Kalanchoe Lifespan: A Look Into the Life Cycle

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Did you know that the Kalanchoe plant family consists of around 125 species? Some of those species, like the Kalanchoe beharensis, can grow up to 6 meters high—that’s as tall as a tree!

Unlike trees, however, Kalanchoes are herbaceous plants that don’t have a wooden stem. They also lack the lifespan of trees that could last for hundreds of years. 

So, how long is the Kalanchoe lifespan?

A Kalanchoe plant’s lifespan can last up to seven years if cared for correctly. However, reaching that seven-year lifespan is not the norm. Many factors play into how long a Kalanchoe will live.

What Controls the Lifespan of Kalanchoe?

1 – Watering

Most people assume that when the soil is dry, then the plant needs some water. While this isn’t entirely wrong, it isn’t the case with Kalanchoe.

That’s because Kalanchoes are succulents; a group of plants that can store water inside the leaves. With these plants, even if the soil is seemingly dry, the plant would still have a fair amount of water stored inside its leaves.

Neat, right? As such, only water Kalanchoes when the top two inches of the soil are dry.

Those two inches aren’t exact, though. It’s not rocket science, either. Just remember to dip half your finger in the soil beforehand, and if it’s completely dry, then it’s time to add some water.

And if you’re growing your Kalanchoe indoors, then I recommend watering your plant every two or three weeks. 

Be careful not to overwater it! The water will stagnate and it’ll lead to fungal overgrowth on the root—which eventually leads to root rot. 

To avoid that, add enough water to moisten the soil, but not overflow it.

2 – Feeding

A month after you’ve planted a Kalanchoe you’ll need to start feeding it. 

Let’s start by reminding you that plants rely on sunlight and soil minerals to perform photosynthesis; the process by which they make their food. And since Kalanchoes can bloom multiple flowers, such rich flowering can hinder the plant’s ability to make its food.

So, you’ll need to intervene to minimize the impact of such a thing. Do so, by providing your plant with succulent food once every two weeks to make up for the hindered photosynthesis.

3 – Pruning

Pruning a plant is defined as cutting or removing dead stems, leaves, or flowers – which you probably know already, but are you aware of why it’s important?

Well, plants can’t tell when a particular part of theirs is nearing the end of its biological cycle. 

Because of that, they’ll still try to nourish that dying part until it’s decayed. That wastes a lot of potential nourishment the plant could have used on newer parts instead.

So, when you cut off those dying parts of the plant early on, you allow it to focus all its nutrition on the parts that actually matter. Either way, a good rule of thumb is to prune any flowering plant right after it finishes flowering—and the Kalanchoe is no exception.

That said, when you prune a Kalanchoe, aim for the dry or brown leaves. The severe color change is usually a sign that this part of the plant needs to be removed.

4 – Sun Exposure

Most plants need sunlight exposure to grow. Kalanchoes, however, often require exposure to bright, natural sunlight. People often forget that and end up accidentally damaging their Kalanchoes without knowing why.

As a Kalanchoe owner, just remember this: Kalanchoes do need natural sunlight, but not “direct” sunlight. 

Direct exposure of Kalanchoes to sunlight will cause the leaves to burn. This is especially dangerous in the midday sun.

Instead, I recommend giving your Kalanchoes the full sun treatment without direct exposure. To do that indoors, place the plant close to a window where it can get exposed to at least six hours a day of indirect sunlight.

How Can You Extend the Lifespan of Kalanchoe?

We’ve already mentioned four factors that control the lifespan of Kalanchoe plants. Minding those four factors will go a long way in keeping your plant alive for longer. 

That said, there are other things that you could actively do to help your plant live even healthier.

1 – Control the Insects

Bugs and insects are the enemies of many green plants. They either share your plant’s food or use the plant itself for food. 

Want my advice? Spray your plant with insecticidal soap to keep it safe from insects. You should do that at least once every 90 days.

2 – Mind the Temperature

Kalanchoes aren’t picky plants and can comfortably live at room temperatures. They’ll continue to grow and bloom as long as the temperature ranges between 55 and 80°F.

