Panda Plant; How to grow it and propagate it.
The Panda Plant is a cute and fuzzy little plant that is not only ideal for busy people; it’s also a great plant for kids!
With its fuzzy leaves and soft colours, the Panda Plant sparks the interest of children.
As a matter of fact, its silver-green leaves covered with white/silvery hair, and edged by dark brown specks, attract the interest of many; young and old, and anywhere in between.
But be aware! Don’t let the sweet look of this plant fool you!…Any part of the Panda Plant is toxic to children and pets when ingested.
Native to Madagascar, the Kalanchoe Tomentosa is an easy succulent with different cultivars; the most known are “Teddy Bear”, “Golden Girl”, “Chocolate Soldier” and “Black Tie”.
I have two of these lovely plants.
The first one was a birthday gift from a dear friend. (It is now four years old, and you can see pictures of its growth and evolution here below).
I bought a second one for myself at a Farmer’s Market last summer.
Despite the fact that these two plants looked the same when they first came home, they have been growing and evolving very differently, so I like to think of them as two different varieties.
The first one, (as you can see), is growing into a pretty trailing plant, while the second one keeps on growing vertically.
Let’s now dig deep into the Panda Plant care.
The lovely Panda Plant in the glass jar as it was gifted to me four years ago.
Four years later, and a few pots after, the same plant has grown into a sweet trailing plant. It doesn’t even look like the same plant anymore, doesn’t it?
panda plant light
The Panda Plant does well in medium to bright light, but it definitely thrives in bright, indirect light.
Even a few hours of morning sun can be beneficial to this plant.
The ideal location for the Panda Plant is right by a South facing window. A West facing window is also great, provided that there is a sheer screen protecting the plant from the direct, scorching late afternoon sun rays.
On the other hand, not enough light will cause this plant to grow leggy stems.
This Panda Plant sits by a South Facing window.
panda plant humidity & temperature
One of best aspects of the Panda Plant care is its adaptability to any humidity levels. The average room humidity is good enough for this plant.
As far as temperature goes, this succulent thrives in steady conditions.
It is important to keep it between 60F/15C and 75F/24C at all times.
If you bring your plant outside during the Summer months, it is critical that you bring it back inside before the temperature deeps below 60F/15C at night.
I also recommend to keep your Panda Plant away from any cold and hot drafts indoors, whether it’s from heaters, A/C vents, windows and doors.
A close-up look at the Panda Plant. You can appreciate the tiny white and silver hair on its leaves and stems.
panda plant water & fertilizing
This succulent doesn’t require frequent watering.
The “soak and dry” watering method is the best option for this plant as it is susceptible to root rot.
Since watering on schedule won’t quite work on the Panda Plant, the best way to know when to water it, is to feel the top 2″ of soil with your finger. If it feels dry to the touch, it’s time to water.
Allow the soil to dry out between waterings.
Even if the Panda Plant is not a huge feeder, it will still benefit from periodic fertilizing during the growing months.
Fertilize it with a succulent liquid food once a month from Spring to Fall.
Dark brown details on the leaves edges.
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panda plant repotting
The Kalanchoe Tomentosa is a slow growing plant so it doesn’t require frequent repotting.
Besides, I am always cautioning people from over-zealous repotting. Many plants enjoy being root bound, (having their roots tight inside their pots). However, there is a difference between a healthy root bound plant and a plant that has its roots so crammed in the pot that there is no more soil left! Click here for more information on repotting plants!
You know it’s good time to repot your Panda Plant when you notice its roots are growing out of the drainage holes at the bottom of the pot.
When you repot your plant into a new pot, make sure you buy a pot that is only one size bigger than its previous one, which is generally 2″ bigger in diameter. (For example; if your Panda Plant has outgrown its 4″ pot, you will repot it into a 6″ pot). This is because a bigger pot can contain more soil, and more soil can retain more moisture that can crush and rot the roots of your plant.
Panda Plants need draining soil in terracotta pots with drainage holes.
You can mix a cactus soil with perlite, (4 parts soil to 1 part perlite) to guarantee proper soil drainage.
Terracotta is an excellent material for indoor plants. Its porosity allows the soil to dry out faster, rather than stagnate promoting root rot.
It is always best to repot your plants in Spring.
I placed these three Panda Plant stem cuttings in water to root.
panda plant propagating
The Panda Plant can be propagated in two easy ways;
- By leaf; simply “clean-pull” a few healthy leaves from the stem without damaging their integrity. Allow the leaves to form the callous, (dry the cut out), for a couple of days before placing them on top of a pot filled with soil. You don’t need to insert the leaf into the soil to make it root. Gently place the leaf on top of the soil and mist it every few days with a spray bottle. The roots should form within two weeks.
- By stem; I propagated my first Panda Plant by stem once it started to trail. It was a way to both prune it to fill its pot and to test the stem propagation method. It worked out wonderfully! It is important to give the stems a clean cut with sharp shears. Allow the stems to form the callous, (dry the cut out), for a couple of days before placing them in water to root. It will take a couple of weeks for the roots to form. Once the roots are at least 1″ long you can plant them soil. Remember that your newly planted propagations are used to be in water, so for the first few weeks, they will need more water than a regular Panda Plant.
For more details on succulents propagation, check out my Blog on Propagating Succulents Leaves and Stems in 5 Simple Ways.
Photographic story board of my Panda Plant stem propagation.
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