Kalanchoe luciae - Paddle Plant (Flapjacks)

Highlights

Paddle Plant (Kalanchoe luciae) (aka Flapjacks) (Hamet): An eye-catching soft succulent with a unique form that grows in Zimbabwe, Mozambique, South Africa, and Swaziland. Its wide, round leaves fan out like clam shells and can grow wavy over time. Moderate stress from direct sun and cool temperatures (around 40F) will induce the pink color of the leaf edges to deepen and spread.

With time the leaves can grow up to 6.0" wide and rosettes produce new offsets at their bases. Paddle Plant is a monocarpic plant; after several years it will produce a bloom stalk up to 3.0' tall with pale yellow, tubular flowers. The flowering rosette will die but its offsets will live on. The offsets can be transplanted or left to form dense clusters.

K. luciae grows best in hot, sunny areas with great drainage. It can take a bit more water than other succulents, particularly in hot summers. As a soft succulent, it needs protection from frost, but can overwinter indoors near a sunny window or under a grow light. Plant in containers with drainage holes and gritty, well-draining soil. Water deeply, but only when the soil is completely dry.

After trials by the Royal Horticultural Society, K. luciae won the Award of Garden Merit for cultivation performance in 2012.

Full Kalanchoe Guide

Product Size

2.0" Pot

Current Primary Color

Green

All Seasonal Colors

Red

Bloom Color

Yellow Bloom

Grow Zone (Hardiness)

Zone 10 (30F)

Recommended Light Conditions

Bright Indoor Light, Full Sun

Maximum Height

Over 12"

Growth Habit / Shape

Clumping / Mounding, Vertical Grower / Tall Stem

Seasonality

Blooms in Spring, Year-round Color

Special Characteristic

Easy to Propagate

THIS PLANT IS HARDY IN ZONES 10+

10

WHAT IS MY HARDINESS ZONE?

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Popular Questions

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3 years ago

Is Kalanchoe Luciae poisonous to dogs? See answer

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3 years ago  •  Staff Answer

Hi there!

It's safe to assume that all Kalanchoe plants are not pet friendly and would be poisonous to any pets and even children. These plants contain chemical compounds that can damage the heart, if consumed in large quantities. However, it is good to keep in mind that smaller animals don't have to eat as much to be hurt. I hope this helps! See full answer »

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3 years ago

Do you offer this plant in a larger size See answer

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3 years ago  •  Staff Answer

Yes, and it is in stock at the moment. It's linked right below.
Source: https://mountaincrestgardens.com/kala... See full answer »

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2 years ago

Mines is gettin like a white poder on the leaf See answer

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2 years ago  •  Staff Answer

This white powder is, most likely, farina. Farina is a natural and healthy way succulents protect themselves from the sun. They produce a layer of powdery wax across the surface of the leaves which scatters excess light away from the plant.

However, if you see brown scabs begin to form on the surface of the leaf, you may be dealing with powdery mildew, which is a fungal disease. A few mistings of isopropyl alcohol or an over the counter fungicide will take care of the issue. See full answer »

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3 years ago

What would eat the kalanchoe See answer

Entire plant leaves gone See more »

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3 years ago  •  Staff Answer

Oh no!

I have a question, and a couple of theories that could explain your missing Kalanchoe foliage. First, the question, did this happen suddenly, or over the course of several days? The answer to that question lends credence to one theory or another. These are my theories:

1) Snails, slugs and caterpillars are all prone to eat leaves surprisingly quickly; certainly not over the course of a single day, but in a week or two. The warm, early summer weather may have awakened some tiny herbivores. If the problem is snails or slugs, put a small cup of beer in the ground, so the lip of the cup is only one inch above the soil. The snails or slugs will be attracted to the beer and drown in it. If the problem is caterpillars, then you'll have to pluck them off your other plants and drop them into soapy water. It's a pain, but if you lower the population enough, it'll help. Also, try keeping the ground around your plants free from debris… See full answer »

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3 years ago

May I plant my flapjack indoors? If so, what size pot? See answer

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3 years ago  •  Staff Answer

Yes, Flapjacks can grow indoors so long as it gets sufficient sunlight to maintain its coloration and form. Aim to keep it near a sunny window or under a grow light. And succulents don't need particularly large pots. A container around 4" in diameter is generally large enough to accommodate this plant's roots (it arrives in a 2" pot). After a couple years, if it's seen significant growth, you can pot up in a larger size with fresh soil. I hope that helps! See full answer »

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3 years ago

I just got two of these to pot... should I put them together or in separate pots? See answer

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3 years ago  •  Staff Answer

Both options would work well. Flapjacks will get along in one pot but will do fine on its own as well. See full answer »

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3 years ago

Can the paddle plant grow in zone 7 See answer

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3 years ago  •  Staff Answer

It certainly can't grow outside during the winter. If this plant freezes it'll die. You could get away with putting it outside for the summer though. See full answer »

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10 months ago

my flap jack had dark spots on the leaves See answer

i cut off the leaves with dark spots and now the leaves and stem are grey white. is this too much or not enough water?? See more »

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10 months ago  •  Staff Answer

Grey white colors are totally normal. Kalanchoe luciae develops a natural wax powder on its surface called farina, that helps it tolerate drought and full sun. Unfortunately, there are many reasons why a succulent might develop dark spots. If you bought it from MCG, you could send us photos of your plant via email (info@mountaincrestgardens.com) and we can try to diagnose it. If you do send us photos, be sure to provide the following info:

1. Growing conditions (full sun, part sun, filtered sun, indoors, outdoors, etc.)
2. Soil used for planting
3. Watering schedule
4. Does the container have a hole for drainage?

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1 year ago

Mine is over 5 ft. tall and with a stalk rising another 3 ft. Now one is bent over See answer

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1 year ago  •  Staff Answer

This is likely because your plant is not getting enough light. Try placing your plant in an unobstructed, south facing window or investing in a grow light. See full answer »

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1 year ago

How should I should I propagate my flapjack? See answer

I have more experience propagating from leaves, but the flapjack “leaves” are difficult to pull off cleanly. What do you recommend? See more »

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1 year ago  •  Staff Answer

Offsets tend to be the best way to propagate Flapjacks. Just use a clean knife to remove the offsets as they appear. It is a slow offsetter, so it will take a while to propagate it.

Leaves are notoriously difficult for Flapjacks for the reason you describe: the leaves are tougher to pull than other succulents like Echeveria or tender Sedum. Using a strong pair of forceps would work, but you may have to dig the whole plant up to get to the leaf bases. See full answer »

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