Key Takeaways
- Kalanchoe marnieriana plants are low-maintenance plants that need very little water and can be grown indoors and outdoors in various warm climates.
- To keep your Marnier’s Kalanchoe thriving, follow simple steps such as:
- Watering: Water it once a week in summer and once every other week in the winter. Always allow the soil to drain before watering. It is a drought-tolerant plant and can go without water for a few days.
- Temperature: It is not cold-hardy, and can only handle warm environments between 70 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Light: It likes indirect light, and doesn’t need much light to grow, making it a great choice for an indoor plant.
Table of Contents
Kalanchoe marnieriana is a species of succulent plant that is indigenous to Madagascar.
It is a popular houseplant due to the fact that it requires little maintenance and produces beautiful flowers.
Kalanchoe marnieriana is a low-water plant that can be grown in a variety of climates and requires little maintenance.
In this article, we will go into what a Kalanchoe marieriana plant is and how to care for it.
What is a Kalanchoe Marnieriana?
The Kalanchoe Marnieriana succulent plant is an evergreen succulent subshrub that grows in the Mediterranean climate.
Its scientific name is Kalanchoe Marnieriana H. Jacobsen, but it is also known as Marnier’s Kalanchoe, Kalanchoe Humbertii, and Bryophyllum marnierianum, to name a few other names.
Despite the fact that this plant prefers a sunny location, it can also tolerate some shade, and it can be grown indoors or outdoors.
In Madagascar, this plant is native to the northeastern region of the country and belongs to the Crassulaceae family.
Marnier’s kalanchoe plants, with their blue and green hues, are unquestionably one of the most distinctive-looking succulents on the market.
During the winter, the blue-green leaves of Marnier’s Kalanchoe develop pink leaf margins, which makes it an eye-catching plant.
The leaves are flat, paddle-shaped, rounded, and blue-green in color. They are arranged in opposing directions and have the appearance of clamshells.
They typically grow to a maximum height of 18 inches (45 cm), with clusters of leaves spreading as far as 36 inches (91 cm) in diameter (90 cm).
If the eye-catching foliage and vibrant leaf colors aren’t enough to convince you to include this plant in your garden, consider growing it for the bright pinkish-red flowers that bloom in the spring.
Kalanchoe marnieriana’s pink foliage and red flowers appear on the branch tips and hang downward as the plant grows.
From late spring through summer, the flowers have five petals that are either white or pinkish-red in color, and they bloom in clusters.
It starts with flowers that turn into green fruits that turn into long, oblong, shiny black seeds as the plant grows.
In the next section, we discuss how to care for a Kalanchoe Marnieriana plant.
How to Care for a Kalanchoe Marnieriana
Kalanchoe marnieriana, more commonly known as Marnier’s Kalanchoe, is a succulent plant that is native to Madagascar. It is easy to care for and produces gorgeous blossoms.
It is important to understand how to properly care for your Marnier’s Kalanchoe in order to keep it healthy. Read on to learn more about how to care for Kalanchoe marnieriana plants.
Temperature
Kalanchoe marnieriana is a delicate plant that should only be kept at room temperature during the daytime to avoid overheating.
Because this succulent variety is not cold-hardy, it should not be grown outdoors in temperatures below freezing.
Kalanchoe marnieriana prefers a warm environment, so keep the temperature between 70 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit for best results (20 to 30 degrees Celsius).
Plant it in succulent outdoor gardens in USDA hardiness zones 9a to 11b, where it will thrive.
If you live outside of these zones, you might want to consider purchasing this plant as an indoor houseplant instead of planting it outside.
You shouldn’t allow your kalanchoes to become overheated either, because heat stress will cause them to wilt and die quickly.
Light
Kalanchoe marnieriana doesn’t need much light to grow, which makes it a great choice for an indoor plant.
Unlike some succulent varieties, which prefer to grow in direct sunlight, this plant thrives in partial shade.
The best guideline is to give it around 6 hours of partial sun per day, but it can also thrive in shade.
Placing it close to a window that receives direct sunlight should be sufficient to care for this plant. It should be kept in darkness for a few hours every day for a few weeks to ensure that it flowers.
Be careful though, as Marnier’s Kalanchoe will develop leaf spots and lose its appearance if it is subjected to prolonged exposure to bright light, particularly in the afternoon.
However, you can leave a Kalanchoe marnieriana outside in the morning to bring out the color of the leaves.
Watering
Kalanchoe marnieriana succulent leaves can store moisture, so do not go heavy on the water.
Always allow the soil to drain before watering.
This drought-tolerant variety can go without water for a few days, but it will not survive overwatering.
Al the extra water in the soil causes fungal growth and root rot.
Water the soil deeply so the root system receives plenty of moisture.
A good practice is to continue adding water until you see some water coming out from the drainage hole at the bottom of the pot.
The watering frequency for indoor and outdoor Kalanchoe Marnieriana will vary because they are exposed to different light, temperatures, and humidity.
On average, this Kalanchoe plant needs to be watered once a week. In winter, reduce the watering to once every two weeks.
Soil and Fertilizer
The Kalanchoe marnieriana plant will not compromise on soil, so make sure it is planted in a well-draining potting mix when grown indoors.
