Mother of thousands – Succulent plants

Mother of thousands (Bryophyllum daigremontianum) is a succulent plant grows from a single stem 18 – 35 inches all. It has long, fleshy, elliptical leaves, which grow up to 20 cm long and 3.2 cm wide. They are green on the top and slightly purple underneath. The edges of the leaves have small bulbs, which contain plantlets. These can turn into roots, while still attached to the plant. It has an umbrella-like terminal inflorescence of small bell-shaped, grayish pink blossoms which bloom only on mature plant. The plant dies after blooming. All parts of the plant contain a very toxic steroid known as daigremontianin.

Scientific Name: Bryophyllum daigremontianum
Synonyms: Kalanchoe daigremontiana
Common Names: Mother of thousands, Devil’s backbone, Alligator plant, or Mexican hat plant.

 

 

 

How to grow and maintain Mother of thousands:

Light:
It flourishes best in bright light to full sun.

Soil:
It grows well in well-drained, sandy soil. Use a cactus potting mix.

Water:
Water your plant regularly during the growing season and always
keep the soil evenly moist but never allow your plant to sit in
water. You can allow the topsoil to become slightly dry between
each watering. During the winter months, reduce watering.

Temperature:
It prefers an average room temperatures of 65 – 75 degrees
Fahrenheit / 16 – 25 degrees Celsius. It will endure extreme
heat, but not frost.

Fertilizer:
Fertilize once a month during the active growth period with a
standard liquid fertilizer.

Re-Potting:
Re-pot your plant every spring, but only when the plant outgrows
the pot. Pick the next pot slightly bigger than the first one.

Propagation:
Mother of thousands can be easily propagated by the plantlets
that fall off its leaves. Or, you can break them off and pot them in barely-moist cactus potting mix. The best time to propagate is in spring and summer.

Pests and Diseases:
There is no serious pest or disease problems. Sometimes, it can
susceptible to mealy bugs, scale or aphids. Control mealy bugs
by wiping the infested leaves with a cotton ball dipped in alcohol.