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Photo: বাক্যবাগীশ / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons
SucculentExotic

Kalanchoe

Kalanchoe blossfeldiana

A compact succulent that flowers in clustered red, orange, pink or yellow through the Dubai winter; it wants bright shade in summer and is toxic to cats and dogs.

Mature size0.15–0.5 m tall, 0.15–0.4 m spreadGrowthModerateSunSun/part shadeWaterLow
Heat: 3 of 5
Salt: 2 of 5
Drought: 4 of 5
Shade: 4 of 5
Ease of care: 4 of 5
Use in a designGet it looked after

Season

Through the Dubai year

How Kalanchoe behaves through Dubai's seasons, month by month.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
24°
26°
29°
34°
38°
40°
42°
42°
40°
36°
31°
27°

Cool-season planting window

Flower heads through winter and spring

Jan – Apr

Deadhead and trim after flowering

Bright shade in summer

Jun – Sep

  • Cool-season planting window: Feb–Mar, Oct–Nov

    Plant in pots with drainage, in morning sun and afternoon shade, away from night lighting.

  • Flower heads through winter and spring: Dec–Apr

    Triggered by 12–14 hours of uninterrupted darkness for several weeks; garden lighting can interfere.

  • Deadhead and trim after flowering: Apr–May

    Remove spent flower heads and cut leggy stems back.

  • Bright shade in summer: Jun–Sep

    Direct afternoon sun at 40 °C and above scorches the leaves; water sparingly.

Kalanchoe's calendar is set by the nights. As nights lengthen through October and November, buds form, and from about December to April dense heads of red, orange, pink or yellow flowers open and last for weeks. It is happiest in the comfortable months from October to March, planted in pots in bright light with water only when the compost has dried. In April and May, remove spent flower heads and trim back. Through June to September, with highs of 40 °C and above, move pots into bright shade, water sparingly and expect leaf scorch if it stays in full afternoon sun. Keep it away from night lighting so that the long nights can do their work.

Meet the plant

Meet the Kalanchoe

Meet kalanchoe, the compact succulent that flowers when the nights grow long, not when the weather says so. Glossy, scalloped leaves sit in a tidy mound, and from about December a dense head of tiny four-petalled flowers rises above it in red, orange, pink or yellow and simply stays there, in colour, for weeks.

What makes it interesting is the trigger. Kalanchoe measures darkness rather than temperature: it needs a run of long, uninterrupted nights to set buds, and Dubai's winter supplies them for free. The practical corollary is that it dislikes a security light or a patio lamp that comes on at dusk, which can keep it green and sulking all winter.

It brings small, saturated colour to the months when a Dubai garden is most used: a row of pots on a step, a window box, a clutch of pots at the corner of a succulent bed. It is a plant for the bright, filtered light of a covered terrace rather than the full blast of a July afternoon.

Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, the florist kalanchoe or flaming Katy, is a compact succulent from Madagascar, in the stonecrop family Crassulaceae. Thick, glossy, scalloped leaves form a low mound, and above it rise dense, flat heads of small four-petalled flowers in red, orange, pink, yellow and white that stay in colour for weeks. The RHS gives its size as 10 to 50 cm and describes it as a plant for partial shade and bright, filtered light.

Its flowering is controlled by day length. Kalanchoe is a short-day plant: it needs roughly 12 to 14 hours of uninterrupted darkness for several weeks before it sets buds. Dubai's autumn and winter nights provide that naturally from about October, so plants flower from around December to April. The technical consequence is that light at night can delay or stop flowering, and research on the genus shows that even a short night interruption can interfere. A pot beside a lit path, a patio lamp or an uplighter may stay green all winter, so site it away from garden lighting.

In summer the plant needs protection. In July and August sun, with highs above 40 °C, the leaves scorch, and the plant is happier in bright shade with water given sparingly, since overwatering rots it. And it is not pet-safe: the ASPCA lists kalanchoe as toxic to dogs and cats, with the toxic principle a bufadienolide, causing vomiting, diarrhoea and, rarely, abnormal heart rhythm. The RHS also notes it is potentially harmful if eaten by pets. Keep pots out of reach of animals.

Design

Where to use it

Winter container colourCourtyard potsSucculent bed accentWindow box

Plant kalanchoe in pots or a raised, gritty bed where it gets morning sun and shade from the worst of the afternoon, and well away from garden, patio and security lighting, because night light can stop it flowering. Cluster three or five pots of one colour for impact, or use a single colour in a window box. It works best close to the house, where you can move pots into deeper shade for July and August. Keep pots out of reach of cats and dogs.

Jade Plant (Crassula ovata) on May 17, 2018 in Los Altos, California.

Jade Plant

A fellow stonecrop-family succulent with an evergreen, sculptural shape that frames kalanchoe's winter flowers, with the same sharp drainage and sparing water.

