The oddly-shaped mother of thousands plant (Bryophyllum daigremontianum or Kalanchoe daigremontiana) thrives as a houseplant and is an attractive addition. Alligator plant, devil’s backbone, Mexican hat plant, and mother of millions are just a few of the popular names for this succulent plant.
These are some of the popular names for this plant. The tiny plantlets that grow along the leaf margins are an unusual feature of the mother of thousands. The plant is easy to propagate because of the roots that develop on these plantlets.
How to care for the mother of thousands: When growing in well-draining potting soil, exposed to bright filtered light, and watered occasionally, the plant flourishes. This plant requires moderate room temperature of 65°F to 75°F (18°C – 23°C) and is a kind of succulent that doesn’t need high humidity. To avoid the plantlets from developing where they fall, fertilize them periodically and remove them.
Thousands of plants in a pot. The mother of thousands is a highly invasive plant that may grow up to 1.85 meters (6 feet) tall. The succulent can swiftly overrun a garden as the tiny plantlets develop robustly. As a result, growing the plant in a container is recommended when outdoors. You should consider how fast these plants grow when you’re planning your garden.
The mother of thousands may be known by two distinct botanical names, Bryophyllum daigremontianum and Kalanchoe daigremontiana. The succulent plant is classified in the genera Kalanchoe and Bryophyllum, so it has those Latin names. The mother of thousands plant is cared for in this article, which you may learn about. You’ll find answers to several frequent queries about growing the plant at the conclusion of the article.
How the Mother of Thousands Grows
The mother of thousands plantlets is a succulent plant with thick, fleshy oblong leaves called phylloclades that are lanceolate-shaped. The 6″ (15 cm) long, 3″ (7.5 cm) broad “leaves” grow up to 6″ (15 cm). For a reason, the plant is referred to as a “mother.” This Kalanchoe species generates “babies” called plantlets, and all moms generate “babies.”
The other name for Mother of Thousands is Mother of Millions, because she reproduces at a rapid pace. You may observe little roots sprouting from the plantlets if you examine photographs of mother of thousands plants closely. Succulents of this sort are also flowering. Indoor blooming, on the other hand, is rare to nonexistent. You may get flowers in late winter if you put these plants in a sunny location in your garden.
How to Take Care of Mother of Thousands Plant (Alligator Plant)
Although succulents like Mother of Thousands are fairly easy to maintain, there are a few things you should know about them. Read on to learn how to maintain this fascinating plant at home.
Mother of Thousands Light Requirements
Mother of Thousands plant has purple blotches on its leaves above and green leaves below. To thrive, the Alligator plant demands a lot of bright sunlight. A kalanchoe prefers bright, east- or west-facing windows with plenty of light. To safeguard the leaves from burning, place the succulent in a location where it receives indirect sunlight during the summer.
Mother of thousands isn’t suited to grow as a low-light plant due to their dependence on sunlight. Therefore, avoid exposing them to north-facing rooms, windowless bathrooms, or other shaded areas. Look at the leaf coloring to determine if a mother of thousands is getting enough light.
The leaves should be bright green with a reddish tint along the margins. Your devil’s backbone plant will grow leggy if it lacks sunlight. The succulent will become extremely tall and slender as the leaves sparsely develop on the stem.
The Best Soil to Grow Mother of Thousands
Sandy soil or cactus mix is the ideal potting medium for the alligator plant. These succulents prefer sandy soil for potting. If you want to take care of your mother of thousands properly, cactus mix is also a good option. By combining ordinary potting soil with perlite, you may create suitable soil for the plants.
Avoiding soggy soil is the most important care requirement for the mother of thousands. Water needs to drain quickly whether you use potting soil, perlite, vermiculite, or pumice. Loamy soil or potting soil with peat moss or humus should be avoided. You might lay a layer of pebbles on the bottom of the pot to help with drainage. This layer of tiny stones improves soil circulation as well as water drainage.
