Kalanchoe Marnieriana of the Crassulaceae family is an amazing succulent commonly known as Marnier’s kalanchoe. This plant can brighten your home if properly taken care of. The red flowers of this evergreen plant can make your home look fabulous.
To assist you enjoy the journey of keeping this Kalanchoe genus plant, this article will provide you with all you need to know to take care of the plant.
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What Is Kalanchoe Marnieriana?
The Kalanchoe Marnieriana is a perennial plant with thin, round-shaped leaves that are blue-green with pinkish edges. The leaves of the succulent grow opposite each other along its vertical stem.
You can grow this plant indoors, but it needs to be placed where it has access to enough sunlight.
Kalanchoe Marnieriana Care
Kalanchoe Marnieriana are houseplants that are easy to maintain like other succulents, as they require less attention for them to grow beautifully. Although they are drought-resistant plants, they need to be watered frequently.
Water
WaterLike other succulents, the Kalanchoe Marnieriana needs less watering as it is a drought-tolerant plant. You should water the plant once a week in summer as the temperature will be so high, so a lot of transpiration takes place.
You should apply the soak and dry method to water the Marnieriana plant until it is wet and wait to dry out before the next watering. This prevents waterlogging and overwatering, resulting in fungal attacks and root rot.
Excess water in the soil can cause soft stem rot that is caused by systemic bacterial infection. The infection can be identified by the wilting and yellowing of the Kalanchoe Marnieriana plant leaves. We urge you to remove the affected plant completely to protect the other plants in your home garden.
Winter Season
In winter, the rate at which the soil dries up is very low as the temperatures drop, so we recommend that you water the Kalanchoe Marnieriana plant twice or once every month to avoid waterlogging. You should also avoid watering over the foliage. Rather, pour the water directly into the potting medium to reduce the risk of rotting.
Light
LightThe Kalanchoe Marnieriana requires a lot of indirect light to avoid the risk of burning the edges of the leaves. More sunlight prevents the etiolation of the stems. To regulate the amount of sunlight your plant gets, put it under direct sunlight in the mornings and late afternoons. The Marnieriana can survive in the shade better than other Kalanchoe succulents.
Window Position
When growing this plant indoors, you should place it close to those windows facing east, west, or south. You should put your plant on the south-facing window in winter for five to six hours as this is a strategic position for your plant to receive enough sunlight.
Don’t forget to rotate your Kalanchoe Marnieriana during the day to allow for even distribution of light to the whole plant.
The Kalanchoe Marnieriana plant blooms very well when kept in darkness for a few hours daily. However, the plant can become spindly and leggy if it is not provided with enough sunlight for extended periods.
Soil
SoilYou should grow the Kalanchoe Marnieriana plant on well-draining soils to release excess water. If you want to grow the plant in a pot, use a cactus potting mix and add coarse sand, perlite, and pumice to the mix to enhance good drainage and aeration.
A well-aerating soil enhances optimum growth of the plant’s roots, resulting in a healthy growing Kalanchoe Marnieriana overall.
You can also disinfect the potting mix to avoid the proliferation of pathogens that can cause diseases to your unique beauty.
Temperature
TemperatureThe Kalanchoe Marnieriana grows well at an average temperature of 70 F during the day and 60 F at night. Too high or low temperatures can affect the flowering of the Kalanchoe succulent, so you can use artificial lighting when it is too cold to moderate the temperatures for optimal health of the plant.
The Kalanchoe Marnieriana plant can die if exposed to temperatures below 32 F and high temperatures above 70 F. For these reasons, you should grow your plant indoors in winter if you stay in very cold climates. When the temperatures are very high, you must put the succulent under partial shade to protect the leaves from sunburn.
Very cold or frost conditions can cause spots and blemishes on the leaves of the Marnieriana plant. The plant can be damaged to the extent of not blooming.
Fertilizer
FertilizerThe Kalanchoe Marnieriana plant does not necessarily need fertilizer because most potting mixes have enough nutrients required for the plant’s growth. However, if you want to improve the growth and flowering of your plant, you can consider adding a water-soluble fertilizer.
