Approximately 125 species make up the Kalanchoe plant family. Species like the Kalanchoe beharensis may attain a height of 6 meters. A tree would be that tall!
However, Kalanchoes are herbaceous plants that don’t have a wooden stem as trees do. And they don’t have the longevity of trees, which may live for centuries.
Exactly how long does a Kalanchoe plant live?
Assuming you give your Kalanchoe plant the care it needs, it might live for up to seven years. If you maintain fertilizing and watering your Kalanchoe, it will continue to expand and bloom.
That seven-year lifespan is exceptional, though. The longevity of a Kalanchoe depends on a number of factors.
What Affects the Kalanchoe Plant’s Lifespan?
Your Kalanchoe’s potential for health depends on a number of factors. Many of these factors are related to the way you tend to the plant as it matures.
Watering
Common sense dictates that if the soil is dry, the plant must be thirsty. There’s nothing inherently wrong with this, but it doesn’t apply to Kalanchoe. The kalanchoe is a kind of succulent. They belong to a class of plants whose leaves can accumulate and store water. Therefore, even though the earth appears dry, the plant still has a significant quantity of water stored in its leaves.
Succulents like Kalanchoes only need their top two inches of soil to be dry before being watered, contrary to the general rule of thumb for watering plants.
That discrepancy of two inches is significant. This isn’t a complicated issue. If the soil is completely dry when you stick half your finger in it, it’s time to water. That’s about the same as watering your Kalanchoe once every two or three weeks if you’re growing it inside.
Overwatering Kalanchoe plants causes the water to sit stagnant around the roots, which invites the growth of harmful fungi. When this happens, the roots decay. If you want to prevent that from happening, apply water until the soil is wet but not soggy.
Fertilization
The Kalanchoe plant has to be fed around a month after planting. Light and certain minerals in the soil are essential for photosynthesis in many plant species. This is essentially the plant feeding itself.
It is possible for kalanchoe to produce so many blooms that they completely cover the foliage. The plant’s capacity to produce food is hindered as a result of this. You’ll have to step in and help mitigate the damage.
To compensate for the reduced photosynthesis, keep your Kalanchoe healthy by feeding it succulents. Once every two weeks, you should give your plant a feeding.
Pruning
When you prune a plant, you remove any diseased or dying branches, leaves, or blossoms. Unbeknownst to the plant, a certain section of itself is rapidly approaching the end of its life cycle. Because of this, the plant will continue to try to feed the dead tissue until it completely rots away.
There goes a lot of food that might have nourished the plant’s younger components instead. By removing dead or dying branches at an early stage, you free up the plant’s resources for the areas that will ultimately bear fruit. If you want to prune a blooming plant, wait until after it stops producing flowers. This includes the Kalanchoe.
Kalanchoe pruning should focus on brown or dried leaves. The drastic shift in hue typically indicates that this section of the plant has to be pruned away.
Exposure to Sunshine
It seems to reason that plants require exposure to sunshine in order to thrive. Most kalanchoes will not thrive unless they are placed in direct sunshine. As a result of that simple phrase, many individuals cause harm to their Kalanchoe plants without realizing it.
Natural light, but not “direct” light, is what kalanchoes require to thrive. Kalanchoe leaves will burn if they are exposed to direct sunlight. Midday sun makes this a particularly risky activity.
You should let your Kalanchoes bask in the sun’s rays but keep them out of direct sunlight. Place the plant near a window where it will receive at least six hours of indirect sunlight daily if you are unable to bring it outside.
Are Kalanchoes perennial or annual?
Plants that live for a year or less and then die are called annuals. The majority of kalanchoes are perennials. However, there are also a few annuals.
As opposed to annual plants, perennials continue to thrive year after year. The vast majority of flora cultivated as Kalanchoes fall from that group.
Kalanchoes are technically perennials but are often only given a year to thrive before being discarded. They are often discarded after their initial blooming period is complete.
The cause for such is that most individuals have trouble re-blooming their Kalanchoe plants. You may still encourage new growth and increase the plant’s lifespan.
Are there any ways to extend the life expectancy of kalanchoe?
The longevity of Kalanchoe plants is determined by the four variables we’ve just discussed.
If you pay attention to those four things, you may extend the lifespan of your plant considerably. You can do more to promote a longer, healthier life for your plant.
Take control of the insects
Many insects and pests can be fatal to vegetation with leaves. They may feed off of your plant or use it as a source of food themselves.
Insecticidal soap is a good choice for protecting your plant from pests. At least once every three months, you need to do it.
Keep an eye on the Temperature
Because of its tolerance for a wide range of conditions, kalanchoes are commonly grown inside. As long as the temperature stays between 55 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, the plant will keep expanding and blooming.
But if you live in a place where summers are scorching hot, and winters are bitterly cold, you’ll need to utilize either air conditioning or heating to keep your Kalanchoe happy.
Invest in a good fertilizer
Not only should you fertilize your plant once a month, but you should also use high-quality fertilizer.
It may seem wasteful at first to spend money on high-quality fertilizers, but if you want your plant to survive as long as possible, you should avoid saving money whenever feasible.
Kalanchoe Blooms: How Long Do They Last?
Kalanchoe plants, given the right circumstances and care, may blossom for weeks or even months. Natural flowering time for Kalanchoes is the transitional period between the end of winter and the start of spring. The days are shorter during that time of year.
On certain days, daylight hours are less than they are during other times of the year. The Blooming of a Kalanchoe plant occurs after it has been subjected to 13 hours of darkness every day for an extended period of time.
The ability to “trick” Kalanchoes into flowering when it is not their natural time to do so is a skill that is used by some. They block out the sun for most of the day, simulating the plant’s natural short day.
The Kalanchoe will blossom, but the disruption to its natural life cycle will be disastrous. Those who aren’t planning to retain their plant for the long haul sometimes resort to this strategy.
If you want your plant to survive longer, refrain from doing this.
Conclusion
The kalanchoe is a perennial plant due to its potential longevity of up to seven years. However, many plant owners don’t bother trying to re-bloom their plants because of how challenging it is.
But if you’re not one of them and you want your plant to live as long as possible, you should give it all the care and attention it needs.
Purchase high-quality fertilizers, tasty snacks, and insect-killing soaps. Your plant life will flourish thanks to their care.
Make sure your Kalanchoe receives plenty of indirect sunlight and the right temperature. Finally, don’t overwater your Kalanchoe; doing so will increase the likelihood of its rotting and drowning.