Mother of Millions Plant: Grow And Care Kalanchoe Tubiflora. It is a fast-growing plant with single stem growth. It can reach between 20 inches to 28 inches or 2.3 feet tall. The tubular shaped leaves can be as long as 2 inches to 5 inches mostly single stemmed.
This plant is a restricted invasive plant that is native to Madagascar. Also known as Chandelier Plant or Mother of Millions plant or Kalanchoe Tubiflora. It is very popular and most talked about.
The plant is grown well in dry areas because it has succulent features. One plant can reproduce a new generation from masses of embryoids or also known as baby plantlets that are seen and formed on the edge of the leaves.
Alternate names of Kalanchoe Tubiflora
This plant has a common name including Chandelier Plant, Devil’s Backbone, Bryophyllum delagoense, Bryophyllum tubiflorum, Kalanchoe delagoensis and Mother of Millions.
It is not the same as Mother of Thousand plant or bryophyllum daigremontianum or mexican hat plant or devils backbone or alligator plant. But in the same family and almost similar plant.
Kalanchoe Tubiflora flowers
The plant is a flowering succulent and hard to uproot and plant controls are important. Mother of Millions plant’s flowers are poisonous to cattle and can cause deaths. Considered as invasive weeds and known as a noxious weed in some places. But they are beautiful looking plants.
Flowers bloom during dry months of the year from May to October. Cattle consume Mother of Millions plant because of the food shortage.
Flowering can be simulated by decreasing sunlight and reducing watering for about 2 to 3 months.
How to grow and care for Mother of Millions plant or Kalanchoe Tubiflora plant care
The Mother of Millions or kalanchoe plant is hardy succulents, easy to care and easy to grow indoors. Growing kalanchoe need good bright, and ample light, and does not need too much water and thrive in warm temperatures. Mother of Millions plant care is also easy.
Site location
The plant thrives very well near a limited light windowsill or planted outside with a bright or filtered light area. It is a low light succulents plant that can tolerate warm and dry climate.
Soil
Like other succulent plants, Mother of Millions plant is happy to be in well-drained soil. To keep its long-lasting life, you must re-pot the plant every second or third year with new well-drained soil. You can use succulent potting soil or cactus soil for a start.
If you only have a potting mix, add coarse sand for producing faster drainage. You can also mix with Perlite, pumice, and vermiculite.
Pot or container
The best pot to use is a four-inch or more terra cotta pot that has drainage holes. Re-pot new baby plant into a six-inch plastic pot so they would have more water for longer. They need to be watered very quickly in the pot soil.
Light, humidity, and temperature
Mother of Millions plants grows well outdoor in warmer temperatures. They thrive well in hot, and bright conditions. If kept indoors, place the plant east-facing window.
To have better results, keep this plant in containers outside or in a southern window. But you can also place the plant east and west windows. Do not place northern facing windows that will not provide enough light.
If the plant does not get enough light, it may become leggy. The plant grows spindly and tall, with large space between leaves. This leggy plant will not be killed, they just not producing enough pups and is not likely to bloom.
Prevent the plant from direct, harsh sunlight. The average ideal temperatures for growing Mother of Millions plant are 60°F (16°C) to 75°F (24°C). It does not like cold weather, so keep them above 40°F (4°C).
The best humidity for the plant is normal room humidity.
Fertilizer
This plant does not really need much to be fed with fertilizer. But you still can feed the Mother of Millions, feed the plant once every few months or once every 3 months or quarterly. The best choice for fertilizer is a liquid fertilizer for cactus.
Watering
Mother of Millions plants are sensitive to water, so using well-draining soil is very essential. Saturate the soil completely and allow the excess to drain out when watering.
Allow the top two inches of soil to dry out before you water the plant. Root rot is the most common thing that occurs if sitting in water too long. Make sure to touch the soil and it is not moist before you water.
In the winter, it is better to stop watering the plant. But you still have to monitor in case the soil dry out. If the soil dries out, you have to water the plant.
Pest and disease
This plant is not susceptible to diseases. A mildew infection is the only problem that shows up due to dry air. You can notice if there are black patches on the leaves. You can solve it with fungicide.
How to propagate Mother of Millions plant or Kalanchoe Tubiflora
This plant does not need to be propagated. All you have to do is wait. Many Kalanchoe Tubiflora re-produce asexually via budding. The miniature clones of the parent, form at the ends of the leaves.
During its mature stage, the plantlets fall off their parent or mother plant. To root and grow would be an easy task in even the most unfavorable conditions.
You can just strip the buds that produce babies with ease and place them in a grow pan. The other way is to collect little babies plants growing around their mothers after they have rooted. It will be many plants produced. So many little baby plants.
You can not propagate Mother of Millions plant by leaf cuttings. Since their buds are so many, there will never be a shortage of Kalanchoe Tubiflora buds. You can even ask for growers for free buds.
