Flaming Katy: Our Guide to Effective Care
The flaming Katy, otherwise known as Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, is a plant that derives from the Stonecrop family. The jade plant and sedum are also members of this infamous group and they have a history that extends back approximately 100 million years!
As such, these plants are natural born survivors and are able to easily adapt to melancholic weather conditions in order to still bring bouts of joy to your day.
How Often Does Flaming Katy Flower?
These plants throughout most seasons yet the timing can sometimes be unpredictable. There is no specific season during which the Flaming Katy flowers the most due to their resilient nature.
However, winter is a death trap for this plant as they will undoubtedly wither in temperatures below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. If your winter weather does not traditionally fall below this temperature, then your flaming Katy will be able to flower all year round.
Alternatively, you can grow them indoors and nurture them as a houseplant providing you nurture them correctly. This is an easy plant to look after making it the perfect plant for beginners.
Why Is My Flaming Katy Leggy?
In order for your flaming Katy to thrive, you should aim to grow it in conditions where there is a plentiful supply of light, particularly if you are growing this plant indoors. Otherwise, your Flaming Katy will undoubtedly become leggy if grown in lower light conditions.
If you notice your plant becoming leggy, immediately move it under a new light source in order to revitalize its growth. This plant’s genus, Kalanchoe, originates from Madagascar and so it naturally has a preference towards an abundance of light and is a sun-loving plant.
You’ll get the most blooms from this plant if you place it in bright indirect sunlight.
Average household temperatures will suit it’s needs perfectly so it may be well worth growing this plant indoors if your weather conditions are often unpredictable, however it is one of the most resilient plants.
How Do You Make A Flaming Katy Bushy?
Flaming Katy is classified as a short day plant which means that it needs longer nights in order to stimulate the maximum amount of bud and flower production.
You should ensure that you are balancing a healthy amount of bright, indirect sunlight with twelve hours of darkness per day in order to make your Flaming Katy bushier!
When you examine and research your plant in depth, you will notice that most of the adaptations have evolved through numerous years and as such, it has developed fleshy leaves that allow it to absorb water through any dry patches.
It’s flowers are undoubtedly small and so you will need to understand your plant’s growth routine in order to encourage mass stimulation.
The colors of this plant make up for anything that it may lack in the size department and it is the perfect plant to stimulate healing in oneself as it requires dedication and love in order to blossom to its full potential.
Make sure that you water this plant on a regular basis without over watering and try to avoid wetting its leaves when watering. The main weakness of this plant is that it develops root rot easily when overwatered so try to only water when the soil conditions have become dry.
Photo by Hans licensed under CC0.
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