41 Different Types of Kalanchoe Varieties You’ll Love

Thinking of adding some Kalanchoe to your indoor or outoor garden, but aren't sure where to start? There are many different varieties to choose form, depending on your goals. In this articcle, gardening expert Melissa Strauss looks at the many different types of Kalanchoe, with names and pictures of each!

kalanchoe varieties

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This intriguing genus of plants encompasses more than 100 species (and many more hybrid varieties) of hardy, low-maintenance, evergreen succulent plants, mostly native to Madagascar and South Africa. Kalanchoe ranges in size from a few inches tall, to the size of a small tree, with so many leaf variations it is difficult to count.

With their graceful rosettes of plump, juicy leaves at the foundation, many of these charming plants also produce amazing displays of long-lasting, brightly colored blooms.

Kalanchoes make wonderful houseplants and are even happier if they can live outdoors for part of the year. Here are some of our favorite kalanchoe plants that are incredibly diverse and equally beautiful.

‘Aurora Borealis’

Top view, close-up of the succulent Kalanchoe fedtschenkoi ‘Variegata’ against a blurred background. The leaves are fleshy, rounded, toothed, blue-green in color with creamy variegation and with pink edges. The leaves grow in loose rosettes.
‘Aurora Borealis’ is a variegated variety of Lavender Scallops with serrated, green-white, and pink-rimmed leaves.
botanical-name botanical name Kalanchoe fedtschenkoi ‘Variegata’
sun-requirements sun requirements Full Sun to Part Shade
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 9-12

Sometimes called Tricolor Lavender Scallops, ‘Aurora Borealis’ is a variegated variety of K. fedtschenkoi. It is small and shrubby, with thick, fleshy leaves. The scalloped leaves are blue-green and white with pink edges, and they grow in loose rosettes.

Aurora blooms in late spring or summer. The plant sends up flower stalks that are topped with clusters of bell-shaped blooms. The flowers are coral-colored, and hang downward, facing the earth. Hummingbirds love these flowers, and so do butterflies.

‘Beach Bells’

Close-up of a growing lush Kalanchoe manginii Beach Bells plant in a white hanging flower pot, in a garden. The plant is branching, has long slender stems with fleshy, rounded, glossy green leaves and a mass of bell-shaped, drooping, bright pink-red flowers, ending in four bends.
This is a branching succulent with long curved stems, green leaves, and clusters of red bell-shaped flowers.
botanical-name botanical name Kalanchoe manginii
sun-requirements sun requirements Full Sun to Part Shade
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 10-12

‘Beach Bells’ is a very attractive plant and a winner of the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society. It is a branching plant with long arching stems that sprout lovely green leaves which blush to a red tone in full sun.

The tops of the branches flower in late winter. Small clusters of red, bell-shaped blooms of about one inch long appear at the top of each stem. Beach Bells is a colorful and cheery bloomer.

Beauverd’s ‘Widow’s Thrill’

Top view, close-up of Kalanchoe beauverdii 'Widow's Thrill' succulent in a plastic pot next to other potted succulents. The plant has gray wiry stems and narrow lanceolate dark purple-black and green succulent leaves.
Kalanchoe ‘Widow’s Thrill’ has greyish-green stems and dark purple-black succulent lanceolate leaves.
botanical-name botanical name Kalanchoe beauverdii ‘Widow’s Thrill’
sun-requirements sun requirements Full Sun to Part Shade
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 9-11

Beauverd’s is a climbing variety of kalanchoe with grayish-green stems and leaves that vary in shape and size. They are typically ovate, but there is a wide range of variation in terms of possible leaf shapes for this succulent. As the plant matures, the foliage and stems will take on a deeper, more brown coloration.

In springtime, Beauverd’s produces flowers at the end of its climbing stems. Small clusters of green flowers are inconspicuous, as they are similar in color to the rest of the plant. The flowers are not the main attraction for this variety, but they are pretty and bell-shaped, like many other kalanchoes.

‘Blooming Boxes’

Top view, close-up of Kalanchoe prolifera "Blooming Boxes" plant covered with water drops. The plant has succulent purple stems bearing large, fleshy, thick leaves with purple and jagged edges. The leaves are petiolate, pinnatisect, and bright green.
‘Blooming Boxes’ is an incredibly beautiful species of kalanchoe with long, bright green, pinnately dissected leaves with purple and serrated edges.
botanical-name botanical name Kalanchoe prolifera
sun-requirements sun requirements Full Sun to Part Shade
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 9-11

This is one of the larger species of kalanchoe. Its unbranched stems can reach up to 6’ tall, and hold long, bright green leaves that grow in pairs and form an interesting geometric shape. When exposed to bright light, the petioles and margins of the leaves will blush a reddish-purple color.

It takes a few years for ‘Blooming Boxes’ to mature, so it will not produce flowers in its early years. When it does flower, it makes quite a commotion about it.

The flower panicles are 3 feet tall and are topped with clusters of green and coral colored, bell shaped blooms. After it blooms, Boxes will begin to decline, but like most kalanchoe, it produces offsets prolifically, so there are always new plants waiting to take its place.

