how do you take care of a panda plant

Panda Plant Care

Full Answer

How do I keep my panda plant alive?

How to Grow and Care for Panda PlantsWater sparingly. As with many drought-tolerant succulents, too much water can cause root rot. ... Keep panda plants at room temperature. ... Fertilize monthly. ... Repot your plants as needed. ... Watch for pests. ... Keep panda plants away from pets.

How much light does a panda plant need?

Kalanchoe tomentosa should be planted in an area of your garden that gets 6 hours of sunlight a day. When planting indoors, place near a sunny window. If planted outdoors, “Panda Plant” can grow up to 24″ (61 cm) tall.

How often should you water a panda plant?

Ideally, you should water the plant once every 5 to 6 days, though it can stay without water for up to one week. Also, do not completely neglect the Panda plant where it doesn't get water for a month or so. This will affect its growth and cause the roots to dry out.

How long does a panda plant live?

It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. This houseplant will do well in a location that gets either direct or indirect sunlight, although it will usually require a more brightly-lit environment than what artificial indoor lighting alone can provide.

How do you know when a panda plant needs water?

Crunchy leaves and cracking soil mean the soil needs a good soak. Mushy leaves and fungus gnats are telling you there is too much moisture and the roots may be rotting. Leaves that are turning brown and scabbed are getting too much light. A Panda Plant stretching towards a window needs more light.

Why is my panda plant dying?

The biggest reason a panda plant dies is due to overwatering and root rot. It is essential to not water your panda plant unless the soil has completely dried to the touch. If you notice yellowing, mushy leaves you are likely overwatering. To fix, pluck the damaged leaves and let the soil fully dry out.

What does an overwatered panda plant look like?

Yellow mushy leaves Yellow leaves on your panda plant are indicative that you've been overwatering this plant. Leaves will be mushy as an early rotting sign due to excess moisture. This can be averted if caught early. Cut back on watering and let the soil dry out completely.

How do panda plants grow indoors?

Locate the indoor panda plant in medium to bright light. As with most succulents, soil should be allowed to dry between waterings. In fact, watering is a limited part of panda plant care. When you do water, do so completely while giving the plant the infrequent drink.

Can you cut back a panda plant?

If you want to keep your panda plant short and retain dense foliage, pruning can help you achieve the goal. You can use special plant scissors and trim the stem and remove the long leaves. This will allow new leaves to grow. However, you need to prune the leaves regularly if you want to maintain the shape.

When should I repot my panda plant?

Repot in spring, only when it's outgrowing its pot. Move Panda Plant to a container only 1- to 2-inches (2.5 to 5 cm) larger. Pots that are too big will hold too much water for this succulent. Also be sure to use a pot with a drainage hole.

Why is my panda plant leaves curling?

There are three reasons the leaves of your panda plant may curl. The first is overwatering, the second is inadequate sunlight, and the third is unsuitable potting. These may individually or collectively result in your plant's leaves curling.

How long does it take for a panda to reach full size?

Panda cubs grow quickly. They stay with their mother for one and a half to two years. When cubs leave their mother depends on if she conceives. They are fully grown in four years (up to 150 kg or 330 lb).

What does an overwatered panda plant look like?

Yellow mushy leaves Yellow leaves on your panda plant are indicative that you've been overwatering this plant. Leaves will be mushy as an early rotting sign due to excess moisture. This can be averted if caught early. Cut back on watering and let the soil dry out completely.

Is Ficus Panda an indoor plant?

Ficus panda plant is the best evergreen plant. There are many varieties of this plant Which are grown as houseplants. Ficus trees can maintain their tree-like shape regardless of their size, so this makes them ideal for bonsai or for large-scale houseplants in large locations.

Why are the leaves on my panda plant curling?

There are three reasons the leaves of your panda plant may curl. The first is overwatering, the second is inadequate sunlight, and the third is unsuitable potting. These may individually or collectively result in your plant's leaves curling.

Why is my panda plant turning yellow?

If you find yellow and mushy leaves, it means you're overwatering. Stop watering the plant and allow the soil to dry out. Make sure that your soil has good drainage. Black spots appearing on stem and leaves are also an indication of root rot, caused by overwatering once again.

How to keep panda plants short?

You can use special plant scissors and trim the stem and remove the long leaves. This will allow new leaves to grow.

How to propagate panda plant?

You can take the leaf cuttings and plant them in new potting soil in spring. Make sure to allow the leaf-cutting to dry for at least a week before potting it again. The rooting will begin in the next four weeks.

How much sunlight does a Kalanchoe plant need?

This species of kalanchoe loves bright light, but can also tolerate indirect light or even a bit of shade. So, if you want to achieve healthy growth for your panda plant, provide the plant a good balance of direct and indirect sunlight. 2-4′ away from a south-facing window should be just fine. The recommended temperature for optimal panda plant growth is between 60 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

What is the white substance on a panda plant?

Pests. Mealybugs love panda plant. If you see a web-like white substance appearing on the plant leaves, it means it is attacked by these tiny parasites. These pests usually live in the nooks of the plant where they are hard to get noticed.

Why are my baby plants' leaves drying out?

You can even try propagating these leaves to make more babies! If you see too many leaves drying out at the same time, it means your plant is under-watered. Try to water more frequently and relocate the pot to a place with more humidity. Avoid watering the leaves directly. It will cause rotting.

Can you grow Kalanchoe tomentosa in pots?

Ideal for an ornamental houseplant due to its low-maintenance, you can grow the chocolate soldier plant easily in pots and basket. Here are the requirements you need to look out for when growing this African native succulent.

How to keep panda plants from rotting?

