Flaming Katy
Also called Flaming katy, Widow's thrill.
| Light | full sun |
|---|---|
| Water | Every 10 days in the growing season, every 21 in winter |
| Humidity | low |
| Difficulty | easy |
| Height | Up to 30 cm (12 in) tall |
| Pets | Cats toxic, dogs toxic |
Source: ASPCA Animal Poison Control, toxic and non-toxic plants, Kalanchoe entry.
Toxic to cats and dogs if chewed. Toxic to cats and dogs. The principle is bufadienolides, causing vomiting and diarrhoea, and in rare cases an abnormal heart rhythm. Keep it where an animal that eats houseplants cannot reach it, and speak to a vet if one does. In South Africa telephone the Poison Information Helpline on 0861 555 777; in the US, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center on (888) 426-4435.
Sold in flower in the middle of winter, in scarlet, orange, pink or yellow, and usually thrown away in spring, which is a shame because it is a succulent that will live for years. The leaves are thick and scalloped and it wants a succulent’s treatment: bright light, gritty compost and a proper dry spell between soakings. Getting it to flower a second time is the interesting part. It sets buds only on short days, so from autumn it needs fourteen hours of complete darkness every night for about six weeks, which in a lit house means a cupboard. Cut it back hard after flowering to keep it compact. It is toxic to cats and dogs, which matters for a plant bought at Christmas.
Ailments observed
| It will not flower | Too much light in the evenings, because this plant sets buds on short days. Give it fourteen hours of complete darkness a night for six weeks in autumn. A cupboard each evening is the usual method. |
|---|---|
| A soft or mushy base to the stem | Watered like a flowering pot plant rather than like a succulent. Let the compost dry most of the way down between waterings, and never leave it standing in a saucer. |
Filed underPlants that forgive a beginner, Succulents and cacti, Plants for infrequent watering, Plants for a balcony or a small space
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