‘Brown Dwarf’

Close-up of a growing Kalanchoe beharensis 'Brown Dwarf' plant in a sunny garden. The plant forms a dense rosette of large, opposite, from green to golden-bronze leaves, deeply dissected, covered with soft velvet.
‘Brown Dwarf’ is a compact species with deeply dissected large leaves covered with brown velvet.
botanical-name botanical name Kalanchoe beharensis ‘Brown Dwarf’
sun-requirements sun requirements Full Sun to Part Shade
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 9-11

Kalanchoe beharensis is known casually as the Felt Leaf Plant or Velvet Leaf Plant for the soft velvety finish on the tops and bottoms of its leaves.

The standard for Beharensis is that it is a rather large species, a small tree, to be exact. ‘Brown Dwarf’ is a nice, compact variety of this species, but it is capable of reaching 12’ tall in its native climate zones.

‘Brown Dwarf’ has deeply dissected, large leaves that are covered in soft brown velvet. The leaves grow in pairs at right angles to one another in a very loose rosette form.

Beharensis is a species that only produce flowers once they are mature and only once in its lifetime. Once it has bloomed, this plant will begin to die, and offsets will take its place.

‘Calandiva’

Top view, close-up of a potted Kalanchoe blossfeldiana ‘Calandiva’ on a wooden table. The plant has large, fleshy, rounded, flat with jagged edges, dark green leaves. Kalanchoe has dense clusters of showy double hot pink flowers that resemble rose flowers.
‘Calandiva’ is a flowering succulent that produces delightful red, orange or yellow flowers resembling small roses.
botanical-name botanical name Kalanchoe blossfeldiana ‘Calandiva’
sun-requirements sun requirements Full Sun to Part Shade
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 10-15

Blossfeldiana is the most popular flowering succulent species of kalanchoe. These pretty plants can be found at nurseries, hardware stores and even supermarkets. Particularly during the winter when they display their wonderful, long-lasting blooms. 

‘Calandiva’ is a hybrid variety of blossfeldiana, and it is known specifically for its extra bright blooms.

‘Calandiva’ is prized as an ornamental plant that blooms in winter when most flowering plants are dormant. The shiny, fleshy green leaves are very pretty on their own, but the flowers are the star of the show.

Most times, this succulent will be entirely covered with blossoms in orange, yellow, and red. The blooms are in double petal form and resemble small roses. These plants make an excellent hostess gift at holiday parties.

Cathedral Bells

Close-up of a Kalanchoe pinnata Cathedral Bells plant on a sunny windowsill. The leaves are large, thick, fleshy, oval in shape, with serrated edges, on which many tiny plantlets grow.
Kalanchoe ‘Cathedral Bells’ produces large, glossy, green leaves with many tiny plantlets around the edges.
botanical-name botanical name Kalanchoe pinnata
sun-requirements sun requirements Full Sun to Part Shade
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 10-11

Cathedral Bells have been referred to as the Life Plant or Miracle Plant as a result of its long-time use in traditional and alternative medicine. It also makes a beautiful houseplant.

This shrubby species of kalanchoe has brilliant, green, serrated leaves that produce lots of tiny plantlets, making this a very easy plant to propagate. Planted in the garden, it can become rather invasive though.

In spring, Cathedral Bells produces tall inflorescences topped with a chandelier-like cluster of flowers. The flowers are pink to green, bell shaped and hang downward gracefully. This is a very pretty species indeed!

Chandelier Plant

Close-up of a Kalanchoe delagoensis Chandelier plant in a sunlit garden. The plant has long, narrow, fleshy leaves that are bright green in color with dark green blotches to brown with brown-purple blotches. The leaves are serrated along the edges, with tiny light purple plantlets.
This stunning Kalanchoe species has long, thin leaves with soft purple plantlets, reminiscent of beautiful chandeliers.
botanical-name botanical name Kalanchoe delagoensis
sun-requirements sun requirements Full Sun to Part Shade
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 10-11

Chandelier is a prolific spreading species of kalanchoe. Similar to Cathedral bells, it produces hundreds of tiny plantlets all along the serrated margins of its leaves. This species has tall, narrow stems and long thin leaves that turn purple when the plant is happily stressed.

Chandelier Plant can be invasive in the garden, so it does best in a container unless you want a whole garden bed of the same plant.

However, you just may want more of these when you see their beautiful flowers. While the plant is kind of spindly on its own, the flowers are stunning. Tall flower spikes are topped with large clusters of coral-colored flowers.

‘Chocolate Soldier’

Top view, close-up of Kalanchoe tomentosa 'Chocolate Soldier' plant against blurred background. The plant has fleshy, narrow, dark green leaves covered with tiny white hairs and brown-red markings along the edges.
‘Chocolate Soldier’ is a delightful fluffy kalanchoe with brown-red markings around the edges.
botanical-name botanical name Kalanchoe tomentosa ‘Chocolate Soldier’
sun-requirements sun requirements Full Sun to Part Shade
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 9-11

The tomentosa species is best known for the generous coating of fuzz on its leaves. These tiny hairs serve to protect the leaves from intense heat and sun, so they are able to tolerate living in full sun, but they prefer bright, indirect light.

