How Do You Care For Kalanchoe Marmorata?

How do you care for Kalanchoe Marmorata?

The Kalanchoe Marmorata is a flowering succulent that is native to Madagascar and has become popular as an indoor plant. Growing Kalanchoe Marmorata plants typically require special care through considering the following factors;

Sunlight

Kalanchoe Marmorata thrives in full to partial sun and prefers to be exposed to the south, east, or west. Allow no direct sunshine throughout the summer, since its leaves, which contain a lot of water, may become sunburned. From fall through early spring, direct sunshine will not hurt your plant.

Watering

The Kalanchoe Marmorata prefers water only if the top layer of their soil is completely dry. Avoid standing in wet dirt. The most prevalent error is overwatering, which can result in root rot. This is easily avoided by allowing your plant to totally dry out before watering.

Foliage should be maintained as dry as possible, which is why it is ideal to use a method such as drip watering.

Soil

As a succulent, the Kalanchoe Marmorata has adapted to thrive in moist soil and prefers a well-draining soil. This can be found by mixing either peat moss or sphagnum moss in with your soil. Another way to tell if your plant is doing well is to feel the soil where the roots are growing. If it feels dry, it’s time to water again.

Temperature

Kalanchoe Marmorata thrives in temperatures between 64 and 68 °F (18 and 20 °C) during the day and night. If daytime and nighttime temperatures are below 61 °F (16 °C), this might retard plant growth and development, resulting in blind eyes or no blooming.

It is extremely susceptible to cold, and only a few hours at 40 °F (4 °C) can kill the plant. Place it away from drafts and chilly windowsills.

Humidity

The Kalanchoe Marmorata requires moderate humidity, around 40–60%, with adequate ventilation. Some good advice is to mist the leaves once a week with lukewarm water. The relative humidity should not become too high.

Repotting

Kalanchoe Marmorata is a very slow growing houseplant, so repotting is more frequent than with most plants. Repot every one to three years, depending on the size of the plant. Use a pot only slightly larger than the previous one, or use a soilless media in your new pot and then add soil until it is 1 inch (2.5 cm) over the top of the root ball.

Fertilizers

In the wild, the Kalanchoe Marmorata is mostly found on limestone rocks. The nutrients it receives from the limestone it relies on for growth. In order to encourage its natural growth, feed your plant regularly during its growing season with a high nitrogen fertilizer such as 20-20-20. Follow this up with frequent applications of an organic liquid fertilizer, or spring through fall feedings of slow release fertilizer mixed into the soil.

Propagation

Kalanchoe Marmorata is often propagated by offsets. Kalanchoe plantlets will form when they are cut from the mother plant and placed into soil; they need to be positioned in a light, well-drained environment until they have grown several inches. Every couple of months for the first two years, you may want to cut off some of these new shoots so that you can keep track of how much growth has occurred.

Pruning

Pruning is either done for the maintenance of the plant or for propagation. To control the size, shape, and vigor of your Kalanchoe Marmorata, it is best to prune in early spring or in late summer.

When you prune a succulent it is best to simply sit back and observe what parts of your plant need to be removed; there is no need to over-prune.

How do you propagate Kalanchoe Marmorata?

Propagate Kalanchoe Marmorata by placing a cutting into soil or a mixture of sand and peat moss. Make sure the leaves are covered. Place in a warm, humid place for the propagation to occur. The following are the procedures when propagating by;

Stem cutting

• Cut a stem about 2 inches (5 cm) long.
• Wash the cut area in cool running water repeatedly with gentle scrubbing until the soil is removed.
• Blanch and freeze the cutting for 15 minutes in liquid nitrogen to kill surface leaves and prevent regrowth.
• Thaw and place in soil mixture.

Leaf cutting

• Cut away the tip of a leaf with a sharp knife and remove any dead, brown or faded leaves.
• Wash the cut area in cool running water repeatedly with gentle scrubbing until the soil is removed.
• Place cut leaf on the surface of an open container (e.g., a tray, a paper plate, or a cardboard box) with moist sand or peat moss on top of the cut area.
• Place the container in a warm, moist place (such as in a window or on a porch with indirect light).

