Kalanchoe marmorata. C13

It is commonly known as Calanchoe marmorata and the scientific synonym Kalanchoe tetraphylla.

It is a succulent plant with rosette-shaped, fleshy, flat, round, white-waxy, greyish-green leaves with broad reddish margins (there are varieties with less rounded leaves) that grow to a height of just over 50 cm.

The flowers of this plant appear in terminal inflorescences that reach up to one metre in height; these flowers are tubular and green and yellow in colour. They can bloom from mid-winter to late spring. It should be noted that the plant dies after flowering.

It is widely used in rockeries, in rocky areas of the garden, in groups and borders as well as in pots and planters. They combine well with other species such as Cotyledon orbiculata and Crassula arborescens.

This plant needs full sun or semi-shade exposure although in summer it prefers light shade.

It likes to live in rocky soils so the soil should be very well drained. In pots we can use a commercial substrate for cacti and succulents.

It is advisable to water it moderately, waiting until the soil has dried out, reducing watering a lot in winter. It is very important not to water too much.

A monthly fertilizing would be enough in spring and summer with a mineral fertilizer for cacti and succulents.

It is a plant that does not need pruning.

Kalanchoe are susceptible to fungal attack if the humidity is too high.

They can be propagated from leaf cuttings (it is important that they have a piece of stem) rooted in a slightly moist sandy substrate.

They can also be propagated from seeds, but these are not easy to obtain.