‘Chocolate Soldier’ has soft, sage green to copper-colored leaves that are stitched at the edges with a deep brown shade.

The leaves are fleshy and plump and resemble a bunny’s ear and grow in a loose rosette. These plants rarely bloom, but when they do, it takes place in summer when the plant sends up a tall flower spike topped with a cluster of yellow flowers.

Christmas Tree Plant

Close-up of Kalanchoe lacinata "Christmas Tree Plant" plant in a sunny garden. The plant consists of thin, long, narrow, bright green, lanceolate leaflets with deeply serrated edges.
This type of kalanchoe has unique long pointed, and dissected leaves.
botanical-name botanical name Kalanchoe lacinata
sun-requirements sun requirements Full Sun to Part Shade
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 10-11

This fun species of kalanchoe has a similar appearance to a Christmas tree. It is tall and triangular in shape. Long, multi-branched stems are bright green, and the leaves are pointed. These heat and sun-loving plants develop a thick central stem.

Lacinata is not cold tolerant, so it must not be left outdoors in the cold. It will reward you with clusters of pretty, bright yellow, star-shaped flowers in winter to spring. Christmas Tree Plant creates offsets by way of tiny plantlets on its leaves, making it an easy plant to propagate.

‘Compacta’

Top view, close-up of Kalanchoe fedtschenkoi ‘Compacta’ plant in a white flower pot with decorative pebbles. The plant has juicy, small, rounded blue-green leaves with dark purple serrated edges. Leaves form dense, upright rosettes.
Kalanchoe ‘Compacta’ is a compact cultivar that has pale green leaves with dark purple serrated edges.
botanical-name botanical name Kalanchoe fedtschenkoi ‘Compacta’
sun-requirements sun requirements Full Sun to Part Shade
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 10-11

‘Compacta’ is a rare variety of K. fedtschenkoi, which is commonly known as Lavender Scallops. As its name implies, it is a compact variety with a tight and upright rosette leaf formation.

Their pale green leaves have a deep purple, scalloped edge that is very defined. The leaves cluster and grow upward, giving the appearance of a thick scalloped stem.

The unique coloration and rarity of this plant make it intriguing, doesn’t it? For those who enjoy hunting down unusual plants, this is a great one to get hold of and it is very easy to propagate.

Coral Bells

Close-up of a flowering plant Kalanchoe uniflora "Coral Bells" in a black plastic flower pot outdoors. The plant is lush, has long stems with puffy, oval, dark green leaves and many clusters of drooping, bell-shaped, coral flowers.
Kalanchoe ‘Coral Bells’ is an epiphytic species that has long thin stems with plump leaves and clusters of coral bell-shaped flowers.
botanical-name botanical name Kalanchoe uniflora
sun-requirements sun requirements Full Sun to Part Shade
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 10-11

This stunning epiphytic species of kalanchoe makes a gorgeous hanging plant. It bears a strong resemblance to the string plants (String of turtles, String of hearts) in that it has long, delicate stems with a trailing habit. The leaves are plump and slightly scalloped at the edges.

Coral Bells is more difficult to find than most of the varieties on this list, but it isn’t altogether impossible. In spring, this species produces clusters of coral-colored, bell-shaped flowers at the end of its stems. The whole plant has a graceful, delicate appearance.

Copper Spoons

Top view, close-up of Kalanchoe Copper Spoons. The plant has thick, gray, erect stems covered with oval leaves with slightly pointed ends. The tops of the leaves are bronze in color and covered with fine hairs, while the undersides of the leaves are a silvery grey.
Kalanchoe ‘Copper Spoons’ is a slow-growing variety that has oval bronze-colored leaves with slightly pointed tips.
botanical-name botanical name Kalanchoe orgyalis
sun-requirements sun requirements Full Sun to Part Shade
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 9-11

Copper Spoons is a very attractive, slow-growing species. This plant has oval leaves with a slight concavity to them and are slightly pointed at the ends. It can grow quite tall over time, up to 6’ tall when grown outdoors. Indoors it will rarely grow as tall.

As with most species, Copper spoons are easy to propagate by slicing off a leaf and setting it in a moist potting mix. It will also create small offsets which can be removed and repotted. In springtime, Copper Spoons will produce cheery yellow flowers.

Donkey Ears

Close-up of a plant Kalnhoe gastonis-bonnieri Donkey Ears in a black plastic pot in the garden. The plant has a rosette of large, long, fleshy, oval leaves, tapering towards the ends. The leaves are bright green with dark reddish brown spots.
This is a large-leaved kalanchoe species that has fleshy grayish-green leaves with red-brown spots.
botanical-name botanical name Kalanchoe gastonis-bonnieri
sun-requirements sun requirements Full Sun to Part Shade
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 10-12

Donkey Ears is a fast-growing kalanchoe with large leaves that are shaped to suit its moniker. These leaves can grow up to 20” long and 4” wide and create small platelets from the edges. This is one of the larger-leafed species of kalanchoe, and the leaves are commonly bright green with dark spots.

