Kalanchoe Luciae Fantastic

An absolutely outstanding specimen, Kalanchoe Luciae Fantastic is sure to win any succulent lovers heart! With almost rainbow coloured leaves deepening in colour depending on the season and amount of sun it receives, it is a fascinating succulent to watch develop. The colours of a variegated flapjack (which is basically what a Kalanchoe Fantastic is) are quite intense ranging from bright yellow, pastel greens, bright red and even deep purples. 

Signs of a flower stem generally begin to show in early autumn in Queensland, Australia as apposed to their regular flowering period in other parts of the globe which would usually start late winter and be in full bloom by early spring. I have noticed that while the flower stem is growing, the mother plant can loose her colour vibrancy and turn softer pastel colours. The plant can reach up to 60 cm tall when the flower stem is fully developed, and is highly attractive to pollinators such as bees. Bees are able to enjoy the pollen of this succulent for weeks on end as Luciae takes its time flowering then starts its decent into its last few weeks of life. 

Kalanchoe Luciae Fantastic, just like it’s non variegated sibling is monocarpic, this means that when the mother plant has finished blooming, she will slowly die. This does not mean all is lost, as she will throw off many pups in her wake. It is best to remove the pups from the mother plant once they have developed to at least a few cm’s in length and dispose of the mother as she can attract pests and disease with her rotting leaves.