image descriptionThe kalanchoe is undoubtedly one of the most appreciated and popular indoor plants: they are cheerful, they give beautiful small flowers and they are very easy to grow, because they require simple care.It is a plant of the Crasulaceae family, that is to say gross or succulent, which are those in which some organ is responsible for the accumulation of water and nutrients, which allow it to live when water is scarce or temperatures are very high. .It is evergreen and is perfect for getting started in the world of gardening.Although there are more than a hundred species, the most common and easiest to find in nurseries is the kalanchoe blossfeldiana, native to Madagascar.It is a small and semi-bushy plant, which usually measures about thirty centimeters.The roots, which do not have a main axis, since they are fasciculated, develop well in a 20 to 25 centimeter layer of substrate.The most common is that the plant blooms in spring and summer and its flowers are of various colors, such as white, yellow, orange, pink or red.Its leaves are green and fleshy and in the case of kalanchoe blossfeldiana it usually has reddish edges.It is a valuable natural decorative resource and can be placed alone or in a composition with several plants.It is perfect for small homes, because it achieves prominence while taking up little space.One of the features that make this rustic plant special is that the flowers develop in inflorescences, grouping several on the same stem, which are born in corymbs either at the end of the stems or in the flower axils.The kalanchoe can also live outside as long as they are well protected from wind and frost.With proper care, it will live for many years.To grow a kalanchoe correctly, we must take into account, above all, three variables: temperature, light and irrigation.The perfect temperature for this succulent ranges between 15 and 25 ºC;the light must be abundant and it appreciates the sunlight and the watering must be moderate.Therefore, it should be watered only when the soil is already dry.Avoiding excess water is important because, if we water it in excess, the plant will weaken and will no longer look healthy.To ensure that it does not accumulate more water than it needs, it must be planted in a loose substrate and with a good drainage system, to prevent waterlogging.The flowers should not get wet.It is recommended to plant it in a clay pot, to achieve more transpiration and speed up the process of evaporation of excess water.It is recommended to transplant every two years to a slightly larger pot, which should be done at the beginning of spring.During the spring and summer it is highly recommended to fertilize the kalanchoe, preferably with a special liquid fertilizer for succulents or with a mixture that has some potassium content.You should pay at least twice a year.When it comes to pruning, it will be enough to remove the flower stems at the end, which should be done when the plant is most dormant, usually in late fall and early winter.Although when they grow indoors, if the right conditions are met, flowering will extend throughout most of the year.The kalanchoe multiplies by cuttings and more easily in the months of higher temperatures, when the plant is active.As for pests, they do not usually give this plant many problems, but it is better to be aware, because red spider mite or cochineal could appear, in which case it is best to use the corresponding product, if it is organic, the better.In short, a beautiful plant, full of bouquets of small flowers most of the year, rustic, resistant and very easy to care for, which will give you a lot of joy in exchange for very little effort.© La Vanguardia Ediciones, SLU All rights reserved.