Of course, it takes more than just the right soil to manage soil moisture. Grow a mother of thousands in the proper pot and give it enough water. The following are some tips for caring for your succulents.
How to Water a Mother of Thousands
You should only water the mother of thousands plant when the soil is partially dry because its plantlets will grow wherever they fall. Before watering thoroughly, make sure that the top 2 inches (5 cm) of the potting mix have completely dried out. Pour in enough water to begin seeping out from the bottom.
The roots get the required moisture because of this method of watering. When watering the mother of thousands, avoid three mistakes. This is the greatest recommendation to follow to avoid making these errors:
- Don’t water alligator plants on a regular schedule—As a consequence, the soil becomes too wet and soggy, which leads to over-watering. Succulents grow root rot when their soil is waterlogged, and they may die as a result. Only when the soil has dried out somewhat does water become available.
- Avoid frequent shallow watering—This technique prevents the roots from receiving any moisture. The soil at the top stays wet, creating the perfect habitat for fungus gnats to thrive, which is all that occurs.
- Don’t water the leaves—Never water the leaves instead of the soil. If the leaves get too wet, they will rot.
Try to use room temperature water when watering a mother of thousands. Just leave a jar of water out all night and you’ll be fine. The benefit of leaving tap water in an open container is that harmful chemicals may evaporate. Avoiding stressing the sensitive kalanchoe roots by watering thoroughly at room temperature.
The Right Pot for Mother of Thousands
A terracotta pot with a drainage hole in the bottom is the best kind of pot to grow Mother of Thousands. A terracotta pot enables the soil to “breathe,” and the hole allows excess water to drain out. Plastic and ceramic containers hold more moisture than clay.
Your mother of millions will thrive with the help of a combination of the right pot, proper watering, and well-draining soil. Ensure that there is no water in the saucer underneath the pot at all times. Moisture tends to seep back into the soil as a result of this, making it soggy. Root rot, fungal soil problems, and dying kalanchoes are all symptoms of saturated soil.
Mother of Thousands Care: The Right Temperature
The alligator plant thrives in average room temperatures, and the end of its succulent leaves contains plantlets. Mexican hat plants prefer temperatures of 65°F to 75°F (16°C to 24°C) in their best range. When it comes to temperature, the most important thing is to keep them away from extremes.
Keep the mother of thousands away from radiators and other sources of heat in the winter, when the household heating is on. Make sure the kalanchoe pot isn’t standing in drafts or air conditioning breezes during the summer. Don’t put a mother of thousands on a south-facing windowsill unless it is protected from direct sunlight. because excessive heat might scorch the leaves.
The Best Humidity to Care for Mother of Thousands
When it comes to humidity, Mother of Thousands isn’t fussy. These plants, which store moisture in their leaves, prefer drier conditions because they are succulent. As a result, you don’t have to worry about misting the leaves or using a humidifier in your room.
Fertilizer for Healthy Mother of Thousands Growth
To flourish, Bryophyllum daigremontianum requires little fertilization. The soil usually contains enough nutrients for healthy development. You may, however, fertilize these plants using a diluted liquid houseplant fertilizer that is balanced. During the growing season, fertilize every three months, from March to September.
Pruning Mother of Thousands Plant
Pruning is beneficial to the mother of thousands. Pruning Bryophyllum daigremontianum may help encourage new, denser growth, as it does with many indoor plants. To improve the appearance of the succulent, pruning is also a way to remove long, spindly stems.
Trimming off the top portion of a plant just above a leaf is the ideal way to prune a mother of thousands. Because thousands is a fast-growing succulent, new growth should appear quickly. You may encourage robust, healthy development by doing regular pruning.
Plantlets that have fallen should be removed immediately, as they will root quickly. Make sure the “babies” don’t fall into the ground in your yard because mother of thousands is quite invasive.
