“Oh no!” some might say, as this is another “mother of thousands”, as the bulbiliferous members of the Bryophyllum group of Kalanchoe are called. Yet, these have their virtues. They are certainly easy to propagate should one need replicates for an experiment or multiples for a mass planting. In this one, the elliptical, coarsely serrate leaves of K. rosei combine with the cylindrical camo-colored leaves of K. delagoensis (synonym K. tubiflora) to produce an intermediate with pastel pinkish-blushed, linear, serrate leaves. Interestingly, the bulbils that form are mostly from the leaf axils, rather than the leaf tips or margins, are contrasting pale green, and are larger and more luxuriant than the bulbils of other mothers of thousands. The pendent, tubular flowers, like those of both parents, are also relatively large and showy compared with the foliage. The nothospecies (natural hybrid) is named in honor of Philippe Richaud, a French explorer of Madagascan xerophytic vegetation, who brought this plant to the attention of Kalanchoe authority Bernard Descoings. We offer rooted bulbils of HBG 120468, a plant collected at Lokana, N of Tolanaro (Ft. Dauphin), Madagascar. $7.
Published in the Cactus and Succulent Journal, Vol. 90 (2), Summer 2018