In fall this plant will send up a tall (up to 3’) branching inflorescence. The clusters of flowers atop these stems are cylindrical and yellow-green and streaked with red or violet.

‘Dragonfire’

Close-up of Kalanchoe luciae 'Dragonfire' plant in a sunny garden. The plant consists of large, rounded, fleshy, flat leaves, slightly wavy, apple green in color with bright red edges. The leaves form a dense rosette.
Kalanchoe ‘Dragonfire’ is a unique variety with bright green leaves and red edges.
botanical-name botanical name Kalanchoe luciae ‘Dragonfire’
sun-requirements sun requirements Full Sun to Part Shade
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 9-12

Dragonfire is a small, colorful kalanchoe. It grows quickly to about 4”-6” tall in a loose rosette. Its fast growth rate means that it matures quickly and also produces offsets early on. The result is a mounding habit.

Dragonfire’s leaves are bright green in the center and change to bright red at the margins. These colors intensify when the plant is exposed to a lot of sun or cold temperatures. Dragonfire doesn’t flower regularly, but the rosettes themselves look like blooms and are very attractive, easy-care plants.

‘Fang’

Close-up of the leaves of Kalanchoe Beharensis 'Fang' plant in a sunny garden. The leaves are large, fleshy, cup-shaped, triangular, with jagged edges, velvety, silvery-green in color, covered with a thin layer of white hairs. There are small, white, fang-like projections on the underside of the leaves.
Kalanchoe ‘Fang’ is an interesting species of kalanchoe characterized by small, fang-like protrusions on the underside of the leaves.
botanical-name botanical name Kalanchoe Beharensis ‘Fang’
sun-requirements sun requirements Full Sun to Part Shade
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 10-12

The Beharensis species of kalanchoe is best known by its nickname, the Velvet Leaf Plant. Much like Tomentosa, this species has a thin coating of white hairs that completely cover the foliage. Fang has large leaves that are fleshy and serrated at the edges.

This winner of the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society has one unmistakable feature that sets it apart and makes it memorable. On the underside of the leaves are small, fang-like protrusions that give this plant a fierce look.

‘Fantastic’

Close-up of many growing Kalanchoe luciae 'Fantastic' succulents in a greenhouse in black plastic pots. The plant forms a rosette of rounded, smooth, flat, spatulate leaves, greyish-green in color with yellowish variegation and red edges.
Kalanchoe ‘Fantastic’ forms a compact rosette of smooth fleshy greyish-green leaves with creamy variegation and reddish margins.
botanical-name botanical name Kalanchoe luciae ‘Fantastic’
sun-requirements sun requirements Full Sun to Part Shade
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 9-11

Kalanchoe ‘Fantastic’ is a very attractive variegated variety that is similar in appearance to the Flapjacks family. It bears a strong resemblance to Red Pancakes with its large, rounded paddle-like leaves. The leaves are lovely and lightly ruffled, growing in a loose rosette form.

The main attraction for ‘Fantastic’ is the coloration of the leaves. They are variegated yellow and green, and given direct sun, they will blush around the margins for a tri- or quadra-color appearance. In late winter, ‘Fantastic’ produces a single, tall stem topped with a cluster of pale yellow, urn-shaped flowers.

‘Flaming Katy’

Close-up of a blooming Kalanchoe against a blurred background. The plant has small, shiny, dark green leaves with scalloped edges and beautiful tiny double rose-shaped flowers that are bright red.
This is a vibrant kalanchoe with profuse, double, tiny rose-shaped flowers.
botanical-name botanical name Kalanchoe blossfeldiana ‘Flaming Katy’
sun-requirements sun requirements Full Sun to Part Shade
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 10-12

‘Flaming Katy’ is a florist favorite. It is a bright and cheerful kalanchoe known for its plentiful flowers and long blooming time. Katy is usually kept as a houseplant but can be grown outdoors in warmer climates. It has a long blooming time, and can produce flowers between February and June, and live for many years.

Katy’s leaves are shiny and dark green, with scalloped edges. The leaves grow continuously upward in tight rosettes, from which they send out short, branching flower stems. The flowers are double-petaled and resemble tiny roses.

‘Flapjacks’

Close-up of a Kalanchoe thyrsiflora 'Flapjacks' plant growing in a garden on mulched soil. The plant forms a loose semi-rosette of large, paddle-shaped leaves, neon green with red edges.
Kalanchoe ‘Flapjacks’ has fleshy, lobed leaves with reddening edges, forming a loose semi-rosette.
botanical-name botanical name Kalanchoe thyrsiflora ‘Flapjacks’
sun-requirements sun requirements Full Sun to Part Shade
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 10-12

As you probably guessed, ‘Flapjacks’ looks a lot like a stack of green pancakes! This large variety grows up to 30” tall outdoors but will be closer to half that size when kept in a container.

