Chloe

Kalanchoe thyrsiflora

Paddle plant, Desert cabbage

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• Chloe likes...

  • 

    Light watering

    Chloe needs very little water because she stores it in her leaves. In summer a light drink every two-to-three weeks will do and in winter even less.

  • 

    Bright light

    Chloe is native to the Namibia desert so she’s used to soaking up loads of sun. The more you can give her, the better.

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    Feeding

    Succulents don’t need as much plant food as lush, leafy tropical plants so you only need to feed Chloe about three times between April and October each year.

• Quick facts

  Botanical name

  Kalanchoe thyrsiflora

  Nickname

  Paddle plant, Desert cabbage

  Plant type

  Succulent, indoor

  Plant height (including pot)

  20-30cm

  Pet/baby safe

  Toxic if ingested

  Nursery pot size

  15cm

• About Paddle plant

  The clue’s in its common name: the Paddle plant has thick, round powdery green leaves that grow in a rosette shape and have a red blush across their tips. Its leaves are in fact coated with a fine white powder. This is a clever adaptation to the harsh desert sun it’s evolved under and acts as a kind of sunscreen and reflector. As succulents go, it’s unusual and a real eye catcher. 

  Not only is this Kalanchoe easy on the eye but it couldn’t be easier to look after. Place it in a sunny spot, keep it warm, and water it occasionally. You'll know you’ve left it too long without water if its leaves start to look a bit wrinkly. You’ll know you’ve watered it too much if the stem or leaves start to go mushy. Your plant will be potted in a really gritty, sandy, free-draining potting compost and when it comes time to repotting you’ll need to use something similar. 

  Did you know?

  Kalanchoe thyrsiflora is monocarpic, which means it dies after flowering. It sounds dramatic, but if you saw its gigantic 1 metre tall flower spike though, you’d understand!