Apply a fertilizer solution that is diluted to a half-strength to avoid burning the plant with the chemicals in the fertilizer. Also, apply the fertilizer to the Marnieriana plant infrequently, say, once every month to prevent the risk of over-fertilizing.
Pruning
PruningPruning the Kalanchoe Marnieriana plant should not be done constantly. You can only prune when there are dead leaves or blooms that need to be removed. These dead leaves can result from pests and diseases, so removing them will help the succulent grow new ones, and your plant will start to bloom again.
Consider using a sharp pair of gardening shears to prune the flowers and leaves so that you will not damage the Marnieriana plant.
Grooming can only be done on unwanted plant parts so that you will not destroy the whole plant but keep it clean to promote healthy growth. Too much grooming can stress your Kalanchoe Marnieriana, leading to poor growth.
– Repotting
Kalanchoe Marnieriana is one of the plants that require repotting often. You can repot it to a pot that is a little bit bigger than the size of the plant, as soon as you buy it from the market. After that, you can repot the succulent after every two years.
Avoid black plastic or glass pots as they do not drain water perfectly. Instead, you can use glazed ceramic or terracotta pots for best results. We also recommend that you repot the Kalanchoe Marnieriana plant when affected by pests and diseases. Be sure to disinfect the new potting mix to avoid pests and diseases.
Root Rot Intervention
If the soil is not draining water properly, you can also repot the Marnieriana plant as a way of providing it with a fertile, well-draining soil mix that can free the succulent from root rot.
Make sure you gently take off the plant from the old pot to avoid damaging the roots and slightly shake the plant to get rid of the soil attached to the roots. Once you place it in a new pot, do not water it for about seven days so that the plant can adjust to the new growing environment.
Propagation
It is easy to propagate Kalanchoe Marnieriana using cuttings from its leaves and stems. This is a fast and fascinating method as it takes a short period for you to start enjoying seeing your beautiful plant growing.
You can also use Kalanchoe Marnieriana seeds to grow the plant, but it is a tiresome process.
– Propagation Using Leaves
Select the Kalanchoe Marnieriana plant leaves or stems that are not infected by pests and diseases. Cut the leaves carefully, removing the whole part of the leaf attached to the mother plant using a sharp, sterilized knife or a pair of scissors.
Then, allow the plant to be callous for two to three days before planting it in the soil. After that, place the leaf in well-draining soil and water it according to the rules of watering the succulent.
You should also place your cuttings where they can receive partial sunlight, preferably near the window, and the temperature should be above 50 F. Do not expose them to direct sunlight as they can be sunburned.
– Stem Propagation
The Kalanchoe Marnieriana plant can be propagated using a stem, which is effective. You should cut a mature, healthy stem but not a flowering one and make sure it has leaves. So, the best time to propagate using stem is in summer and spring because the Marnieriana plant will not be flowering but storing the energy that will be used for blooming.
Your cutting should be a few inches long and avoid where there is a node or a leaf when cutting the stem. When you have the stem, allow it to dry for a few days before planting it to avoid the risk of decaying.
Tips for Root Growth
When the Kalanchoe Marnieriana stem becomes callous, you can then dip it in the rooting hormone powder to stimulate the formation of the roots or plant it in the well-draining soil mix. You can also put many cuttings in one big pot and then repot them when they develop roots.
Your cuttings can start to develop roots between 15 to 20 days, so the plants will be surviving on nutrients from the leaves. This is why you should propagate a Marnieriana cutting that has leaves.
– Propagation Using Plantlets
This is another way of growing your own Kalanchoe Marnieriana plant. The plantlets develop on the tips of the mother plant’s leaves. You should snip them off the leaves and allow them to callous for a few days before planting them in a pot. Now, you can start taking care of your new plant like any other Kalanchoe Marnieriana.