It’s large, rounded, paddle-like leaves are arranged in a loose, semi-rosette form in such a way that they appear stacked on top of one another, like a stack of flapjacks.

The color of the leaves is striking, a pale, almost neon green in the center, and they blush in the sun. This blush turns the edges a brilliant scarlet color. This variety blooms in spring and will produce a tall flower spike with yellow flowers on top.

Flower Dust Plant

Close-up of a flowering plant Kalanchoe pumila. A bunch of pink, 4-petalled, bell-shaped flowers with petals curved back and with golden stamens. The creeping stems are covered with fleshy, small, oblong, toothed, dusty greyish-green leaves covered with white hairs.
‘Flower Dust Plant’ is a felty succulent shrublet with trailing stems and dusty greyish-green leaves covered with white hairs.
botanical-name botanical name Kalanchoe pumila
sun-requirements sun requirements Full Sun to Part Shade
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 9-11

This pretty kalanchoe makes a wonderful hanging plant, as its stems have a trailing habit. It is truly a special-looking plant, especially when in bloom.

The leaves are a dusty grayish-green color, with the slightest tint of lavender. They are covered in tiny white hairs that give the appearance of being dusty but in a good way.

Flower Dust blooms periodically, mostly in winter and spring, with the prettiest pink flowers that appear in small clusters at the end of the stems. Up close, the small flowers are striped with deeper pink and have a sprinkle of bright yellow stamens in the center. This is a very adaptive plant and easy to care for.

‘Kerinci’

Close-up of a flowering plant Kalanchoe blossfeldiana 'Kerinci' in front of a white background. The plant has large, dark green, fleshy leaves with scalloped edges and showy small bright pink flowers with a deep pink tint towards the centers.
This is an evergreen succulent that produces small, bright pink flowers in late winter.
botanical-name botanical name Kalanchoe blossfeldiana ‘Kerinci’
sun-requirements sun requirements Full Sun to Part Shade
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 10-12

‘Kerinci’ is similar to Flaming Katy. It is a big bloomer that is most commonly kept as an indoor plant. The leaves are dark green and fleshy, with a scalloped edge that grows in tight, tall rosettes. It loves a sunny window and typically matures to about 1.5’ tall.

Blossfeldiana is known predominantly for its flowers. ‘Kerinci’ has bright pink blooms that show up in late winter. If the plant gets enough light and the right amount of water, these flowers can last up to 6 weeks.

‘Lanin’

Close-up of a flowering plant Kalanchoe blossfeldiana 'Lanin' against a blurred green lawn. The leaves are large, juicy, flat, dark green with scalloped edges and a purple tint. Large, beautiful umbels of bright orange flowers with yellow centers are held above the foliage. 
Kalanchoe ‘Lanin’ has bright, cheerful orange flowers that bloom in winter.
botanical-name botanical name Kalanchoe blossfeldiana ‘Lanin’
sun-requirements sun requirements Full Sun to Part Shade
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 10-12

It wouldn’t be right to mention blossfeldiana and not add ‘Lanin’ to the list. This wonderful plant blooms in the winter and is frequently found in full bloom around the winter holidays. Its leaves are dark green and similar to other varieties of blossfeldiana.

Lanin’s flowers are bright orange and single petal form. The color can range in shade, with some pale, some dark, and some a combination of dark centers fading to a light orange at the edges. These are cheerful plants and make great gifts for any plant lover.

Mealy

Close-up of a flowering succulent Kalanchoe scapigera "Mealy" on a black background. The leaves are small, rounded, flat, fleshy, pale grey-green in color with reddish margins. The flowers are tubular, bright red with prominent yellow stamens.
‘Mealy’ produces magnificent, bright red tubular flowers.
botanical-name botanical name Kalanchoe scapigera
sun-requirements sun requirements Full Sun to Part Shade
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 10-11

This species is a smaller one, but it packs a big punch where color and symmetry are concerned. The small leaves are neatly rounded and light green to coppery color. When exposed to the bright sun, the edges turn red. The entire plant is covered with a fine white powder.

Mealy has a striking and high-contrast appearance when flowering. With its green leaves and red edges, the bright coral-red clusters of blooms are a beautiful complement. A faint sprinkling of yellow stamens shows from within the tubular flowers.

Milky Widow’s Thrill

Close-up of a Kalanchoe laxiflora plant in a beautiful decorative pot outdoors under full sun. The plant has long stems with organized rosettes of elliptical, fleshy, flat, smooth leaves with scalloped and purple-red edges.
This kalanchoe produces fleshy bright green leaves with reddish-purple margins.
botanical-name botanical name Kalanchoe laxiflora
sun-requirements sun requirements Full Sun to Part Shade
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 9-11

Milky Widow’s Thrill, or laxiflora, is a small succulent shrub that grows up to about 20” tall. The leaves of this kalanchoe are bright green with a purple tint toward the stems as well as deep red to purple, scalloped margins. These leaves form loose but organized rosettes that grow the entire length of the tall stems.

The flower spikes can tower up to 1 foot above the leaves and are many-branched. This is a plant that is difficult to forget once you’ve seen it bloom.

