Flapjack Succulent
This is a close up of a Kalanchoe thyrsiflora as many refer to it as, or more specifically a Kalancho luciae succulent in my yard. The contrast of pink edges outlining large green leaves makes my heart leap!
I like the simple names of plants when they are easy and fun to remember, this one is known as a Flapjack, or Paddle Plant.
Water wise, hardy, and easy to care for. What a beauty!
Thank you for visiting my garden blog: http://www.nadiaknows.com
Creating= Growing= Having Fun
Dec 27, 2009 @ 11:45:15
Hey Nadia!
What a gorgeous picture of a gorgeous plant!
I just bought one, on clearance, hehe, cause some leaves were shrivelling. The center ones still look great. I’m wondering if you have any tips from the experience of caring for yours on helping them to thrive. I live in a Nova Scotia, so it is a cold winter, but she should be happy and warm. Google’s search results have taught me that during these winter months, when it is not growing season per se, it prefers to be kept dry. However, could it be *too* dry? Or is it more likely that it endured some kind of trauma at the store? (being placed by a heater, etc.) There doesn’t appear to be any yellowing or discoloration, just the shrivelling, and drooping leaves. Drooping sounds like lack of water to me, or root binding, but I was hoping to bounce it off of someone else, since I am new to this variety. Also, when watering in winter, should one only water til just damp? or give it a better soak, then let it thoroughly dry out?
Do you ever prune it? I cut off the shrivelled parts… I hope that wasn’t premature and detrimental!
Are the stones I see under the leaves atop your soil, or in it?
Beautiful blog design, as well.
Happy New Year!
Dec 27, 2009 @ 15:23:06
Thank you! My plant is surrounded by rocks, succulents love to be hugged by rocks, if the soil is too loose around the plant, it tends to die! You are in the CCCCCold, so try to keep your plant dry in the winter months, too much water will kill it fast. Keep it in good sun at least 6 hours a day if possible. If outdoors then you will not have to water it at all, since you get more rain that we do in the winter. I usually will pinch off old leaves. If it is indoors, then use a water bottle mister and just spray at the base of the plant once week, just a few squirts is all it needs. Let it go dry between waterings. The less the better. The drooping leaves sounds like it may have been inside too hot, or you are right, may need just a bit more water in the transfer to your home. If the soil feels very dry an inch down the plant then soak it with a mister. No pruning, just removing old dead leaves. Good luck and thank you so much for your comments! nadia
Apr 11, 2010 @ 18:36:07
Nadia. I’m a total novice who knows nothing about succulents. Without thinking… to prevent a “naked” trunk and encourage continued growth at its base, I pinched the new growth in the middle of my Paddle-Leaf (about a foot high now), inadvertently creating a distorted mutant look. Is their any way to keep it full at the bottom? Also, is it true that this species dies after flowering? Life span? — Paul
Apr 11, 2010 @ 18:58:53
I sent you a personal email on this one! Good luck!
Apr 11, 2010 @ 19:02:36
It is true that the main stock dies after flowering, but there should be many little “pups” growing around it since it propagates itself with new growth just like the agave plant does. Not sure about the life span. This has been a tough succulent for many people to grow and it is a bit more expensive than other succulents. The mutant look will look a little better over time, but the plant does get a little naked looking at the baseline. Not much you can do about that.
Jan 08, 2010 @ 13:05:55
Hello! You have a beautiful plant there! I have my paddle plant inside and it has grown a lot trying to reach for the sunlight through my window. It is very tall but narrow, and if I didn’t lean it on the windowsill it would fall over. I think I need to transplant it to another pot. Should I put in in a larger pot just to conteract the wieght? If I do I will have to take it off my counter, and I am afraid of putting it outside since it has been inside for about 2 years now. My plant has lost all of its “pink as well”, being that it must not be getting enough sunlight to turn that color. It was pink fringed when I bought it. I am just so afraid to wreck my little kitchen friend! It sits by me when I do the dishes and cheers me up! Also I have taken a smaller plant from the large one and grew it in a seperate pot, and now there is another “branch” growing directly off the base stem of the plant. Can I cut it and grow it as well? That way I will still have a little friend by me when momma plant is too big to sit on the counter. Thanks, any tips will help.
Jan 08, 2010 @ 14:13:58
It sounds like you were successful at propagating! You can do the same thing with your new growth, succulents and kalanchoes do great by cutting and replanting them for new plants. I am not an expert “yet” (starting horticulture school this month) on plants, but this is what I have learned by my own experience. The color gets more red with more sun. I think if you put the plant outside it would go through a shock right now with the night temperatures as cold as they are. Try to repot it and keep it indoors. Maybe you can find a pot that is not huge and keep it in the same place, while at the same time creating new baby plants. Good luck and let me know how it goes.
Jan 09, 2010 @ 13:26:09
Thanks Nadia. I will try my best! Crossing my fingers for the new cutting! Hope it goes well for you in “plant” school!