Aloe vera (habit). Location: Maui, Kalepolepo

Aloe vera

Aloe's soft rosettes and winter flower spikes echo kalanchoe's flower heads, and the two share free-draining soil and low water needs.

Full bloom during a rainy day

Crown of thorns

Both give small, bright flowers in a succulent bed in the cool months, and neither needs more than occasional water.

Care guide

How to grow it in Dubai

Watering

Summer: About every 7–10 days in bright shade, letting the mix dry between waterings; never leave the pot standing in a saucer of water.

Winter: About every 10–14 days while in flower; water at the base and avoid wetting the flower heads.

Establishment: Water lightly after planting, then only when the top 2–3 cm of the mix is dry.

Soil
A free-draining cactus and succulent mix, or loam with extra grit; the RHS suggests peat-free, loam-based compost with extra grit.
Feeding
A balanced liquid feed two or three times during the growing season.
Pruning
No formal pruning is needed; remove spent flower heads and cut leggy stems back after flowering.
Planting
Plant in pots with drainage holes, or in a raised, gritty bed, from October to November or February to March, in morning sun and afternoon shade. Propagate from offsets or seed in spring.
Pests
MealybugsAphids on flower budsStem and root rot from overwatering

Avoid these

Common mistakes

  • Placing it beside garden or patio lighting. Kalanchoe needs long, uninterrupted nights to set buds, and a light that comes on at dusk can keep it green all winter.
  • Leaving it in full afternoon sun in July and August. Leaves scorch at 40 °C and above; move pots into bright shade.
  • Overwatering or leaving the pot in a saucer of water. It stores water in its leaves and rots at the stem base quickly.
  • Putting it within reach of cats or dogs. The ASPCA lists it as toxic.
  • Wetting the flower heads when watering. Water at the base so the flowers last longer and mould is less likely.

Extra notes

Good to know

  • It is a short-day plant: roughly 12 to 14 hours of uninterrupted darkness for several weeks triggers flower buds, which Dubai's winter nights supply naturally.
  • The RHS gives its size as 10 to 50 cm, describes it as a plant for partial shade and notes that it is potentially harmful if eaten by pets.
  • It belongs to the stonecrop family, Crassulaceae, like jade plant, and shares its habit of storing water in thick, fleshy leaves.
  • A plant can flower again the following winter if it is trimmed after the first flush, kept on the dry side in summer shade and protected from night lighting.

Toxicity: The ASPCA lists kalanchoe as toxic to dogs and cats; the toxic principle is a bufadienolide (a cardiac glycoside), and signs include vomiting, diarrhoea and, rarely, abnormal heart rhythm. The RHS notes it is potentially harmful if eaten by pets. Keep it out of reach of animals and call a vet if a pet has eaten any.

Pros

  • Dense flower heads in red, orange, pink and yellow that last for weeks
  • Flowers through winter, when Dubai's outdoor season is at its best
  • Compact size suits pots, window boxes and small courtyards
  • Low water needs and few pests
  • Easy to propagate from offsets or seed

Cons

  • Toxic to cats and dogs: contains cardiac glycosides (bufadienolides)
  • Needs bright shade in summer; direct 40 °C sun scorches the leaves
  • Flowering needs long, uninterrupted nights, so garden lighting can stop it
  • Rots quickly in wet soil or a saucer of standing water

FAQ

Common questions

When does kalanchoe flower in Dubai?
Roughly from December to April. It is a short-day plant, so flower buds form as nights lengthen from about October and then open in winter.
Why won't my kalanchoe flower?
The commonest cause is light at night. It needs about 12 to 14 hours of uninterrupted darkness for several weeks, so a pot beside a patio lamp, path light or window can stay green. Move it away from lighting.
Can kalanchoe live outdoors through a Dubai summer?
In bright shade, yes. Direct afternoon sun at 40 °C and above scorches the leaves, so move pots into shade for July and August and water sparingly.
Is kalanchoe poisonous to cats and dogs?
Yes. The ASPCA lists it as toxic to dogs and cats, causing vomiting, diarrhoea and, rarely, abnormal heart rhythm. Keep it out of reach and call a vet if a pet has eaten any.
How often should I water kalanchoe?
Only when the top 2–3 cm of the mix has dried: about every 7–10 days in summer shade and every 10–14 days in winter. Overwatering is the main way to lose it.

Not sure how it suits your garden?

Ask about Kalanchoe on WhatsApp

Sources

  1. 1. RHS: Kalanchoe blossfeldiana
  2. 2. ASPCA: Kalanchoe
  3. 3. Flowering and morphogenesis of Kalanchoe in response to night interruption light (PMC)

Last reviewed 2026-10-05 by Ghaf Gardens horticulture desk.

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