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Kalanchoe gastonis-bonnieri

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Kalanchoe gastonis-bonnieri Raym.-Hamet & H. Perrier

Family Name: Crassulaceae
Synonyms: Bryophyllum gastonis-bonnieri, Bryophyllum adolph-engleri, Kalanchoe adolph-engleri
Common Name: Donkey Ears, Life Plant, Palm Beachbells, Leaf of Life, Miracle Leaf, Giant Kalanchoe, Sprout Leaf Plant, 掌上珠, 驴耳朵, 不死叶, 宽叶落地生根

Name

Family Name
Genus Epithet
Species Epithet
Name Authority
Synonyms
Common Names

Classifications and Characteristics

Plant Division Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Dicotyledon)
Plant Growth Form Shrub
Lifespan (in Singapore) Perennial
Mode of Nutrition Autotrophic
Maximum Height 0.3 m to 0.5 m
Maximum Plant Spread / Crown Width 0.3 m to 0.5 m

Biogeography

Native Distribution Madagascar
Native Habitat Terrestrial
Preferred Climate Zone Desert / Arid
Local Conservation Status Non-native (Horticultural / Cultivated Only)

Description and Ethnobotany

Growth Form Succulent herb up to 0.45 m tall.
Foliage Thick, fleshy leaves (up to 0.3-0.5 m long) are greyish-green with brown to reddish brown spots. Young leaves are more whitish to greyish, while mature leaves are more green. They are egg- to lance-shaped (ovate to lanceolate) with a toothed leaf margin. Small plantlets often grow along the leaf margin.
Flowers Tubular, drooping flowers are reddish to pinkish-orange near the base with yellow, flared tips. Flowers are arranged in a branched cluster (known as a terminal inflorescence) and borne on a stalk up to 0.6-0.9 m tall.
Fruit Dry, dehiscent fruits are known as follicles.
Cultivation This fast-growing species begins to flower at about 2-3 years old. It is prone to attack by aphids and susceptible to fungal diseases.

Landscaping Features

Desirable Plant Features Ornamental Foliage
Landscape Uses Suitable for Hanging Baskets
Thematic Landscaping Rockery / Desert Garden

Plant Care and Propagation

Light Preference Full Sun, Semi-Shade
Water Preference Little Water
Plant Growth Rate Fast
Rootzone Tolerance Drought Tolerant, Well-Drained Soils
Propagation Method Seed, Sucker

Foliar

Foliage Retention Evergreen
Mature Foliage Colour(s) Silver / Grey
Mature Foliage Texture(s) Powdery / Waxy Bloom, Thick
Foliar Type Simple / Unifoliate
Foliar Arrangement Along Stem Rosulate / Rosette
Foliar Attachment to Stem Petiolate
Foliar Shape(s) Non-Palm Foliage (Ovate, Lanceolate)
Foliar Venation Pinnate / Net
Foliar Margin Serrate / Toothed
Foliar Apex - Tip Acute
Foliar Base Cuneate
Typical Foliar Area Mesophyll ( 45cm2 - 182.25 cm2 )

Floral (Angiosperm)

Flower & Plant Sexuality Bisexual Flowers
Flower Colour(s) Red, Yellow / Golden
Flower Texture(s) Waxy
Flower Grouping Cluster / Inflorescence
Flower Location Terminal
Flower Symmetry Radial
Individual Flower Shape Tubular
Flower Lifespan on Plant [Remarks] (Flowering occurs over about 2 months. The mother plant dies after flowering once.)
Flower Lifespan on Plant - Remarks Flowering occurs over about 2 months. The mother plant dies after flowering once.
Flowering Habit Monocarpic
Flower Colour(s) Remarks Salmon

Fruit, Seed and Spore

Fruit Classification Simple Fruit
Fruit Type Dehiscent Dry Fruit , Follicle

Image Repository

Images

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Master ID 30731
Species ID 5051
Flora Disclaimer The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes.
Species record last updated on: 19 August 2021.
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