Another Kind of Kalanchoe

As I was doing a little research for my Green Thumb Sunday post about my new kalanchoes, I ran across an image on Google that looked familiar. It was the same plant I've had for about two years. I bought it two winters ago at Lowe's because I liked the paddle-like forms of its glaucous leaves.

And now I know what it is. Yes, that's right. Me, who Googles everything under the sun - most especially plants - went for two entire years without knowing just what my plant actually was, beyond being a succulent. I'd seen a similar one with reddish edges last winter when we were in Florida, growing in my aunt's neighbor's yard. Her neighbor didn't know what it was either.

But now I know. It's a kalanchoe. I never would have guessed that, based on the common ones we find up here. It doesn't look a thing like those. And the one I saw in Florida has reddish edges because it's exposed to direct sunlight most of the time. Mine isn't, even in the summer.

Kalanchoe thyrsiflora

It has grown quite a bit since I bought it. In fact, I now have two of them where there once was one. Even the smaller one is much bigger than the original plant was when I bought it. It lives outside on the front porch during the summer, and that's when it experiences the most growth. It's an easy plant, too. It's very forgiving when I forget to water it. And with 177 houseplants this winter, that happens.