skip to main content

Cacti & Succulents

Help for my kalanchoe luciae!

6 years ago

It's so long and leggy, and getting top heavy. The bottom 4" of the stem has no leaves. What am I doing wrong? It seems like it's growing too fast? It's in a covered screened-in patio and gets bright indirect light. I've seen these paddle plants low and compact with leaves closer together.... some with red tips. I'm a succulent beginner and have learned a lot along the way, but this was one of my first ones and I'm at a loss of how to fix it. Thank you succulent lovers!

(The water ball is only being used to prop it up, I let the soil dry in between waterings, and I mist all my succulents every or every other day....and only water when bone dry)

Featured Answer

reb 512
Original Author

6 years ago

I transitioned her out into the sun over a few days.... and no more misting leaves..... I appreciate everyone's advice!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (8)

socks
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Needs more light. Transition slowly into direct sun. If in a dark pot you can shade the side of the pot with something. Probably not everybody does that, but I sometimes do.

Skip misting. Humidity is not needed.
hoovb zone 9 sunset 23
6 years ago
In desperate need of more light.
Related Discussions
Kalanchoe (flapjacks/luciae) issue
Q
Comments (7)
Rose, Hello and Welcome, K. thyrsiflora/Flapjack is one difficult succulent. Leaves require a lot of sun to keep color. In lower light, plant will thrive, but reverts to green. Kalanchoe is a succulent, that grows 1-2' tall and wide. They recommended fertilizing every two-weeks from Apr-Aug using half-strength fertilizer. Soil needs to be well-draining, kept dryer during winter months. Flapjack flowers... The bad news..After flowering, Flapjack begings to die. Good news...seeds can be used for propagation. I can't grow K flapjack, so I stopped trying, hopefully, you'll have better luck. Very nice plant...why would they want to toss it? Toni
...See More
Do deer eat paddle plants, Kalanchoe luciae?
Q
Comments (8)
I'm a bit late to this thread. We lived for years in the TX hill country and had large numbers of whitetail and axis deer roaming our patios nightly. I kept a pot of Kalanchoe luciae outdoors all summer, and occasionally I'd find a nice round deer bite in one of the paddles, but it never was a big favorite with them. The occasional deer bites sure do show up on the big round leaves, however, so you have to have a sense of humor about the resulting look. That was nothing compared to the complete destruction of many other plants, though, so I didn't mind the occasional chomp mark. My hat is off to anyone who gardens in areas with large deer populations (or equally challenging rabbits!) It's not easy! Best of luck to you.
...See More
Kalanchoe luciae- small leaves underneath
Q
Comments (7)
I am lucky enough to be able to PIG my plants (plant in the ground). FWIW, I have found that those PIG plants multiply better. I started with 4 plants - here they are blooming. The one on the far left is nearing 4 feet tall. You can see pups around the bottom. As it aged and the flowers faded, more babies formed on the stalk. You can see babies below, too. BTW - bees love these flowers. And now I have tons of plants. With every plant that blooms I get more and more pups. This is part of them on my landscape island. They are all the red plants in this picture. You can certainly pot them up or trade with friends. I love this plant! You have a beauty and yours will perform well for you, too. Oh - mine are quite green in the wet summer and quite red in my dry winter. This gal has a nice little video that you may find helpful. http://edenmakersblog.com/?p=1363#sthash.JKCq1eYJ.dpbs
...See More
Flat Flapjacks - or my weird Kalanchoe luciae
Q
Comments (11)
Palmbob - I think you may be on to something. This may be a dumb question, but do Christmas palms drip something that could be more "toxic" (for lack of better word) during a dry spell? That's what has been throwing me. We have been dry dry dry and these rotty looking symptoms appear. During the rainy summers, not so much. I was looking more closely at other plants around my palms. Aloe x spinosissima is showing signs of crown rot! And a closer look - Notice how the leaves look kind of funky in the first picture? It feels like edema. I do have a couple of pups if this plant succumbs to rot. Shame if it does. This was the first year it finally bloomed. And a couple of Aloe vera are showing spots of some sort. I am not sure if there is a fungus or two at work on the Aloes and Kalanchoes. I am going to spray them with a copper sulfate solution. That worked the last time I had fungus starting.
...See More
reb 512
Original Author
6 years ago
Aha! I will move it out now.... it's getting a ton of bright indirect, but I'll move it to the other side of the porch that gets a couple hours of direct sun. Do you think it will correct itself or will I need to do some work - popping off leaves or the top to propagate? Thanks so much!
socks
6 years ago
It will need more than a couple of hours, so I hope you have that available for your planT. transition slowly. The growth it has will not change but new growth will be more compact. I would not try to cut off leaves, the head or anything like that. Just let it be. In my zone they are in full sun all day.
rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
6 years ago
reb

May I ask why do you mist all of your succulents?
reb 512
Original Author
6 years ago
I read it on the internet :) isn't everything on the internet true? ha. I shouldn't be doing that....unless I'm propagating and the stem has started?
rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
reb

No misting...there is some misting that could work (I do not mist any succulents) - some ppl mist leaves they are propagating. My opinion is that plants should not be kept wet, just the soil around them.

So do not mist, keeping leaves constantly wet isn't advisable. Succulents should be watered thoroughly when needed, and mix should dry up almost totally before next watering. They store plenty of moisture inside their leaves and stems.

Related Stories

GARDENING GUIDES 12 Fire-Wise Plants to Help Protect Your Home and Garden

By Lauren Dunec Hoang

Plant these moisture-rich, fire-resistant plants in your landscape to help prevent fire spread

ROOM OF THE DAY Room of the Day: Custom-Kitchen Look on a Budget

By Karen Egly-Thompson

An artistic New York City family enlists the help of a skillful designer to create a customized built-in appearance using Ikea cabinets

DIY PROJECTS How to Make Cut Flowers Last Longer

By Victoria Harrison

Do your store-bought flowers fade too soon? Get expert advice on helping them stay fresh

CONTAINER GARDENS Consider These 10 Pet-Safe Houseplants

By Laura Gaskill

Help keep cats and dogs healthy with the right selection of indoor plants

GARDENING GUIDES Texas Gardener: What to Do in June

By J. Peterson Garden Design

Don't be discouraged by the dry summer heat — hardy plants, container gardens and smart watering can help landscapes thrive

0

SELLING YOUR HOUSE The 7 Do’s of Holiday Decorating When Your Home Is for Sale

You can still be festive. These tips will help you celebrate — without alienating would-be buyers

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Paddle Plant

By Annie Thornton

If you're looking for awesomely strange foliage and low care requirements, this succulent is right up your alley

ART The Other Eames House

Meet the next generations of Eameses and tour their Sonoma County home and workshop

PENDANT LIGHTING Choose the Right Pendant Lights for Your Kitchen Island

By Toronto Interior Design Group

Get your island lighting scheme on track with tips on function, style, height and more

GROUND COVERS Ground Force: 10 Top Ground Covers for Your Garden

By Carol Bucknell Garden Design

Protect your soil from weeds and drought this summer with a living mulch of ground covers

Sponsored

More Discussions

Why are there brown blotches on my Euphorbia anoplia

0

Can I trim this plant?

1

Moon Cactus help

4

ID this cactus please?

8

Euphorbia disease advice?

3