- The Paddle Plant has a new fashionable look this year! Check out Kalanchoe thyrsiflora ‘Fantastic’ with its red highlights! I just read of this new cultivar in a trade magazine this month. It was the recipient of the Favorite New Foliage Plant Award and Retailer’s Choice Award at the 2010 Tropical Plant Industry Exposition. It is no wonder. Its hot new red coloring on its paddles’ edges increases the visual response to its already interesting texture.
- Kalanchoe Fantastic-ForemostCo (click this link)
- In 2010, at the Boston Flower Show, I happen to take a picture of the straight species in a pot. I am not sure why I took a photo of it other than I probably wanted to remember that I liked it. And somewhere along the line this summer, I bought a paddle plant. It is still sitting in a clay pot by my slider. It has shot up quite a bit new growth (or paddles) and seems to be very happy awaiting for warmer temperatures to arrive. So after testing it at my home, it is confirmed. I love this plant, will seek it, and hope to find the ‘Fantastic’ cultivar just spotted in that trade magazine. Full sun is the best place for this plant as you would guess. And in a place where water is well drained. It despises wet soils. Pair it up with other succulents. Or try to capture the red highlights displayed on this plant with other companions that bloom red during the summer season.
K. thyrsiflora
Kalanchoe (pronounced KAL-an-choe-ee) is a tropical succulent perennial or subshrub. It can grow 1 to 12 feet tall depending on the species. I’m not surprised. Mine has been growing all winter without much attention. 6 to 12″ of new grow can occur each year. It is hardy in zones 10-11, thus serves as an indoor house plant for CT or as a container gardening candidate in the heat of summer. The unusal paddle like leaves are a way for the plant to retain water, much needed in the desert drought-like environments it is suited for. Once again, I’m drawn to the tropical style of plants.
Container Crazy CT 
my plant has grown quite a bit but is out of shape has grown sideways instead upwards. How can I trim it?
Just cut the stalk off with clean pruners where it is growing sideways (like a branch, I imagine). That happened with mine. The cut end will heal over and it will regrow again so there’s no worries there. It is a pretty tough plant! Cathy T
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