The Kalanchoe Calandiva is a hybrid plant from the Kalanchoe genus. As a flowering succulent, the Calandiva is hardier than most houseplants, and its intricate flowers in various hues make it a great choice for beginner gardeners looking to add some color to their home or yard. To learn more about how you can keep your Kalanchoe Calandiva thriving, check out our ultimate guide below:

Toxicity

Before getting into our guide, it’s important to note that all members of the Kalanchoe genus are toxic to dogs and cats. When ingested, poisoning symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, and an irregular heartbeat. To ensure your pets stay safe around this plant, keep it somewhere out of reach.

General Care

As a succulent, Kalanchoes are naturally hardy and tend to lean towards warmer, drier climates.

Light

For light, you’ll want to keep your Calandiva in bright, indirect sunlight. Kalanchoe succulents have very delicate leaves that burn easily in direct sun, so keeping them near an east or south-facing window is best to prevent them from getting sunburnt! 

Flowering Kalanchoes like the Calandiva also require irregular lighting to promote flowering. We’ll cover this more in-depth shortly.

Keeping Calandiva nears an east or south-facing window is best to prevent them from getting sunburn.
Photo by Olga Kubareva

Soil

Like all succulents, the Calandiva needs well-draining soil to avoid contracting root rot or getting overwatered. We recommend using a modified cactus mix that contains two parts succulent soil, one part peat, and one part perlite. You can also add some compost and coarse sand into the mix to improve drainage further. 

If you can’t get your hands on peat and perlite, use a 1:1 mix of succulent potting mix and traditional houseplant potting mix.

Water

You’ll only need to water your Calandiva when the soil becomes completely dry to the touch. Typically, that means once every two weeks, but your environment’s temperature, humidity, and soil drainage may change watering frequency. To ensure you’re watering your Kalanchoe at the right time, stick a wooden chopstick as deep into your soil as you can and then pull it out. If the soil is dry, your chopstick won’t have any large dirt clumps sticking to it.

The best way to water a Kalanchoe of any kind is to use the bottom watering method or a single-hole watering can. For Calandivas, we suggest using either method to avoid getting excess water on your succulent’s leaves.

Using the bottom watering method or a single-hole watering can is the best way to water Kalanchoe Calandiva.
Photo by LarisaL

Temperature and Humidity

Kalanchoe succulents, including the Calandiva, do best in USDA agricultural zones 11 through 12. To recreate this environment indoors, keep your home heated between 60 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit and at a relatively dry 40% humidity. 

Fertilizer

As a succulent, Calandivas are pretty good at tolerating nutrient-poor conditions. If you want to fertilize, make sure you only do so during the springtime growing season. When you fertilize your succulent, use a well-balanced fertilizer blend at least once a month.

Potting and Repotting

Since drainage plays a massive role in your Calandiva’s health, make sure you keep it in a pot with drainage holes. To further improve drainage, consider using a pot made from porous materials like concrete, terracotta, or unglazed ceramic. 

When you repot this succulent, it’s best to wait until the spring to do so. Whenever you repot a houseplant, ensure its new pot is at least 10% larger than the previous pot. You should only need to repot your Calandiva once every two years since it is a slow-grower. 

Blooming

To encourage blooming in your Calandiva, make sure it receives at least six to eight hours of bright, indirect sunlight each day and that it has plenty of fertilizer to bloom. Flowers usually last six weeks, but deadheading old flowers can keep your Kalanchoe Calandiva in bloom longer. 

It’s a bit tricky to get your Kalanchoe to bloom during the off-season, but it is possible. To do so, your succulent will need roughly 14 hours of darkness each day for six weeks. This will help your Calandiva store energy for blooming.

Propagation

The best way to propagate a Calandiva is through stem cuttings or divisions. To take a cutting, use a clean, sharp pair of scissors or a knife to cut four or five inches off of your Calandiva’s stem. After cutting, remove the bottom leaves from the stem. Let it callous over for about a day, then dip the cut end in some rooting hormone to help promote growth. Then, you can stick the cutting in some moist potting soil. Mist the soil regularly to encourage root growth, and you should start to see new roots within a few weeks. The best time to propagate a Calandiva is during its growing season. 

Dormancy

Kalanchoe succulents go dormant in the winter, meaning they’ll slow their growth to save energy for the spring. During this time, your Calandiva will need less water and sunlight. Winter is the perfect time to prep your Kalanchoe for blooming, though– make sure it gets at least 14 hours of darkness each day so its flowers grow big and vibrant!

Common Pests and Complications

The Kalanchoe Calandiva is susceptible to most traditional houseplant pests, including aphids, mealybugs, fungal gnats, ants, and spider mites.

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