Kalanchoe ''Kalanchoe'' , also written ''Kalanchöe'' or ''Kalanchoë'', is a genus of about 125 species of tropical, succulent plants in the stonecrop family Crassulaceae, mainly native to Madagascar and tropical Africa. A ''Kalanchoe'' species was one ...

fedtschenkoi'', formerly known as ''Bryophyllum fedtschenkoi'', native to

Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Africa ...

, is widely sold as a house or garden plantBryophyllum fedtschenkoi (Raym.-Hamet & H.Perrier)
Connecticut University. that has established itself in the wild in some southern parts of the

United States of America The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territo ...

. Its specific epithet ''fedtschenkoi'' honors botanist

Boris Fedtschenko Boris Alexeevich Fedtschenko (27 December 1872 – 29 September 1947) was a Russian plant pathologist and botanist. He is primarily known for his work on various regions of Russia, especially the Caucasus, Siberia and Asiatic Russia. He was ...

(1873-1947).Raymond-Hamet & H. Perrier de la Bâthie. Annales du Museé Colonial de Marseille, sér. 2 3: 75–80. 1915.
/ref>

Description

''Kalanchoe fedtschenkoi'' is a low-growing, frost-tender perennial

succulent In botany, succulent plants, also known as succulents, are plants with parts that are thickened, fleshy, and engorged, usually to retain water in arid climates or soil conditions. The word ''succulent'' comes from the Latin word ''sucus'', meani ...

which prefers dry, open ground. It grows to 10–12 inches (25–30 cm) tall as an untidy, low, rounded herb. The stems are round, smooth and lax with visible leaf scars, often bending and touching the ground where they produce roots and new plants. Leaves are fleshy,

alternate Alternative or alternate may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * Alternative (''Kamen Rider''), a character in the Japanese TV series ''Kamen Rider Ryuki'' * ''The Alternative'' (film), a 1978 Australian television film * ''The Alternative ...

, blue-green and oval or

obovate The following is a list of terms which are used to describe leaf morphology in the description and taxonomy of plants. Leaves may be simple (a single leaf blade or lamina) or compound (with several leaflets). The edge of the leaf may be regular o ...

with fine scalloped edges, the edges may turn pink or red under strong sunlight or drought conditions. The tubular flowers are in

corymb Corymb is a botanical term for an inflorescence with the flowers growing in such a fashion that the outermost are borne on longer pedicels than the inner, bringing all flowers up to a common level. A corymb has a flattish top with a superficial re ...

s, often multi-layered in good conditions. Each flower has a short calyx edged with delta-shaped segments, which is shorter than its tubular corolla. The corolla is an orange/coral/apricot color. The flowers are pendant.Bryophyllum fedtschenkoi
eFloras. Commonly called ‘Lavender Scallops’ from the shape and color of its leaves. It has few pests but may harbor mealy bugs or occasionally scale insects.

References

fedtschenkoi fedtschenkoi Endemic flora of Madagascar Taxa named by Joseph Marie Henry Alfred Perrier de la Bâthie {{Crassulaceae-stub