Calandiva – A Popular Kalanchoe Perennial

Having a house plant is generally for everyone. There are a variety of plants available around us, meaning a variety of plants can suit our needs. Whatever you are looking for in a plant, whether you have ample space or a small place for it, or even if you do not have previous experience in taking good care of a plant before, you will find a match for you. Let’s get to know more about Calandiva. This popular Kalanchoe plant will surely captivate any plant lover. Continue reading this article and understand better the Calandiva care, and features.

Origin of Calandiva

Due to its appearance, Calandiva is a popular type of Kalanchoe plant. A Swedish grower discovered this type of plant during the year 1998. Since then, it was intensely bred and introduced to other gardeners in 2002.

Morphological Features of Calandiva

Calandiva has dainty clusters of rose-like flowers. Typically, this plant appears during the fall season and produces flowers from late winter to spring. It can have different colors such as pink, red, yellow, and orange. With proper Calandiva care, you will be able to let your plant bloom. However, a common characteristic of this plant is that they only bloom once. Calandiva is a slow grower. It can reach up to 12 to 18 inches tall.

Ideal Sunlight

Your plant will need a lot of bright indirect sunlight. Kindly avoid any harsh direct sunlight as it can damage your Calandiva. Proper Calandiva care includes giving a medium level of sunlight during winter or once your Calandiva has bloomed already.

Temperature

The ideal temperature for your Calandiva is between 45 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit during the nighttime and 50 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit during the daytime.

Soil Requirements

Use soil with the perfect mixture that is light and well aerated. You may measure at least ½ succulent and cactus mixture and ½ potting soil.

Proper Watering

Water your plant sparingly; it is better to underwater your Calandiva than overwater it. Most plants do not recover once they’ve been exposed to overwatering. It is ideal for watering the based of the soil every one to two weeks. You may also check if the soil is already dried out prior to watering. When your Calandiva is blooming, you may also water it more often.

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Potting

Usually, if your Calandiva is planted on a 6” pot, you only need to re-pot every few years. An indicator that it is time to re-pot is when your plant grows more extensively than its current pot. Re-potting is a perfect way to refresh your soil and add nutrients to it.

Pruning

Just like the effects of pruning on other plants, it can go a long way for your Calandiva. Once your plant is done blooming, you may now cut the taller leaves and cut below the second or third new leaf of each stem. You can remove all the necessary leaves to maintain the full and bushy appearance of your Calandiva.

Pinching

You may pink or trim your Calandiva using your own hands through pinching. Pinch off spent flowers about six weeks after they’ve bloomed. Don’t forget to cut back the tall stem that rises from the flowers.

Fertilizer Needs

Feed your plant once a month during the spring and summer seasons. Avoid fertilizing your Calandiva during its dormant season as it will not be appreciated by your pant and can cause damage.

Calandiva Propagation

It is straightforward to propagate your Calandiva. You may propagate through the cuttings method.

• Choose a leaf to cut. Make sure that the cuttings have at least two leaves and do not take any stems that have flowers on it
• Use a clean knife or blade to cut the stem off, or you may also use your fingers to snap off your chosen cuttings
• Let the cuttings heal for at least 2 to 3 days or until they calloused
• Plant the cuttings in a well-draining soil mixture. Ideally, you have to keep the soil damp within 2 to 3 weeks

Common Problems of Calandiva

To properly achieve holistic Calandiva care, we listed down some common problems, their causes, and watch-out points.

1. Yellow or Brown Edges – Once you notice one or two leaves turning brown or yellow, it is advisable to remove them. Gently remove those leaves from the base of the stem. It is essential to remove those yellow or brown leaves so that your Calandiva will no longer distribute nutrients or energy to those dead leaves. Changing colors of leaves might indicate overwater, lack of sunlight, or a combination of both.
2. Lack of Flowers – Calandiva prepares to bloom during the fall season and usually shows flowers during spring and winter. Naturally, when placed outdoors, your Calandiva has more chances to produce flowers. But when placed indoors and due to the fact that most of the time, your plant is receiving too much artificial light, it could be more challenging for your Calandiva to bloom. If placed indoors, try to put your plants in a darker area for at least 14 hours. Usually, you can do this at night, when you are starting to open your lights at home.

Conclusion

Thank you for reading through this article. All in all, we wanted to educate every current or inspiring plant lover to consider Calandiva as their next plant baby. It is a low-maintenance plant that will surely catch your attention. It is a beautiful plant that can thrive with proper watering, soil mixture, and enough full and bright sunlight. Feeding your Calandiva might not be required, but it will add nutrients to your plant. As a plant parent, you also need to pay attention to potting, pruning, and propagating your Calandiva to keep it in its healthier and more beautiful state.

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