My first brush with the kalanchoe plant was in some dim and cold fall season when my parents received one as a gift, probably for the holidays. It was a dark pink variety, the color of which thrilled me. It ended up in Gram’s room, where it had a Southwest exposure, capturing the most sun of any room in the house. As a succulent, the kalanchoe loves sun and heat and approaching dryness between waterings. I didn’t know much about it back then, so when it stopped blooming I didn’t give upon it as most people do.
Instead, I pruned off the flowerheads and trimmed it a bit, then settled into a hands-off watering schedule until about a year later it sent up another volley of blooms – this time on longer and leggier stems, but no less beautiful. After that, it yellowed a bit and declined, so they may only be good for a season or two. I haven’t returned to them since, but when I saw these in Faddegon’s, I was reminded of my pleasant first brush with them, and took their picture.