However, if you live in an area where the weather is extreme on either end, you should use air conditioners or heaters to keep the Kalanchoe within accepted temperatures.

3 – Use Quality Fertilizer

Fertilizing your plant doesn’t only mean adding some fertilizer once a month, it also means using a high-quality fertilizer.

And I get it; investing in high-grade fertilizers sounds like an unnecessary expense in the beginning—but, if you intend to keep your plant alive for as long as possible, you shouldn’t opt for cheap products. 

How Long Do Kalanchoe Blooms Last?

Depending on the surrounding conditions and how well you take care of it, a Kalanchoe plant could bloom for weeks and even months. 

Additionally, Kalanchoes start to bloom between the end of winter and the beginning of spring—that period is known as short days (from the 15th of March to the 15th of October).

On those days, the amount of sunlight and daytime isn’t as long as the rest of the year. As a result, the Kalanchoe plant is exposed to 13 hours of darkness a day, during which it’ll start to bloom.

Fun fact: Some people use this ‘trick’ to force Kalanchoes to bloom in non-blooming seasons. They’ll prevent sunlight from reaching the plant most of the time, which mimics the natural short day of the plant.

While the trick does work, it’ll mess up the Kalanchoe’s biological cycle so I advise against it. From my experience, those who do this are people who aren’t too keen on keeping their plants around for long.

How to Extend the Flowering Period of Kalanchoes?

Want to keep your Kalanchoes in bloom for weeks or months without resorting to such tricks? 

Great! For starters, I recommend keeping an eye out for wilted flowers. Their life cycle is usually shorter than the rest of the plant so when they start wilting, you need to remove them right away.

You’ll notice that this follows the same “survival of the fittest” concept we use in pruning. In other words, when you remove a flower that’s beginning to die, you provide much more nourishment to the flowers that are beginning to grow.

That being said, there’s one difference between removing the wilting flowers and pruning the plant. When you prune a plant, you remove whole structures; a brown stem, a decaying leaf…etc. 

However, in the case of wilting flowers, you should remove only the target flower.

FAQs

Is the Kalanchoe an annual or perennial plant?

While some of the Kalanchoe plants are annual, the majority are perennial. On the one hand, annuals complete their entire life cycle in less than a year; meanwhile, perennials live for over two years.

Interestingly, Kalanchoes are treated as annuals because most owners throw the plant away after the first bloom is over. And that’s because it’s even more difficult to get a Kalanchoe to bloom again and further extend its lifespan.

How many times does Kalanchoe bloom?

Most succulents don’t bloom too often, and the same is true for Kalanchoes. They bloom no more than once a year, creating beautiful blossoms. 

With a little luck and great care, they’ll flower for a few months at a time.

Are Kalanchoes hard to keep alive?

Not quite. Kalanchoes are known in the plant community as easy-to-care-for plants that are pretty low maintenance. So, even if you’re not the best green thumb out there, you can still get your Kalanchoe to bloom.

Just remember the following 4-point rules:

• No direct sunlight. Only shaded, direct light.
• Water sparingly when the soil is dry to the touch.
• Feed once a month and fertilize in spring.
• Keep temperatures at 60-85℉ and humidity levels average. 

What are the disadvantages of Kalanchoe?

Kalanchoes can be potentially poisonous. They contain toxins that can harm the heart, and cause other symptoms upon ingestion (including nausea and vomiting). 

Further, Kalanchoes can be toxic to your pets as well, especially if they’re the type to get curious about your plants and eat their leaves.

Final Thoughts

Kalanchoe’s lifespan can last up to seven years, which makes it a perennial plant. Yet, because of how difficult it is to re-bloom, many plant owners don’t bother starting the process all over again.

If you’re not one of those people and are intending to keep your plant for as long as it can flower, then remember the following: 

Invest in good fertilizers, succulent foods, and insecticidal soaps as they’ll keep your plants nourished and bug-free. 

Store your Kalanchoe at a suitable temperature and make sure it gets as much indirect sun as possible. Finally, don’t overwater your Kalanchoe to avoid rotting.

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