It is crucial to remove those plantlets from the mother plant when propagating or pruning as they use the energy needed for flower blossoming. They will be competing for nutrients with the main plant. The Marnieriana plant leaves might even lose their gorgeous shapes if the plantlets are not removed.
Problems
The Kalanchoe Marnieriana plant cannot be attacked by many problems if you take good care of it.
In this section, we will discuss the issues that may affect the growth of the succulents and the possible ways for dealing with them.
– Pests and Diseases
Kalanchoe Marnieriana can easily be affected by mealybugs, aphids, and scales. These pests feed on the sap from the leaves and stems of the plant by piercing them using their stylets.
The action of these sucking pests causes the leaves of your plant to wilt and become yellow. The Marnieriana plant can eventually die if the pests are not seen and controlled at an earlier stage.
Intervention
Mealybugs look like white waxy cotton organisms that can jump if interrupted. The scales can be identified by their armored shells that cover them. You can control these pests by rubbing 70 percent isopropyl alcohol solution onto the Kalanchoe Marnieriana succulent to control these pests. A garden hose can also be used to spray water onto the plant to remove aphids.
Mealybugs, scale, and aphids can also spread diseases when they move from one plant to another, such as the Latent Carlavirus and Mosaic Potyvirus. When they pierce the Kalanchoe Marnieriana plant tissues in an attempt to suck the sap, they also inject the sap from other plants, and that’s how they transmit the viruses.
These viral diseases cannot be treated using chemicals. You should quarantine the affected Marnieriana to stop the spread of pests and diseases as soon as you identify the affected ones.
– Slags and Snails
Slags and snails feed on parts of the plants, thereby leaving them deformed. You can prevent them from destroying your Kalanchoe Marnieriana by placing diatomaceous earth or eggshells around the base of the succulents. You can also pick them up using your hands and destroy them.
– Root Rot
Overwatering can cause fungal growth that may cause Kalanchoe Marnieriana roots to rot. You should make sure the surface of the substrate is dry before watering the plant again to avoid creating waterlogging conditions.
Features of the Kalanchoe Marnieriana
– Origin
The Kalanchoe Marnieriana is native to Madagascar and belongs to the Crassulaceae family. It was named in honor of Julien Marnier Lapostolle, a French botanical explorer.
– Flower
The Kalanchoe Marnieriana plant is a die-hard plant that produces reddish-pink flowers when it reaches maturity.
– Growth
The succulent can grow up to 18 inches long and three feet wide, making a beautiful shrub that blooms in the spring only.
– Toxicity
The Kalanchoe Marnieriana plant can be harmful to human beings and animals. Therefore, you should place it away from the reach of children and pets. In the event that humans have accidentally consumed any part of this plant, consult the experts or poison control center immediately. This is important because the Marnieriana contains cardiotoxins that can cause cardiac problems.
FAQ
Should you mist Kalanchoe Marnieriana?
Mist Kalanchoe Marnieriana sparingly to provide humidity without overwatering.
Can you keep Kalanchoe Marnieriana outside in the winter?
Keep Kalanchoe Marnieriana indoors during winter as it is not frost-tolerant.
Can you deadhead Kalanchoe Marnieriana?
Deadheading Kalanchoe Marnieriana encourages new blooms and promotes overall plant health.
Conclusion
Get your cuttings and start your enjoyable journey of growing the beautiful succulent using the care tips that you acquired from this article. Below is just a recap of the main points that you should learn by heart:
- The Kalanchoe Marnieriana plant thrives when exposed to partial sun and shade for five to six hours daily.
- Grow your plant in a well-draining potting mix to avoid fungal and root rot.
- Although the Kalanchoe Marnieriana plant can grow well without fertilizers, you can add it to your plant as per instruction to improve blooming.
- The succulent plant can be propagated using leaf and stem cuttings, as well as plantlets.
- Keep your plant away from the reach of pets and children to prevent the risk of them being poisoned.
Now that you have been equipped with enough knowledge in this guide, grab your cuttings and start propagating your own Kalanchoe Marnieriana plant today. Not only that, care for it the expert way, too!
