read more about Portulacaria afra.

Sedum adolphi

Beautiful green to yellow to orange colored sedum which grows like a low shrub. Makes great ground cover. White flowers. Easy care, prefers free draining soil.