Repotting Mother of Thousands
When the mother of thousands becomes rootbound, transfer her to a larger pot. Succulents thrive better and don’t get stunted growth when the roots have more room. When it’s time to repot your kalanchoe, there are a variety of ways to tell. If any of the following indicators appear, repot mother of thousands:
- The drainage holes are starting to sprout roots.
- Since the roots are dense, water drains poorly.
- The plant’s growth is hampered since the roots can’t get enough nutrients.
- Even in colder temperatures, the soil dries out faster.
Choose a terracotta pot with drainage holes when selecting a new pot for your plant. It should be bigger than the previous one by 1″ to 2″ (2.5 to 5 cm). The following are the steps to repot a mother of thousands:
- Remove the pot’s mother of thousands with care.
- To remove excess soil from the roots, gently shake them. You might also use a running faucet to get rid of the root ball’s dirt.
- Any evidence of sickness, such as mushy brown roots, should be checked.
- Place a layer of pebbles in the bottom of a new pot.
- Cactus potting mix or sandy soil should be used to fill one-third of the pot.
- Make sure the plant is growing at the same level as it was previously when you place it in the pot.
- Fill the remaining area with potting soil and press around the stem to provide support for it.
- The mother of thousands should be thoroughly watered and moved to a sunny position to continue growing.
In the spring is the ideal time to repot your plants. This is just around the beginning of the growing season. Additionally, your fragile plants will be helped by the heat and sunlight during replantation.
Grow New Mother of Thousands—Propagation
One of the simplest houseplants to grow is Mother of Millions. These kalanchoes are so invasive that they quickly take over a garden outdoors, reproducing rapidly. The tiny baby plants or plantlets that grow along the devil’s backbone are used to propagate. You’ll need a terracotta pot filled with a light potting mix to grow mother of thousands. What you should do is as follows:
- Pick a few plantlets and put them about 0.5 inch (1 cm) apart in the container.
- Just hose the plantlets and the earth, but don’t shower them.
- To keep moisture and heat inside the container, cover it with plastic film.
- Place the pot in a well-lit area.
- To be sure that the earth is just slightly moist, spray with a fine mist every so often.
- You can repot the individual plants in a new container when they reach a height of about 1″ (2.5 cm).
FAQ About Mother of Thousands
While growing mother of thousands plants is simple enough, there are a few points you might want to consider before doing so.
Does mother of thousands flower?
A kind of flowering succulent known as the Mother of Millions. Indoor plants, on the other hand, seldom bloom and may never do so. Your plant may produce clusters of little pinkish-red blooms when it is being grown outdoors. After the flowers have bloomed, always deadhead them to promote healthy development.
Is mother of thousands plant poisonous?
It is, in fact, true. Toxic chemicals known as bufadienolides may be found in all sections of Kalanchoe daigremontiana. The devil’s backbone is listed as a poisonous plant that is toxic to dogs and cats by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).
Is the mother of thousands invasive?
The plant Mother of Thousands is extremely invasive and fast-growing. To prevent the plantlets from rooting where they fall, collect them frequently if you grow this succulent outdoors in your garden.
Why are mother of thousands leaves curling?
The leaves of Mother of Thousands resemble a teardrop or diamond in shape. Natural arches should be seen on the leaves, but they shouldn’t curl. Over-watering or being burned by excessive sunlight are common causes of curling Mexican hat plant leaves.
Why is my mother of thousands dying?
A mother of thousands may wilt for a variety of reasons, eventually dying. Over-watering, too much direct hot sunlight, or under-watering are the most common reasons why an alligator plant looks sick. You might be able to rescue a struggling plant if you act quickly.
Is a mother of thousands a good plant for terrariums?
Because they are invasive and may harm other plants, Mother of Thousands is not the best plant for enclosed terrariums. Other nearby plants may be stunted by the chemicals produced by these plants. Additionally, in terrariums’ wet, tropical environment, these succulents may not grow as well.