Kalanchoe Blossfeldiana Care (Flaming Katy & Florist Kalanchoe)

Kalanchoe blossfeldiana care is easy once you know what this winter-blooming plant needs to thrive indoors. With the right light, watering, and timing, florist kalanchoe can keep blooming for weeks—even through the colder months.

Often sold as a holiday plant and featured among many popular Christmas plants, Kalanchoe blossfeldiana is also known as Flaming Katy, Christmas kalanchoe, and Widow’s Thrill. This flowering kalanchoe succulent is commonly found in garden centers from late fall through winter, when its colorful blooms are most welcome.

Like many Christmas plants, it adds long-lasting color and warmth to indoor spaces with little effort. That combination of easy care and extended flowering is why it remains one of my favorite winter houseplants.

The step-by-step guide below shows Flaming Katy care and growing tips to enjoy this succulent at home.

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Kalanchoe blossfeldiana care at a glance

Here is a quick guide to the care of Flaming Katy:

• Common names: Flaming Katy, Widow’s Thrill, Madagascar Widow’s Thrill, Christmas Kalanchoe, Florist Kalanchoe
• Botanical name: Kalanchoe blossfeldiana
• Family: Crassulaceae
• Plant type: Tender perennial
• Sunlight needs: Bright light indoors, a west or south-facing window is ideal
• Soil requirements: Well-draining cactus or succulent soil
• Watering needs: Water thoroughly and let the soil dry out before rewatering
• Mature size: 6-18 (15-45 cm) inches tall and 6-20 inches (15-50 cm) wide, depending on variety
• Bloom time: Late fall through early spring
• Flower color: Pure white to shades of pink, red, orange, and yellow.
• Temperature needs: 65-75° F (18-24° C)
• Humidity requirements: Average to low indoor humidity (40-60%)
• Hardiness zones: USDA 9-11
• Toxicity: Toxic to cats and dogs
• Native area: Madagascar and tropical Africa

Kalanchoe blossfeldiana care tips

Succulents such as Christmas kalanchoe are drought-tolerant plants that are easy to grow. They make fantastic houseplants. Follow these tips to get the most out of your plant.

Sunlight and temperature needs

All kalanchoe varieties need ample sunlight.  Sunlight needs depend on the time of the year.

• In the winter months, a south-facing window is ideal.
• During the summer months, filtered light from an east or west-facing window is preferable.
• Keep the plant away from drafty windows, particularly during the winter months.
• The ideal temperature range for this succulent is 65°F to 75°F (18 °C to 24°C).
• If you keep your Flaming Katy plant outdoors in the summer months, be sure to bring it indoors if there is a chance that the nighttime temperatures will fall below 50°F (10°C).

Soil and potting needs

The soil must drain well.

• Choose a cactus or succulent soil for Kalanchoe blossfeldiana.
• If you can’t find this type of soil, add some sand or perlite to the potting soil to ensure that it drains well when watered.
• I prefer porous clay pots instead of plastic pots for my Flaming Katy plants.
• Be sure the pot has a drainage hole in the bottom.

Kalanchoe watering needs

One of the biggest problems people experience when trying to grow Christmas kalanchoes (and many succulents) is that of overwatering.

• Water Flaming Katy thoroughly and then allow it to dry out well before you rewater the plant.
• I water my plants about once every two weeks in the winter months.
• Water the plant thoroughly, and allow the excess moisture to drain out the bottom of the pot.
• Don’t leave the Christmas kalanchoe sitting in a saucer of water. Kalanchoes can rot easily.

Kalanchoe blossfeldiana stores water in its waxy leaves. This is a great way to deal with drought in its native habitat.

Fertilizing requirements

• During the active growing time (winter and early spring) feed Kalanchoe blossfeldiana every 2 weeks with an all-purpose, well-balanced fertilizer that is high in phosphorus.
• This will promote more flowers.

Maintenance

Christmas kalanchoe is a low-maintenance succulent. These tips will keep your plant healthy and thriving:

• Deadhead the spent flowers to keep a tidy appearance.
• Wipe the leaves once a month with a damp cloth or gently spray them with water at watering time to remove dust.
• When the pot becomes root-bound, repot it in a container 1/3 larger.

Pests and diseases

Kalanchoe succulents are not normally bothered by pests and diseases.  Watch for these issues:

• When you water a Flaming Katy plant, check the undersides of the leaves for mealybugs, mites, and evidence of scale.
• The plant is susceptible to stem rot if it has been overwatered.
• High humidity can lead to powdery mildew and leaf spot.

Common Kalanchoe blossfeldiana problems

Flaming Katy is easy to grow, but a few common issues can affect flowering and growth. These are usually related to light, watering, or timing issues, making them easy to fix.

Kalanchoe doesn’t bloom

If your kalanchoe has healthy leaves but has no flowers, it’s probably not getting enough darkness at night.

Kalanchoe blossfeldiana is a short-day bloomer that needs about 12–14 hours of uninterrupted darkness for several weeks to set buds. Too much artificial light at night can prevent blooming.

Yellowing leaves

Yellow leaves are often a sign of overwatering. Allow the soil to dry out between waterings and make sure the pot has good drainage. Consistently soggy soil can lead to root rot.