Large clusters of tubular coral flowers hang downward from the branches of the inflorescence. Milky Widow’s Thrill is quite beautiful in bloom.

Mother of Millions

Top view, close-up of Kalanchoe tubiflora succulent plant in a large brown flower pot. The plant has several erect stems with many long, narrow, bright green and purple leaves. Tiny greenish-purple plantlets grow at the tips of the leaves.
This succulent has long, narrow leaves that turn purple as they age.
botanical-name botanical name Kalanchoe tubiflora
sun-requirements sun requirements Full Sun to Part Shade
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 9-11

Mother of Millions is regularly confused with its cousin, the Chandelier Plant. However, the two are separate species and have some differences.

Tubiflora is a colorful and fun plant. The long narrow leaves branch out from the stems with a bright green in the center, but as the leaves mature, they take on a purple tint, which deepens with age and sun exposure.

The many tiny plantlets are what make this plant most intriguing. Mother of Millions can be invasive when planted in the ground, so a container is the best place for this plant.

These little plantlets make propagation almost too easy. This kalanchoe sends up tall inflorescences topped with clusters of orange, bell-shaped flowers in late winter.

Naked Feltleaf

Close-up of three potted succulents Kalanchoe beharensis var. subnuda in the garden. Kalanchoe plants are young, with long, olive green, velvety, wavy leaves that curve slightly downward. The leaves are deeply dissected, resembling pieces of a puzzle.
‘Naked Feltleaf’ has olive green, deeply dissected leaves.
botanical-name botanical name Kalanchoe beharensis var. subnuda
sun-requirements sun requirements Full Sun to Part Shade
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 9-11

As we discussed, the Beharensis or Felt Leaf species is typically recognized for the soft, velvety fuzz on its foliage. Naked Feltleaf is an exception to that characteristic, as its leaves lack the trademark fuzz. It does share the general appearance of the species though with its deeply dissected leaves that resemble puzzle pieces.

Naked Feltleaf is slightly less sun tolerant than others of its species, but it does still like a fair amount of direct sun. In winter, this variety produces yellowish-green flowers.

‘Oricula’

Close-up of a succulent plant Kalanchoe luciae ‘Oricula’ on a white background. The plant has tall, fleshy, thick, grey-green, spatulate leaves that roll back. The tips of the leaves are bright red.
‘Oricula’ is a delicate succulent with 6-inch fleshy leaves that are green at the base and bright red at the tips.
botanical-name botanical name Kalanchoe luciae ‘Oricula’
sun-requirements sun requirements Full Sun to Part Shade
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 9-11

Oricula’s leaves are its main attraction. It grows up to 2’ tall and produces 6” leaves that are green at the base and bright red towards the ends. The interesting thing about these leaves is their shape. Rather than growing in a neat rosette like most kalanchoe, these leaves twist and turn at all angles to one another.

The color of the leaves is affected not only by sun but by temperature, with a deeper red shade showing up in cooler winter temperatures. In spring, the leaves can be entirely green. The flowers are singular and small, appearing in winter. They are a pale greenish-yellow color.

Penwiper Plant

Close-up of a growing Kalanchoe marmorata plant in a sunny garden. The plant forms erect rosettes of oval light green leaves with dark purple spots. The edges of the leaves are serrated.
This upright succulent has light green oval leaves with dark purple spots.
botanical-name botanical name Kalanchoe marmorata
sun-requirements sun requirements Full Sun to Part Shade
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 10-11

Penwiper is not one of the more common kalanchoe, but it is very ornamental and interesting.  K. marmorata has very dramatic coloration, with light green, scooped leaves that have dark purple mottling that runs latitudinally across the leaves. The purple splotches become more concentrated around the ends of the leaves.

The leaves grow in a loose rosette. Penwiper makes a wonderful houseplant and will live very happily in a sunny window. In spring, if the plant gets enough light, it sends up a spike topped with gorgeous, white, star-shaped flowers.

Pies From Heaven

Close-up of Kalanchoe rhombopilosa var. viridifolia on a white background. The plant has thick, broad, fleshy, triangular, silver-colored leaves with brown markings.
This succulent forms an open rosette of fleshy, triangular, silver-colored leaves with brown markings.
botanical-name botanical name Kalanchoe rhombopilosa var. viridifolia
sun-requirements sun requirements Full Sun to Part Shade
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 10-11

Pies From Heaven is another kalanchoe with unique and interesting coloration on its succulent leaves. The triangular leaves are silvery colored with very dark brown to black markings. They grow in an open rosette and resemble flowers. These leaves are quite fragile, so handle them with care.

The stems of the plant are covered with long soft hairs and grow up to 12” tall. In spring, Pies produces flowers that can be green, yellow, or pink and have purple streaks on the petals.

