Kalanchoe luciae, commonly know as Paddle Plant, is not as rare but is often mislabeled as its much rarer relative, Kalanchoe thyrsiflora. The practice of mislabeling the plant happens so often, however, that it takes getting to know the plant before being able to identify which variety it is.
Here is how you can identify the differences: “When stressed, K. luciae turns more red, while K. thyrsiflora is more of a light green. The flowers of the two species also differ. Those of K. luciae are urn-shaped, white, pale greenish-white, sometimes cream, pinkish or yellowish, while those of K. thyrsiflora are cylindrical and always brilliant yellow.”.
This succulent has been likened to clam shells, because of the shape of the basal rosette of the thick, up to 6 inches (15 cm) long by up to 5 inches (12.5 cm) wide, rounded leaves.
They are covered with a gray bloom and the leaf margin takes on a reddish hue during cooler winter months if grown in bright light otherwise the leaves remain uniformly green. In late winter into early spring arises a single long stem, up to 3 feet (90 cm), bearing clusters of urn-shaped flowers.
Since Paddle Plant is monocarpic, main rosette die after flowering to make way for fresh offshoots, so you should always have a healthy clump.
Kalanchoe luciae is a winner of the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society.
Growing Conditions and General Care
Paddle Plant is not cold hardy, so if you live in a zone that gets colder than 20 °F (-6.7 °C), it is best to plant this succulent in a container that can be brought indoors. It does well in full to partial sun. Plant in well-drained potting soil in an area of your garden that gets 6 hours of sunlight a day.
Light: As bright as possible, near a west or south window, but not in it. It’ll burn up against the glass or in the window.
Water: As I said, be stingy – overwatering will rot this plant out in no time. Wait until the soil has almost completely dried out until you water it again. And with all houseplants, water less in the winter.
Temperature: As I always say, if your house is comfortable to you, it’ll be comfortable to your plants. And because this is a succulent, the dry air won’t bother it at all.
Fertilizer: Once a year is just fine, preferably in spring . You can use whatever organic fertilizer you use on your other houseplants like Organics RX.
Pests: Mealybugs are what you have too look out for followed by aphids. You can find out more about these pests & how to control them in my book Keep Your Houseplants Alive.
This Kalanchoe luciae will grow slowly indoors, but if you’re patient, it’s definitely worth the wait. If you travel a lot this plant is a good choice because of its low water and care needs. No need to fuss over this gem of a plant. Have any of you grown the Paddle Plant (aka Red Pancakes, Flapjack Plant, Desert Cabbage) as a houseplant?
Paddle Plant Propagation
The easiest way to propagate kalanchoe is to plant leaves or leaf cuttings in spring or summer. Set leaves or cuttings aside for a couple of days, or until the cut end develops a callus. You can also remove offsets that grow on the side of a mature paddle plant.
Plant the leaves or offsets in a small pot filled with lightly moistened potting mix for cacti and succulents. Keep the potting mix evenly and lightly moist but never soggy. Bright, indirect sunlight is best for paddle plant propagation.
Once the plant is established and shows healthy new growth, you can treat it as a mature plant.
Here is how you can identify the differences: “When stressed, K. luciae turns more red, while K. thyrsiflora is more of a light green. The flowers of the two species also differ. Those of K. luciae are urn-shaped, white, pale greenish-white, sometimes cream, pinkish or yellowish, while those of K. thyrsiflora are cylindrical and always brilliant yellow.”.
This succulent has been likened to clam shells, because of the shape of the basal rosette of the thick, up to 6 inches (15 cm) long by up to 5 inches (12.5 cm) wide, rounded leaves.
Since Paddle Plant is monocarpic, main rosette die after flowering to make way for fresh offshoots, so you should always have a healthy clump.
Kalanchoe luciae is a winner of the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society.
Growing Conditions and General Care
Paddle Plant is not cold hardy, so if you live in a zone that gets colder than 20 °F (-6.7 °C), it is best to plant this succulent in a container that can be brought indoors. It does well in full to partial sun. Plant in well-drained potting soil in an area of your garden that gets 6 hours of sunlight a day.
Light: As bright as possible, near a west or south window, but not in it. It’ll burn up against the glass or in the window.
Water: As I said, be stingy – overwatering will rot this plant out in no time. Wait until the soil has almost completely dried out until you water it again. And with all houseplants, water less in the winter.
Temperature: As I always say, if your house is comfortable to you, it’ll be comfortable to your plants. And because this is a succulent, the dry air won’t bother it at all.
Fertilizer: Once a year is just fine, preferably in spring . You can use whatever organic fertilizer you use on your other houseplants like Organics RX.
Pests: Mealybugs are what you have too look out for followed by aphids. You can find out more about these pests & how to control them in my book Keep Your Houseplants Alive.
This Kalanchoe luciae will grow slowly indoors, but if you’re patient, it’s definitely worth the wait. If you travel a lot this plant is a good choice because of its low water and care needs. No need to fuss over this gem of a plant. Have any of you grown the Paddle Plant (aka Red Pancakes, Flapjack Plant, Desert Cabbage) as a houseplant?
Paddle Plant Propagation
The easiest way to propagate kalanchoe is to plant leaves or leaf cuttings in spring or summer. Set leaves or cuttings aside for a couple of days, or until the cut end develops a callus. You can also remove offsets that grow on the side of a mature paddle plant.
Plant the leaves or offsets in a small pot filled with lightly moistened potting mix for cacti and succulents. Keep the potting mix evenly and lightly moist but never soggy. Bright, indirect sunlight is best for paddle plant propagation.
Once the plant is established and shows healthy new growth, you can treat it as a mature plant.
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