Feb 06, 2010 @ 11:20:49
I have a beautiful flapjack, however the leaves curl. The plant is 10″ high and in a 7″ pot in a sunny kitchen window. I’ve had it about 6 months and when I bought it, it was a smaller plastic pot but the leaves (with a beautiful flost-like bloom) were all flat. The plant is growing, a lot, but after each new leaf flattens out horizontally for a couple of week, it curls under. I’ve tried watering more, then watering less, but no change, and it’s still growing like crazy. (Oh, I live in the south but I don’t have a yard, so inside is my only option. We it keep it 64 in the winter and about 75 in the summer. The sunny window it sits in does get a draft so I’m guessing it gets a bit colder and then a bit warmer than what our thermostat reads.) Your help is much appreciated -and I love your site!!!
Feb 06, 2010 @ 11:56:42
I sent you an email with some suggestions! Lower watering, replenish some of the soil with cactus mix and water with a mister at the base of the plant to keep the leaves from getting wet!
Aug 03, 2010 @ 17:57:40
Hi There
I have 2 of these plants , both of them grew huge stalk/flowers
but since then they have begun to dye, should I cut off the stalk/flower, so that the goodness can go back to the plant itself. ???
THnaks Diane
Aug 03, 2010 @ 20:50:12
Yes! Cut away spent or damaged foliage. I also cut back the stalk after the flower dries up all the way down to the base.Good luck! nadia
Sep 26, 2010 @ 19:31:11
Hi I have a very healthy paddle plant that I let summer outside.
It’s got plenty of babies around the base. Should I remove them and make new plants ? I fed it cactus food about once a month thruout the summer and all the leaves are edged in pink. Thanks for the winter watering tips
Sep 27, 2010 @ 09:52:54
With the Paddle Plant taking the extra growths and replanting them is a great idea… good ‘ole propagation! Good Luck
Dec 19, 2010 @ 14:55:28
My paddle plants are flowering and have been for several months.
I have them in a hot house… will they die??????
They have been wonderful plants…. and I do not want to lose them.
thanks
Dec 19, 2010 @ 17:17:06
If they are doing well where they are at then your paddle plant will continue to do well. After they bloom part of the plant may die back, but there are little “pups” that form at the base creating new plants. This plant loves heat and even does well in cooler temperatures too.
Aug 27, 2011 @ 17:32:29
Hi Nadia,
I live in South Texas and my paddle plant has grown tall and starting to droop as it is top heavy. Is there any way I can get it to grow straight? Right now my plant is an upside down “U” shape with the base too small for its’ weight and height (2′).
Maria
Oct 07, 2011 @ 11:58:23
I have a paddle plant that has grown quite rapidly. In the last few months I’ve noticed that the leaves are getting black spots on them. Do I need to cut the leaves off and will the spots spread to my other succulents? Thank you.
Oct 08, 2011 @ 09:57:03
This is a helpful link: http://www.ehow.com/info_7971172_kalanchoe-leaf-problems.html
also, try to water your plant from the soil level and keep the leaves as dry as possible, especially when watering.
Jan 04, 2012 @ 18:33:18
Hello Nadia,
It was great to read about the challenges, and care all the gardners are having with thier paddle plants. Your photo is gorgeous, I felt the same way when I saw the the pink edges of my plant. Some of my concerns have been addressed as I have read your responses, but I would like further clarification. I live in Atlanta, and my plant grew magnificiantly, I had it coupled with other succulents outside, and all of them grew great. the paddle started like a cabbage then it grew taller about 24” high with wonderful leaves with the pink edges. Then the cold season came. It did well at 40 degrees, but the temp got lower 22 degrees. I was not sure what to do. I searched for info, but to no avail. presently I have dug them up and brought them into the house. I did cut the long stem back, and there was lots of pups. I just hope that I got them before the cold. Tell me about replanting, and keeping them in the house during the cold season. should they be under light, and should they be in a certain temperature.
Jan 05, 2012 @ 08:11:10
K.W.
This plant is the one that stumps everyone and I have learned by trial and error too! You can keep them in the house during the cold season especially since outside it is below 30 degrees, but keep them in sunlight if possible for 4-6 hours and near a window. They have to have sun or a grow light and replant outside when the threat of frost is over in the ground or pot. The long stem can be cut back and nurture the pups to continue growing- replant them if needed in the spring.
Good luck!
Jan 05, 2012 @ 12:51:44
Thank You Nadia for the advice. one other question. Should the pups be removed away from the mother stalk, and can this stalk be replanted.
Jan 05, 2012 @ 21:16:47
I have not tried it, but have heard that you can cut off the pups from the mother plant and replant them. Use root tone hormone for the cut off area and just replant in soil. Like most succulents it is really easy to transplant and make new plants from cutting off the main plant. Once you do this then I think you will need to discard the mother stalk. Good luck!