Flaming Katy (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana)

Flaming Katy (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana) are succulent plants with flat, glossy, green leaves. Kalanchoes will also bloom with small pretty flowers in shades of reds, pinks, oranges, and yellows. The plant was originally brought from Madagascar to Paris in 1927, while in 1928 a German merchant managed to grow it as a house-plant and started to trade it a few years later, around 1932. His name was Blossfeld and the common variety of kalanchoe was named after him (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana). Grown indoors or out for its bright flowers and ornamental, fleshy foliage.

The small flowers are grouped in tightly paced flower heads borne on long stems. Each head has between 20 - 50 flowers. The plants will thrive outdoors in frost-free areas and are ideal container or indoor plant. Tiny flowers are borne mainly in Summer and Autumn, but also in Winter in the more temperate areas.

Taxonomy:

Kingdom : Plantae
Division : Magnoliophyta
Class : Magnoliopsida
Order : Saxifragales
Family : Crassulaceae
Genus : Kalanchoe
Species : Kalanchoe blossfeldiana

Pronunciation/Meaning:

• Crassulaceae (krass-yoo-LAY-see-ay) - The Crassula family, so named because of the thick leaves.
• Kalanchoe (kal-un-KOH-ee) - From the Chinese name for one of the species.
• blossfeldiana (bloss-fel-dee-AY-nuh) - Named for Robert Blossfeld, a 20th century German hybridizer.

Common Names:

• Flaming Katy, Christmas Kalanchoe, Florist Kalanchoe

Links:

• Flowers of India - Flaming Katy
• Auburn University: Horticulture - Flaming Katy
• Plant Picks - Flaming Katy
• Universify of Florida : IFAS Extension - Flaming Katy

Image Courtesy of David Midgley.