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Kalanchoe pinnata /ˌkælənˈkoʊɪ/

Common name: Cathedral bells · Life plant · Miracle leaf · Air plant

Kalanchoe pinnata is a succulent perennial in the family Crassulaceae, native to Madagascar but now widespread in tropical regions around the world. It has fleshy, pinnately divided or scalloped leaves and produces tall flower stalks bearing pendulous, bell-shaped, greenish-pink to purple flowers. It is cultivated as a curiosity plant and in traditional medicine, and is famous for producing tiny plantlets along its leaf margins.

Fun facts

  • Detached leaves laid on soil can sprout whole new plants from their notched margins — hence the name "life plant."
  • The species was first described by Jean-Baptiste Lamarck in 1786, reportedly from a specimen grown in Paris.
  • It has a long history of use in traditional medicine in tropical Asia, Africa, and the Americas for ailments from coughs to wounds.
  • In some tropical regions it has naturalized so vigorously that it is considered an environmental weed.

Care summary

Sun Full sun to partial shade
Water Sparingly; drought tolerant
Soil Sandy, well-drained soil
Hardiness Zones 9b–11
Mature height About 30–100 cm (1–3.3 ft)
Pet safe No — toxic if ingested
Difficulty Easy
Propagation Famously self-propagating: tiny plantlets form along the leaf margins and drop off to root wherever they land. A single leaf laid on or pressed lightly into moist, sandy soil will also produce new plantlets at its edges. Stem sections root easily too if allowed to callus for a day before planting.

Make your own Cathedral bells · Life plant · Miracle leaf · Air plant profile

Common problems

    • Let soil dry fully between waterings
    • Use a gritty free-draining mix
    • Empty saucers after watering
    • Dab colonies with alcohol on a swab
    • Isolate the plant from others
    • Move to a bright sunny windowsill
    • Pinch back stems to keep compact