Kalanchoe ×houghtonii
Common name
mother of millions, coconut plant
Synonyms
Bryophyllum ×houghtonii (D.B.Ward) P.I.Forst.
Family
Crassulaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Exotic
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledons other than Composites
Conservation status
Not applicable
Brief description
A biennial plant, erect, unbranched to about 50 cm or more.
Leaves fleshy, boat-shaped, bluish-green usually with purple blotches on undersides; margins serrated, usually with many plantlets that drop off and start new plants. Flowers bell-shaped, orange and pink.
Distribution
Naturalised sparingly in NZ, usually in lowland rocky places in full sun
Similar taxa
Hybrid mother-of-millions has boat-shaped or folded leaves (4-8 cm long and 8-20 mm wide) that are always simple. These leaves are greyish or greyish-green in colour with some darker patches (i.e. they are variegated) and have numerous teeth along their margins (i.e. marginal notches). Bryophyllum delagoense has cylindrical (i.e. terete) leaves (usually less than 10 cm long and only 2-6 mm wide) that are always simple. These leaves are greyish in colour with some darker patches (i.e. they are variegated) and have a few teeth at their tips (i.e. apical notches). https://keyserver.lucidcentral.org/weeds/data/media/Html/bryophyllum_x_houghtonii.htm
Flower colours
Red/Pink
Life cycle
Usually vegetative, by leaf bulbils
Year naturalised
1989
Origin
Cultivated hybrid
Reason for introduction
Ornamental
References and further reading
https://keyserver.lucidcentral.org/weeds/data/media/Html/bryophyllum_x_houghtonii.htm
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: Ogle, C. (Year at time of access): Kalanchoe ×houghtonii Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/kalanchoe-houghtonii/ (Date website was queried)