To create a homemade soil mix, use perlite, clay, pumice, and coarse sand. A more straightforward solution is to use a ready-made cactus or succulent potting mix.
One thing that can kill this succulent plant is waterlogging, but this can be prevented using a pot and soil mix with excellent drainage.
This plant can grow well even without any fertilizers, but a light dose of liquid fertilizers is recommended in the growing season to strengthen the plant against disease and pests.
The fertilizer will also assist in growth. Make sure you feed it biweekly or follow the directions on the package.
Common Pests
Keep an eye out for mealybugs, mollusks, snails, and slugs, which may attack Kalanchoe marnieriana plants and cause them to die.
These pests will feed on the succulent leaves, causing the plant to become weak and disfigured for the rest of its life.
If you suspect a pest infestation, treat Kalanchoe marnieriana as soon as possible with neem oil or rubbing alcohol to prevent further damage.
Re-apply the solution every few days for a few days until no signs of pests are visible.
Diatomaceous earth can also be used to keep snails and slugs away from your plants, which will help to keep them away from your plants.
Repotting
Kalanchoe marnieriana is a low-maintenance succulent that requires repotting about every two years.
If you have an established Kalanchoe marnieriana plant, do so only every three years.
This is due to the fact that they grow rapidly in their first year of life but then gradually slow down.
When necessary, repot with fresh potting soil. Transfer your Kalanchoe plant to a slightly larger pot with a fertile soil mix.
Keep the plant well-watered and out of direct sunlight until it has recovered from transplanting.
This will take about a week, during which time you should water regularly but not allow the topsoil to dry out.
Place your Kalanchoe back in the sun once it has recovered. Make sure there’s enough room for air circulation around the leaves so they don’t get too hot or cold.
Propagation
Kalanchoe marnieriana can be propagated by cuttings of the stems or leaves.
Locate the healthiest stem on the mother plant and take cuttings with sharp, clean pruning shears from that point forward.
Take small pieces of stems that are 1-2 inches long and have two nodes attached. After that, let the cut heal for a day or two before you put the rooting hormone solution on it.
If desired, you can use these as rootstock for your plants. Dip them into rooting hormone and then place them in a moist medium such as peat moss to allow them to take root.
Covering the roots with plastic wrap will help to keep them submerged.
This extra step will expedite the rooting process, but the kalanchoe will still grow even if no rooting hormone is used.
Once your plants have established roots, you can repot them into larger containers with drainage holes in the bottom.
Keep the new baby plant in bright, filtered sunlight for the first few weeks.
Misting the cutting during the first few days will help to ensure that the new plant receives enough moisture.
If additional soil is required to keep the container filled with water until the plant becomes established, do so.
With proper care, your cutting will develop leaves and roots within four to six leaves if the proper growing conditions are maintained.
Your new Kalanchoes are ready to start growing leaves and flowers again.
FAQ
How do you take care of Marnieriana Kalanchoe?
Care for Marnieriana Kalanchoe plants by providing partial sun or partial shade to them for about 6 hours a day. The temperature should be between 65 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, and the plant should be watered once every seven days to keep it moist and healthy. In the spring, you can propagate Kalanchoe Marnieriana by taking stem cuttings and planting them in a container.
Is Kalanchoe Marnieriana poisonous?
Yes, Kalanchoe marnieriana is poisonous. Everything about this plant is gorgeous but poisonous. This plant is toxic for animal and human consumption. Therefore grow it in a location away from the reach of kids or pets.
How do I fix my leggy Kalanchoe Marnieriana?
Fix leggy Kalanchoe marnieriana plants by moving them to a new location. Leggy growth indicates a lack of sunlight. This is fixed by pruning the leggy stems and moving your plant to a new location with bright, indirect sunlight. You can also keep it under grow light to compensate for sunlight.
How long do Kalanchoe Marnieriana plants live?
Maintaining the proper plant care will easily last for six to seven years in Mediterranean gardens or container gardens. So, if you provide them with indirect light, and water and repot them every few years, they should be alive for a long time.
Conclusion
The Kalanchoe marnieriana is a relatively easy plant to care for, but there are a few things to keep in mind when caring for this plant.
Make sure to water it on a regular basis and keep it in a bright, sunny location. You can keep this gorgeous succulent happy with a little sunlight and warm temperatures.
Kalanchoe marnieriana, on the other hand, is an interesting and one-of-a-kind addition to your home or garden that is well worth considering because of its tall stems, colorful leaves, and rose-pink flowers that add freshness to any succulent garden.
Just remember to keep children and pets away, as they are toxic when eaten.
Other Kalanchoe Succulent Plants to Consider
There are many varieties of Kalanchoe plants. If you are looking for another type of Kalanchoe plant, check out our other related posts:
References
Lindsey Hyland grew up in Arizona where she studied at the University of Arizona’s Controlled Environment Agriculture Center. She continued her gardening education by working on organic farms in both rural and urban settings. She started UrbanOrganicYield.com to share gardening tips and tactics. She’s happy to talk about succulents and houseplants or vegetables and herbs – or just about anything in a backyard garden or hydroponics garden.