Mother of the Thousands may sound impressive, but even better, it's true! This unique plant has the botanical name Bryophyllum daigremontiana. Sometimes referred to as a Mexican hat plant or devil's backbone, it is an incredibly interesting xeriscape plant or houseplant.
Its common name comes from the many plants that form along the edges of its leaves. A plant could literally be the mother of thousands! These broad, fleshy leaves are the source of joy for many gardeners, but they can also be a problem if the plants are not kept in check.
So let's talk about this strange little succulent and discuss how best to care for it!
Good products for growing Bryophyllum Daigremontiana:
Brief instructions on care
Mother of thousands is an unusual succulent to grow. Source: Scott Zona
| Common Name (s): | Mexican hat plant, devil's backbone, alligator plant, mother of thousands |
| Scientific name | Bryophyllum daigremontiana |
| Family: | Crassulaceae |
| Zone: | 9-11 |
| Height & spread: | 18 "-24" height (with flower stems) |
| light | Bright, indirect lighting (6+ hours a day) |
| ground | Well-drained, sandy soil, like a mixture of cacti and succulents |
| Water: | Water only when the soil is dry |
| Pests & diseases: | Aphids, meal bugs, scale insects, root rot |
All about the mother of thousands
In an outdoor bed, it can quickly sow itself if you don't pay attention. Source: wlcutler
There has been some confusion about the botanical name of this native Madagascar plant. Technically speaking, the botanical name is Bryophyllum daigremontiana. However, it is often referred to as Kalanchoe daigremontiana.
Calling Kalanchoe daigremontiana may not be a bad thing, but it confuses things. After all, most Kalanchoe plants are valued for their unique and unusual flowers. While mother produces thousands of flowers, they have a strange gray-pink color instead of bright and happy.
Large, bluish-green leaves with pointed tips grow from the stem in pairs. As the plant grows, each pair of leaves is staggered directly opposite. New leaves mate 90 degrees from the older, so all leaves have easy access to sunlight.
These beautiful leaves can be up to three inches wide and six inches long. But what really sets it apart are the baby plantlets that grow along the jagged leaf edges. Tiny miniatures of her mother plant, they work for the plant instead of seeds.
The pink-gray flowers are long and tubular and dangle down on long, slender flower stems. The appearance of flowers is rare, but occurs occasionally. The greatest attraction of this succulent plant is its foliage instead of the flowers.
A close relative of the mother of thousands, "mother of millions", has narrower leaves, at the tip of which are plantlets. It is also a member of the Bryophyllum family, but it definitely doesn't look like its cousin!
Some of the common names for this plant are the Mexican hat plant, the backbone of the devil and the alligator plant.
Mother of a thousand worries
As a popular houseplant, Kalanchoe daigremontiana is fairly easy to care for. Here you will find everything you need to know about care and maintenance.
Light & temperature
You will find that your mother prefers thousands of plants to light for at least 6 hours a day, although indirect sunlight is best in hot climates. The characteristic leaves are susceptible to sunburn when exposed to strong sunlight. These can be grown in west or north facing windows to provide enough bright light, or you can add a grow light.
The Mexican hat plant grows best at temperatures between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Although it tolerates temperatures up to the 1940s, it is best to bring them into the house in cold weather.
Zones 9-11 are best for people who grow them outdoors. Indoors, of course, they can be grown anywhere!
Water & moisture
This succulent plant is extremely drought tolerant and comes from an area that is often quite dry. It can survive periods without water, but works best if it contains at least a little moisture.
Avoid watering the leaves of the plant and focus on the ground. When the soil is dry at least 2 inches below the surface, dampen it with room temperature water and wait a few minutes. Then water it again. This allows the planting medium to rehydrate gradually. Make sure that excess moisture drains away easily.
These plants need the most water during their active growing season in spring and summer. You can reduce the irrigation frequency in autumn and winter.
It is not necessary to provide additional moisture for your Kalanchoe daigremontiana.
ground
The pink-gray flowers of the mother of thousands are long and tubular. Source: RachidH
Well-drained, sandy soil is ideal for your Bryophyllum daigremontiana. In fact, a mixture of succulents and cacti works wonderfully. The goal is to ensure good drainage and to prevent standing water from forming around your plant. Most cactus or succulent mixtures contain perlite, additional sand and the like to ensure good drainage.
Soil pH isn't really a big problem for these succulents. When you monitor your pH, you aim for healthy neutrality and you will be fine.
fertilizer
These plants do not need a large supply of fertilizer. Instead, opt for fertilization once in the spring and once in the summer. Use a liquid fertilizer that has been diluted to half the strength. Skip the fertilization in autumn or winter.
Propagation
All you need to reproduce this unique plant is its little plants. Seed is not a viable method, and although cuttings are possible, the plantlets are much easier!
When the plant rests in the winter months, some plantlets are dropped. You can also use a light touch to determine if someone is ready to pull off the sheet on their own. Don't apply a lot of pressure, just a light touch, and when it's done, it will start right away.
Moisten some potting soil and place your plantlets on it. Keep the soil moist by spraying water occasionally. You can provide a clear plastic cover if you want to slow down moisture evaporation and keep it indoors until you see roots. The baby plants stretch out their roots and dig themselves in!
There is no other reliable way to successfully multiply this plant except through its young children. But trust me, that will be done alone.
Repotting
Mother of thousands rarely needs to be repotted. To be honest, you only have to repot when the plants have fallen and colonized your container. Then you want to remove the younger plants and put them in their own containers. Make sure that the containers have good drainage holes.
clipping
The only cut your Kalanchoe daigremontiana needs is to cut off used stems. After flowering ends, use clean pruning shears and cut the stem exactly where it comes out of the leaves.
Troubleshooting
Worn and bare flower stems protrude from this roadside stand of the Mexican hat plant. Source: Starr
Although your mother is easy to care for from thousands of plants, she is extremely susceptible to root rot and can have some pest problems. Here's how to solve these problems.
Growing problems
Mother of thousands is particularly vulnerable to Over watering. It can go limp if there is too much moisture. Hold onto the leaves of your plant by watering them only when the soil has dried up to 2 inches below the surface.
The only problem that people are reporting is that they have too many of these small plants because they easily plant their own plants. Keep excess fallen plantlets ingested to prevent them from spreading. If it is planted outdoors, you may need to keep up to date or it may grow invasively if the climate pleases! Indoors, you can grow them with very few problems, but you may need to pick up baby plants if they fall off.
Pests
Mealybugs or other forms of Scale insects are opportunistic trifles. So are Aphids. These sucking pests love the fact that your succulent has thick, juicy leaves and they stick easily.
To keep these irritating pests at bay, spray the plant regularly with neem oil. Introducing useful insects like ladybirds and lacewings is also an excellent idea. Stubborn dandruff can be removed with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol.
Diseases
Your greatest disease potential comes from Mushroom root rots. These develop under over-watered soil conditions and can quickly kill your plant. Make sure your potting soil is draining very well and that the pot is not in the water.
frequently asked Questions
Q: Is the mother of thousands toxic?
A: Yes, all parts of the plant are toxic, especially to pets and young children. Keep this product out of the reach of your children and pets.
Q: Is the mother of thousands invasive?
A: You can grow outdoors. This is less common indoors, although additional plants may appear in your planter.
Fortunately, it is easy to remove newly spread plants. Simply grab the base of the plant and pull it straight up so that it detaches from the ground. If you want to replant it elsewhere, first loosen it around the base of the plant so that the roots can slide freely.
The green thumbs behind this article:
Lorin Nielsen
Lifetime gardener