‘Pink Butterflies’

Top view, close-up of a Kalanchoe x houghtonii ‘Pink Butterflies’ plant against a blurred background. The plant has long, narrow, bright green, succulent leaves covered with many tiny bright pink plantlets at the edges.
Kalanchoe ‘Pink Butterflies’ is a hybrid that produces narrow green leaves with many tiny bright pink plantlets.
botanical-name botanical name Kalanchoe x houghtonii ‘Pink Butterflies’
sun-requirements sun requirements Full Sun to Part Shade
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 10-11

‘Pink Butterflies’ is a hybrid version of the Mother of Thousands kalanchoe, which is very similar to Mother of Millions. This pretty plant has green leaves and stems. The leaves are slender and long and grow the signature plethora of plantlets of the species.

The main attraction for ‘Pink Butterflies’ is those tiny plantlets. On this variegated hybrid, the plantlets lack chlorophyll, so the plantlets on this succulent appear pink, resembling tiny, winged creatures perching all over the edges of the leaves.

These plants are easy to propagate, in fact, all they need is for their plantlets to fall on the soil, and they will take root very easily.

Queen Jodie

Close-up of a pot plant Kalanchoe blossfeldiana 'Queen Jodie' against a blurred background. The plant has large, dark green, succulent leaves with scalloped edges and many small double flowers resembling small roses.
‘Queen Jodie’ is a colorful kalanchoe with large dark green leaves and small pink double flowers.
botanical-name botanical name Kalanchoe blossfeldiana ‘Queen Jodie’
sun-requirements sun requirements Full Sun to Part Shade
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 10-12

This Queen is another colorful, blooming Blossfeldiana variety. Jodie’s leaves are waxy and dark green with scalloped edges. She grows to about 1.5’ tall and produces tons of pretty, double-petaled, pink flowers in late winter and spring.

Queen Lindsay

Close-up of a flowering plant Kalanchoe blossfeldiana 'Queen Lindsay' against a brick wall. The leaves are large, rounded, dark green with scalloped edges. The flowers are small, double, sunny yellow. Many small round buds are among the blooming flowers.
This plant blooms with incredible sunny yellow double flowers.
botanical-name botanical name Kalanchoe blossfeldiana ‘Queen Lindsay’
sun-requirements sun requirements Full Sun to Part Shade
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 10-12

‘Queen Lindsay’ is very similar to ‘Queen Jodie’ in form and habit. They both like to live in a sunny spot, indoors if the temperature falls to freezing. Lindsay has bright, sunny yellow blooms that are double-petaled perfection. As with all kalanchoe, these Queens are toxic to humans and pets.

Red Pancakes

Close-up of a Kalanchoe luciae Red Pancakes plant in a garden. The plant forms a semi-rosette of large, juicy, rounded red leaves. Some leaves have dry brown edges.
This kalanchoe has broad, rounded, flat, juicy red leaves.
botanical-name botanical name Kalanchoe luciae
sun-requirements sun requirements Full Sun to Part Shade
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 9-12

Red Pancakes or K. Luciae is often mistaken for its cousin, Flapjacks, however Red is a more commonly available variety, and there is a very distinct difference between the two. Where Flapjacks will turn red along the margins of the paddle-like leaves, Red Pancakes can turn completely red in full sun.

This kalanchoe is a winner of the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society, quite an honor in the plant world. In late winter to early spring, Red Pancakes produces a single 2’-3’ tall inflorescence covered in tubular yellow blooms.

Silver Teaspoons

Top view, close-up of a pot plant Kalanchoe hildebrandtii in a garden in the rain. The plant has erect stems with ovate, velvety, pale green leaves covered with tiny white hairs, giving a silvery appearance.
This is a large species of kalanchoe that has pale green velvety ovate leaves covered with white hairs.
botanical-name botanical name Kalanchoe hildebrandtii
sun-requirements sun requirements Full Sun to Part Shade
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 10-11

Silver teaspoons is a larger species of kalanchoe, reaching heights up to 16’ tall if planted in the ground. It will remain smaller if kept in a container.

The soft, velvet-coated leaves of this species are where it gets its name. The leaves are pale gray-green, and the covering of tiny white hairs creates a silvery appearance.

The overall appearance of this kalanchoe is not unlike that of the herb sage. The foliage is the main attraction though Silver Teaspoons does bloom in spring with clusters of white flowers.

‘Simone’

Close-up of a flowering plant Kalanchoe blossfeldiana 'Simone' in a large decorative flowerpot in the garden. The plant blooms profusely with tiny, solitary 4-petalled white flowers with yellowish centers. The leaves are large, dark green with scalloped edges.
Kalanchoe ‘Simone’ is a miniature species producing delightful, delicate, tiny white flowers.
botanical-name botanical name Kalanchoe blossfeldiana ‘Simone’
sun-requirements sun requirements Full Sun to Part Shade
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 10-12

The last of the Blossfeldiana varieties on our list is sweet ‘Simone.’ This petite kalanchoe has very deep green leaves, which create a dramatic contrast to the stunning white, single-petal blooms from this popular houseplant.

These blooms cover the top of the plant if it is kept in the right conditions. These Blossfeldiana varieties are exceptionally low maintenance for the amount of interest they provide.

