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Kalanchoe tubiflora
The plant likes a sunny habitat.
Always water a few days after the substrate has dried out. In winter, limit watering.
It can tolerate temperatures down to -1.1 °C in the short term. However, the plant is not hardy.
Small plants form at the ends of the leaves. This is called viviparity, an efficient way of propagation.
Kalanchoe tubiflora, is also known as Chandelier Plant (shape of the flowers) or Mother of Millions (babies on the leaves). It was formerly known as Bryophyllum tubiflorum, but nowadays the name Kalanchoe delagoensis is also used.
The epithet 'delagoensis' refers to Maputo Bay (formerly known as Delagoa Bay) on the coast of Mozambique, which is surprising as the plant is native to Madagascar (about 1 200 km from this location). In central and southern Madagascar it grows on rocky plains or pastures with sandy soil.
Its cylindrical, grey-green to red-green leaves are often dotted with reddish-brown spots. The margins near the top of the leaves have 3 to 9 conical teeth, between which small plantlets form. This ability to produce new plants at the leaf tips is called viviparity. When these "babies" fall to the ground, they immediately take root and begin to grow in any available soil. The stem grows upright and can reach a height of up to one metre. The succulent grows quickly and is not demanding in terms of care.
The bell-shaped flowers, in vibrant shades of red, decorate the tops of the plant mainly in the winter months. The flowers are usually only found on older plants. The inflorescences last for several weeks.