Leggy or stretched growth

Long, weak stems usually mean the plant isn’t getting enough light. Move it to a brighter location with indirect sun. Find out why succulents stretch in this post.

Flowers fade or drop off the plant early

Flowers may fade quickly if the plant is exposed to cold drafts, excessive heat, or inconsistent watering. Keep Flaming Katy in a stable indoor environment away from vents and drafty windows.

Soft or mushy stems

Soft stems indicate advanced rot from overwatering. Remove the affected growth immediately and reduce watering. If necessary, take healthy cuttings and start a new plant.

Is Kalanchoe blossfeldiana toxic?

Kalanchoe blossfeldiana is toxic to both dogs and cats.  Signs of poisoning are vomiting, diarrhea, and abnormal heart rate.

The ASPCA advises owners to take care growing it around pets and to call their vet if the animal has loose bowels or begins to vomit.

Cold hardiness for Kalanchoe blossfeldiana

Flaming Katy is a tender perennial that is hardy in USDA zones 9-11. If you are lucky enough to live in this type of climate, your florist kalanchoe will happily grow outdoors year-round.

In other hardiness zones, you can keep the plant outdoors in the summer and treat it as a houseplant during the colder months.

Kalanchoe blossfeldiana flower color

Most succulent plants are grown for their foliage, but the flaming Katy plant is chosen because of its beautiful flowers, which bloom when other plants are dormant.

• This pretty succulent produces flowers that range from pure white to shades of pink, red, orange, and yellow.
• The flowers are very long-lasting and open gradually so that you’ll have a display of color for many weeks on end.
• Each Flaming Katy kalanchoe flower umbel consists of many small flowers that open one at a time, giving weeks and months of color.
• When you buy a plant, choose one with plenty of unopened buds on it. This will ensure the longest flowering time for your plant at home.

When does kalanchoe blossfeldiana flower?

Winter is a time of dormancy for many plants. But this is not the case with this succulent plant.  This plant blooms when the weather is cold and not much else is in flower.

Fortunately for those in the Northern Hemisphere, Kalanchoe blossfeldiana flowers when the days are short and the temperatures are cool. This means that we’ll enjoy it around the Christmas holiday.

How to make a florist kalanchoe re-bloom

The blooms of Christmas kalanchoes happen as a response to short day length, in the same way as their holiday cousins, poinsettias, cyclamens, Thanksgiving cactus, and Christmas cactus.

Kalanchoes, and the other holiday plants mentioned, are photoperiodic. This means that they react to low-light days by setting buds. In nature, kalanchoes will flower in early spring. This happens after a period of low light and shorter days. 

Forcing a Christmas kalanchoe to re-bloom is possible, but it does require some skill.    Here is how to do it:

• You will need to simulate natural winter light conditions in your home for a period of six weeks.
• Start by cutting down the watering schedule. Water only half as often as normal.
• In the fall, for six weeks, be sure your plant is in complete darkness for 14 hours a day. You can do this by placing it in a dark closet at night.
• Bring the plant back to bright light in the morning so that it receives 10 hours of light each day.
• Another way to meet the darkness requirement is to have a box handy that is large enough to slip over the top of the plant each night and remove it in the morning.
• Be careful of temperatures during this period. If they go too low, this can prevent buds from forming.
• If you do this for a period of 6 weeks, you will encourage new flower buds to form. Once buds form, keep your plant in normal light conditions and begin normal watering.

This is the same process that you use to get a Christmas cactus to bloom each year. It requires some discipline and a tight schedule, but it is worth the effort to get the pretty flowers that you know will last for weeks to come.

How to propagate florist kalanchoe

Kalanchoe blossfeldiana is easy to propagate to grow new plants for your collection or as gifts for friends.

• The plump, waxy leaves of Flaming Katy can be propagated in soil and water.
• You can also pot up stem cuttings to get new plants even sooner.
• Offsets, while not commonly seen on Flaming Katy, can also be removed and potted in new containers.

For step-by-step instructions on these methods, see our kalanchoe propagation guide.

Where to purchase Kalanchoe blossfeldiana

Check the garden centers of both Lowe’s and Home Depot. I found my plant at the Farmer’s Market near my home.  Small garden centers are also a great place to purchase succulents. The plant is also available online at these sites: (affiliate links)

• Buy an orange Florist Kalanchoe plant on Etsy.
• Get a 3-pack of Kalanchoe blossfeldiana on Amazon.
• Purchase a yellow Flaming Katy at Mountain Crest Gardens.

Be sure to check out my tips for buying succulents. This gives information on what to look for both locally and when buying online.

Related kalanchoe and flowering houseplant posts

Looking for more plant care and propagation tips? These related posts expand on topics connected to growing kalanchoe indoors.

• Propagating Succulent Leaves and Cuttings – Tips for propagating succulents
• Flowering Houseplants – 15 blooming indoor plants
• Indoor Plants with Red Flowers – 15 houseplants with red blooms

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🌿✨ Meet the low-maintenance beauty you need in your home for the holidays! Learn how to care for Kalanchoe blossfeldiana so it blooms brightly and thrives year-round. 🌸💚👉Get care tips on The Gardening Cook. #Houseplants… Share on X

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