Red Leaved Kalanchoe - 20 seeds

Red Leaved Kalanchoe - 20 seeds

$9.99

Kalanchoe sexangularis is a hardy and drought-resistant succulent, with decorative red foliage that’s a must-have for the rockery, garden or patio, and unlike many other succulents, it will also flourish in dappled shade.

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This is a fast-growing plant and a beauty to have in the garden. Older plants every so often need a hard prune to keep growth tidy, as well as beautiful and lush. Some might say prune after flowering, but it is generally only necessary when material becomes old and untidy. This plant is a good contrasting plant, especially when combined with Kalanchoe longiflora, Curio crassulifolius, Oscularia deltoides, Cotyledon orbiculata and other grey-foliaged plants. This plant can be propagated both sexually by seeds and asexually by cuttings. Seeds can be harvested from plants in winter, from July onwards, and left to dry and mature. Sow seeds in spring. When the seedlings are large enough to handle, transplant them directly into a garden bed, pot or bag. However, growing plants from seeds requires patience, and the quickest and preferred methods are by means of cuttings, dividing young suckers from motherplants and leaf cuttings. Suckers can be harvested throughout the year. Cut off a sucker of your size preference, remove a third of the lower foliage, place cutting in a dry place void of direct sunlight for ± a week and allow to callus. (Allowing suckers to callus avoids pathogens or diseases and also shortens the time it takes for plants to become established.) Place cuttings into a medium consisting of 40% river sand, 20% coarse, washed silica sand, 10% sifted bark, 15% perlite and 15% vermiculite. Keep cuttings in a well-lit place, away from direct sunlight for 2–3 weeks after they have rooted, whereafter they will be ready for direct sunlight and their final destination in the garden. Make use of all the material, allow nothing to go to waste; the leaves removed from suckers can be used as leaf cuttings. With leaf cuttings allow them to callus for ± a week, void of direct sunlight. Once callused, place the base of the leaf a quarter deep into the medium. In 4–5 weeks young shoots should be appearing where cuttings were inserted. Cuttings should be kept moist, but not soggy, in a cool, well-lit space.