The entire name wouldn’t even fit in the post title: Kalanchoe delagoensis x daigremontiana ‘Pink Butterflies.’
How fitting that a hybrid with a parent commonly known as ‘Mother of Thousands’ would have a name involving syllables of thousands.
I’ve had this succulent packed amongst other pots on a tall plant stand, a snail-free zone, and thought its recent growth and coloring merited a more prominent place in the revolving summer containers display. The leaves look stitched together by hand, don’t they?
Many years ago I brought home one of the parents, Kalanchoe daigremontiana, from a nursery, delighted with its bizarre intricacies of leaf. I admit the nursery owner even warned me: “You do know its common name is Mother of Thousands, right?”
So I get lots of extra plants. Win/win!
Um, no, lose/lose. The profligate K. daigremontiana propagated itself into every crevice, pot, micromillimeter of soil, each ruffly leaflet a potential plantlet, a busybody of a plant insinuating itself into everyone else’s affairs. The crowns of agaves were the worst, since weeding around these plants is not just onerous, but painful.
I ditched that K. daigremontiana in short order, though still deal with its descendants. But this new hybrid was so fabulous it was worth the risk of living in an understory of ‘Pink Butterflies.’
Yet the gods of hybridizing have smiled upon us with this bespoke, seemingly custom-made succulent. ‘Pink Butterflies’ has lost the ability to rain down its progeny on our gardens and will have to be propagated via cuttings. From Succulent Gardening; The Art of Nature:
“‘Pink Butterflies’ still produces copious quantities of tiny pink butterfly-like plantlets on its leaves but something in the mutation to a variegate form has taken away the ability for them to root. Sometimes a couple might take, but in general, no. It can still be propagated from cuttings just fine.”
So this hybrid seems to have thwarted the Go Forth And Multiply impulses of its parent plants. ‘Pink Butterflies’ is a variegated sport of a hybrid known as ‘Houghton’s Hybrid.’ I’ve been searching for information on the intriguing Mr. A.D. Houghton, but could find little online other than he lived and worked in San Fernando, California and was probably deceased by 1940. My Hortus III confirmed this date with a single entry: Arthur Duvernoix Houghton 1870-1938. His full name brought up a few more online entries, including a reference to his monograph on begonias and his book The Cactus Book, copy currently unavailable. Another title to watch out for at thrift shops and flea markets.
My plant comes from Terra Sol Garden Center in Santa Barbara, California.
Ok, I definitely need a cutting of that. Gorgeous! When then time is right of course.
Yes, you’ll have us all asking for cuttings! Pink Butterflies is a beauty! Like you, I tried mother of thousands but wimped out after the first season and I was pulling out oodles of seedlings. I still see a few popping up to this day.
I bought MOM last fall at the Ruth Bancroft plant sale, but have kept her carefully segregated in a pot, and she spent all winter inside. I challenge her to propagate in the dust bunnies.
OMG, I just saw that you got yours from Terra Sol Sunshine…that is where we got ours too on our road trip down south to LA. Crazy. I love that plant of yours…looks gorgeous. Matti
Dustin & Pam, yes, cuttings all around!
Kathy, this one should not be growing up through your floorboards. I miss RB’s garden!
Hello. I recently bought a Pink Butterflies plant and I’m wondering if you know what the best care is? The leaves seem to be a bit droopy and I’m worried it’s not doing well. I have it inside by a window that receives only a touch of direct light. Most if the time the light is indirect. Also, when I got it last week, I left it outside under a chair but it did rain. Maybe too much water?? Thanks so much for your time.
Kristie
PS I live in Santa Barbara; to give you an idea of the weather.
Kristie, indoors in indirect light will be challenging conditions. And droopy leaves can definitely be caused by too much water! Outside in half-day sun, maybe shade from strong afternoon sun, would be ideal if you can manage it! And let it dry out between watering. These are tough plants, but they do need some sunshine.
Thank you! It’s outside now!
Well, I was mentally formulating a comment begging you for some of those little leaf plantlets until I read that they won’t root. Well, if you have any cuttings to spare after the previous requests I’d love to be added to the waiting list! Maybe I can go steal a cutting of that black lotus at Annie’s for you in exchange.
We picked up ‘Pink Ribbons’ at Terra Sol this winter, but none of the “Mother of 1000′s” I’ve ever planted outside seem to thrive, or freak out to the point they become obnoxious. I have to admit I’m a little jealous, I love their flowers. Had never even seen any until we took our trip down south. Maybe it’s a little too chilly up here for them? Kelly, we still have ours if you want a chunk! It’s in a pot inside getting all leggy and stuff.
Kelly, sounds like a deal. There’s no cutting material on mine yet, just the central stalk.
Megan, that’s weird. The seedlings make a carpet here. Maybe they do want more heat.
Just got my first plant and two old leaves dropped and are now looking as good as the plant. Don’t think you need cuttings, just leave a couple leaves on the dirt and they should grow.
Wow thanks for the advice. I bought this plant at Walmart on a whim and it’s almost a foot tall and getting top-heavy so I’ve tried to replant the little pink guys. Well obviously I now know this is pointless because they don’t grow
thanks again and I will work on planting a cutting
One of my “butterflies grew to 3 feet and the other 2 plants to 2′. The pretty pink petals droped off and the leaves as well; I was left with a beautiful pink crown at the top that lasted for a month. The crown now appears to be dead; but I see tiny new pink growth on the stems. Does anybody know if these plants regenerate; or once the crown is dead do I just let the plant go?
“Pink butterfly” type kalanchoe plants do very well in Texas! If you cut the crown off, the remaining plant will start branching at the top. You can remove a few of the lower leaves off the crown, dip the cut into rooting powder and plant it – it should grow. And yes, most of the leaves I have tried planting do very well. These are great plants for those involved in gardening clubs – especially if you do trades with other gardeners, because (at least for us) they do make lots of babies very easily.
I am very interested for an exchange! I am for the research of K. ‘Pink Butterflies’ !!!! it’s wonderfull !!
Regards
Giuseppe
Is the PINK BUTTERFLIES, plant cat friendly, in other words
safe around pets.?
It is possible to buy this plant for Germany?
Thank you for yor kind answer