Kalanchoe beharensis

Growing in Pots, Balconies & Indoors

Kalanchoe beharensis (felt bush) is a large, tree-like succulent with big, velvety, silver-grey leaves. It grows too big to be a long-term houseplant, but it makes a dramatic container plant on a sunny patio and can be kept in a pot while young. Like all kalanchoes it is toxic if eaten.

Quick Details

• Container Size: A large, sturdy pot; size up as it grows
• Indoor Suitability: Too large long-term; a young plant tolerates a very bright room
• Best Spot: Full sun to part shade
• Soil & Drainage: Free-draining cactus/gritty mix – sharp drainage
• Watering in Pots: Moderate, but let it dry between waterings – avoid wet feet

Indoors & On the Windowsill

• As a houseplant: Not long-term – it becomes too big and wants strong light. A young plant can spend time indoors in your brightest spot before it outgrows the room.
• Windowsill & young plants: While small it does well at a very sunny window; move it into a large pot as it grows.
• Overwintering: Tender – keep it in a pot so it can winter indoors in a bright, frost-free room.
• Keep it safe: Kalanchoe is toxic if eaten – keep it out of reach of children and pets.

On a Balcony or Patio

• Sun, heat & weight: It loves full sun and warmth; a larger specimen is heavy, so use a wide, stable pot. Pots dry fast in sun, so check the mix in hot spells.
• Practicalities: Raise the pot on feet for free drainage and shelter it from frost.

Choosing the Pot, Soil & Long-Term Care

• Pot & drainage: A sturdy, wide-based pot with strong drainage holes and no standing saucer.
• Potting mix: Free-draining cactus/gritty mix, or a standard mix cut with perlite, pumice or coarse sand.
• Feeding: Feed lightly once or twice through the growing season – it is not a hungry plant.
• Repotting: Pot up every couple of years into fresh gritty mix as it grows.

Bloom & Flower Guide

Quick Details

• Bloom Season: Winter
• Time to First Bloom: On mature plants; grown mainly for its huge felted leaves, so flowering is a bonus rather than the reason to grow it
• Flower Appearance: Small flowers in white to pink, borne in branched clusters above the foliage
• Edibility: Not edible — Kalanchoe is toxic to pets and people, and the flowers are among the most toxic parts

Detailed Blooming Overview

Elephant’s ear kalanchoe is grown above all for its large, silvery, felted leaves, but a mature plant can send up a tall, branched flower cluster of small white-to-pink blooms in winter. It is a slow, statuesque succulent, and flowering tends to come only on established specimens.

Flower Characteristics

• Small individual flowers in white to pink
• Held in branched clusters on stems above the foliage
• Modest in size — the leaves remain the main feature

Bloom Care & Thinning

• Encouraging bloom: Bright light and a mature plant give the best chance of flowers; low light keeps it in leaf.
• Aftercare: Cut the spent flower stalk back once it fades to keep the plant tidy.
• Safety: All parts are toxic if eaten and the flowers especially so — keep it well out of reach of cats, dogs and children.