Snow White

Close-up of Kalanchoe eriophylla 'Snow White' flowering plant. The plant has dense rosettes of small, thick, fleshy leaves covered with a significant layer of white hairs. On a long, thin, purple, hairy stem, a small, soft pink, 4-petalled flower blooms with a yellow center and a white glow towards the center.
Kalanchoe ‘Snow White’ has velvety, fleshy leaves covered with a significant layer of fine white hairs.
botanical-name botanical name Kalanchoe eriophylla
sun-requirements sun requirements Full Sun to Part Shade
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 10-11

Snow White is another velvety species of kalanchoe. The name is fitting as it appears that the thick, fleshy leaves are delicately sprinkled with snow. Snow White has quite a significant coat of these fine white hairs, making the leaves look plush and even a bit shimmery from certain angles.

Snow produces short flower spikes in late winter that carry clusters of small, pale pink flowers. This variety prefers a spot with bright but indirect sunlight.

‘Teddy Bear’

Top view, close-up of Kalanchoe tomentosa ‘Teddy Bear’ plant against a blurred background. The plant forms a dense rosette of plump, fleshy leaves, dark green in color with copper-brown stitches along the edges. The leaves are covered with tiny white hairs.
‘Teddy Bear’ is a fluffy Kalanchoe with plump olive green leaves and brown edges.
botanical-name botanical name Kalanchoe tomentosa ‘Teddy Bear’
sun-requirements sun requirements Full Sun to Part Shade
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 10-12

This Tomentosa variety has a soft, cuddly appearance with its layer of soft hairs that coat the plump leaves. The entire plant has this fuzzy appearance, including the bell-shaped flowers that it produces in March. The leaves are olive green with copper to brown stitches along the margins.

‘Tessa’

Close-up of a flowering plant Kalanchoe 'Tessa' against a blurred dark green background. Clusters of drooping, pink-red, oblong, bell-shaped flowers.
Kalanchoe ‘Tessa’ blooms with bright red, bell-shaped, drooping flowers.
botanical-name botanical name Kalanchoe ‘Tessa’
sun-requirements sun requirements Full Sun to Part Shade
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 10-11

Lovely ‘Tessa’ is a hybrid of K. Manginii, or Beach Bells. She has fleshy, green, ovate leaves that grow on delicate, deep red stems. At the top of these stems is where ‘Tessa’ shines in late winter when the flowers appear.

Tessa’s flowers are beautiful and bright red, bell-shaped, with a weeping quality. ‘Tessa’ is a very fragile and highly ornamental kalanchoe.

Tugela Cliff

Close-up of a flowering plant Kalanchoe longiflora in the garden. The plant has large umbrella inflorescences of tiny, bright yellow, 4-petal flowers.
‘Tugela Cliff’ produces stunning yellow flowers in late winter.
botanical-name botanical name Kalanchoe longiflora
sun-requirements sun requirements Full Sun to Part Shade
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 9-11

This South African kalanchoe is best known for its stunning yellow flowers, which it produces in late winter. The flower spikes are branched and produce clusters with lots of delicate, bright yellow blooms.

Tugela Cliff also has attractive and colorful foliage. Its small, serrated leaves grow in loose rosettes on delicate stems. These leaves take on different colors depending on the temperature as well as sun exposure. They can range from bright green to deep reddish purple.

‘Wendy’

Close-up of a flowering plant Kalanchoe manginii 'Wendy' against a blurred background. Cluster of bright pink bell-shaped flowers with yellow centers.
This flowering kalanchoe has heavy clusters of bright pink flowers with yellow centers.
botanical-name botanical name Kalanchoe manginii ‘Wendy’
sun-requirements sun requirements Full Sun to Part Shade
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 10-11

‘Wendy’ is a highly floriferous variety of K. manginii. The foliage is very attractive. It has bright green serrated leaves grow on deep burgundy stems. The leaves are waxy and glossy. Wendy’s flowers are simply stunning.

Tall, deep red stems support heavy clusters of bright pink, bell-shaped flowers with yellow centers. Wendy has some of the most spectacular flowers in the genus.

Walking Kalanchoe

Top view, close-up of a Kalanchoe synsepala plant on a black background. The leaves are fleshy, flat, green in color, with sharp jagged white edges. The edges of the inner leaves are purple.
This succulent has large green leaves with white serrated edges.
botanical-name botanical name Kalanchoe synsepala
sun-requirements sun requirements Full Sun to Part Shade
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 9-11

Walking Kalanchoe rounds out our list with its cactus-like appearance. The large, pointed, ovate leaves are edged in white and have a sharp, toothy appearance. They produce white and pink cylindrical flowers, typically in the fall months.

This species name comes from the growth habit of its offsets. Walking Kalanchoe sends out long ‘legs” which terminate in offsets that can be left attached to the parent plant or cut free and planted in their own container.

Final Thoughts

This broad and varied genius of succulents has captured my heart in every sense. From silvery, velvet textured to shiny, vermillion paddles, there is a kalanchoe for every garden and every windowsill.

Easy to care for, beautiful, and rewarding to propagate, the kalanchoe family is certain to find its way into every gardener’s good graces.

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