How do you grow Kalanchoe Marmorata?

Kalanchoe Marmorata succulents should be grown in bright light with some shade from the fiercest sun during the day. For cultivating Marmorata succulents, use a well-draining potting medium such as cactus mix. Water when your index finger is put up to the second knuckle and the earth is dry to the touch.

Kalanchoe Marmorata loves to be exposed to the south, east, or west and grows in full to partial sun. Allow no direct sunlight throughout the summer because its leaves, which contain a lot of water, may become burnt. Direct sunlight will not harm your plant from fall to early spring.

It will only drink water if the top layer of their soil is fully dry. Avoid standing in puddles of water. The most common mistake is overwatering, which can lead to root rot. This may be easily prevented by allowing your plant to completely dry up before watering it.

Foliage should be kept as dry as possible, which is why a method like drip irrigation is perfect. Kalanchoe Marmorata grows best in temperatures ranging from 64 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit (18 to 20 degrees Celsius) during the day and night.

If daytime and overnight temperatures are below 61 °F (16 °C), plant growth and development may be slowed, resulting in blind eyes or no flowering. It is particularly sensitive to cold, and only a few hours at 40 °F (4 °C) can kill it. It should be kept away from drafts and cold windowsills.

Is Kalanchoe Marmorata an indoor plant?

Kalanchoe Marmorata may be grown in a good light situation, but it will not thrive indoors and is best kept outdoors. Kalanchoe Marmorata is a common decorative plant in warmer climates. It can be grown indoors, however, with proper care.

It’s very slow growing makes for a slow growing indoor plant as well. You may house plants it in a pot, but it will grow slowly and even root where you plant it. It is especially nice in an indoor garden as an accent plant that is different than other succulent houseplants. The Marmorata will not be doing well indoors without a good light source and more care than most indoor plants get.

Is Kalanchoe Marmorata a succulent?

Kalanchoe Marmorata is definitely a succulent. In fact, it is the largest of the Kalanchoe species found in Madagascar. Kalanchoe Marmorata is also referred to as the spotted hummingbird vine, which is its most popular name.

It is a cascading succulent plant that it can grow to a height of 20 feet (6 m) with many stems. It has dark green leaves with fine white spots or blotches and longish leaf stems.

These stems have small thorns on them, but this plant should not be handled without protection because they can cause pain and burning sensations like most other succulent plants when handled without protection by gloves.

Is Kalanchoe Marmorata easy to grow?

Kalanchoe Marmorata is a very hardy plant that is easy to grow. It prefers well-drained soil and full sun. Compared to other succulents, it has large leaves and small stems, so it can be propagated easily by stem cuttings.

Kalanchoe Marmorata does very well in warm temperatures; however, it can also handle some cool weather. It grows well in cactus soil. If Kalanchoe Marmorata is propagated from a leaf cutting, it can be rooted in soil that has been kept moist. Although this plant is easy to grow, it will not tolerate any form of pest or disease.

You should cut back on the watering when Kalanchoe Marmorata is dormant in late winter and through spring. However, continue to fertilize these plants during this time to help them grow and bloom better.

How big do Kalanchoe Marmorata get?

Full grown Kalanchoe Marmorata can get 2 to 5 feet high and 3 feet wide. It is a rosette succulent that grows fast and does not flower until it reaches about 6 feet tall. At this point, the plant starts to bloom and grow in diameter. The blooming process continues for several months.

The flower of Kalanchoe Marmorata does have a very strong and sweet spicy fragrance. The fragrance attracts birds, butterflies, and other insects to the plant. This helps with pollination that allows reproduction within the plant species.

How often do you water Kalanchoe Marmorata?

Kalanchoe Marmorata does well with full sun and well-drained soil. It does not like wet soil, so watering it regularly is important to keep its roots from rotting.

After pruning out the old stem, you should water your cuttings three times a week during the summer and once every two weeks in winter.

If your Kalanchoe Marmorata plant is crowded or growing indoors, you should provide a little more water every few weeks when it is dormant in late winter and spring.

You should not fertilize your Kalanchoe Marmorata plant, although you can use organic fertilizer in the soil to help promote its growth.