Once your plant is in a more humid environment, hold back from watering frequently, and always check for signs of rotting. When the air is too humid, the leaves of your Panda Plant will likely deteriorate. When this happens, move your plant to a drier location.

How to get a panda plant to grow outdoors?

If you plan to put your Panda Plant outdoors, make sure to expose it to full sun gradually to avoid sunburn. Increase the amount of sunlight it gets little by little until it is acclimated to the full sun. If you live in a warm climate, make sure to move your Panda Plant in a shady location during the afternoon hours to avoid sun damage.

What does the hair on a panda plant mean?

The hairs also deflect light, thus limiting the process of water movement and water loss in the plant. The leaves have reddish-brown marks on the edges, and along with the silvery-white hairs, it resembles the fur of a panda bear, hence the name ‘Panda Plant.’. The word Tomentosa also means velvety.

Why are my panda plants turning yellow?

Yellow, Mushy Leaves. If your Panda Plant is turning yellow, it’s a sure sign that it’s suffering from overwatering. In this case, try to water it less frequently. a good rule of thumb to remember when watering succulents is to wait for the soil to dry out completely before watering it again.

Why are my panda leaves drying out?

If you see several leaves looking dried out at the same time, it means your Panda Plant is not getting the right amount of water that it needs . Give it more water and place it in a spot where there is average humidity.

What is the white substance on my panda plant?

White Substance on the Stem and Leaves. Succulents are vulnerable to mealybugs. So, when you see your Panda Plant covered with a web-like white substance, it’s likely to have been infested by mealybugs. You can usually find these pests in the spot where the leaves of your Panda Plant meet the stem.

Why are my pandas leaves dark?

When you notice dark spots on the leaves and stems of your Panda Plant, it means it’s been getting too much water for weeks. Refrain from watering your plant and cut off the affected leaves and stems. If the whole plant is affected, try to choose the healthiest leaf it has and propagate it using the steps mentioned above.

How long can a panda plant live indoors?

The average room provides enough humidity for this easy-care, furry plant. The indoor Panda Plant can live for many years in these conditions. Move it outside from spring to fall, if desired, but protect it from the hot afternoon sun.

What is a panda plant?

How to Grow and Care for a Panda Plant (Kalanchoe tomentosa) Kalanchoe tomentosa, commonly known as Panda Plant, is a hardy succulent that makes an interesting addition to the houseplants you grow indoors.

Why are my panda plants' leaves velvety?

Further information on growing Panda Plants says the velvety appearance of the leaves is created by hairs that spring up in trichomes, deflecting light and limiting transpiration. Brownish red markings on leaf edges and the white-silvery hairs are similar to the fur of a panda bear.

How big do pandas grow?

However, as an indoor plant, its growth is limited by the container's size, usually reaching only 1 to 2 feet (30 to 60 cm) in height and about 2 feet (60 cm) wide. Blooms are rare when growing Panda Plants indoors.

Can you grow pandas at home?

When you are growing Panda Plants, you will likely find more home areas that would benefit from one of these plants. Propagation of the Panda Plant is an easy and inexpensive way to get more of the plants.

What is the white substance on the leaves of a panda plant?

This white substance forming on the leaves of a Panda plant are hints that you may be dealing with mealybugs. These can be somewhat tricky to get rid of if not caught early on.

How to keep succulents from burning?

Putting your succulent in a location that gets a mixture of both shade and sunlight is the best of both worlds. This will ultimately stop the leaves from becoming burned.

What is the first thing to consider when potting?

The first major aspect to consider about potting is the soil that you use. We touched on the fact that it should be able to properly drain and have a mixture of soil, sand, and loam.

Do panda plants need sun?

Those velvety leaves that you find on a Panda plant do need quite a bit of sunshine in order to grow, but perhaps not as much as you would expect. Succulents in general are avid light lovers.

Is the Panda plant poisonous?

The Panda plant is, in fact, considered to be poisonous. If you were to ingest this flora, you may experience bouts of vomiting, diarrhea, and decreased energy.

Do pandas need to dry out before watering?

This is the golden rule for the Panda plant! The plant should be allowed to completely dry out before adding more water.

Do pandas need water?

As we had mentioned earlier, water isn’t really a big concern for the Panda plant. The less that they get, the better off they tend to be. Most houseplant owners find themselves having to implement a misting regimen.

What is a panda plant?

Panda Plant. The panda plant (botanical name: kalanchoe tomentosa) is a fairly easy succulent plant species to care for and maintain. A species grown for it's interesting furry and velvet like leaves that kind of look like cats ears (pussy ears is another name for this plant).

Why do pandas have thick leaves?

The panda plant being a succulent type species grows thick leaves for water storage purposes , which means watering less often for the grower. These leaves are covered in tiny hairs that give the plant a velvety look and feel.

Do you need to water a succulent in the winter?

Only water once the soil has become dry and then soak the soil, but do not leave water in the bottom tray. During the winter you'll need to water less. Because this is a succulent - it stores water within its leaves, so even if you forget to water for a period of time the plant will be fine. Soil:

What is the name of the snow white panda plant?

There’s also a variety that comes in more whitish-gray leaves that are called the kalanchoe eriophylla (Snow White Panda Plant), which is considered slightly more cold hardy compared to the other two.

How to propagate Kalanchoe Tomentosa?

Propagation. Propagating Kalanchoe Tomentosa is very standard. This can be done through leaf and stem cuttings, and usually being performed during their growing season (Spring) for a higher success rate.

Do Kalanchoe Tomentosa need shade?

Sunlight needs. Although Kalanchoe Tomentosa loves bright sunlight, they need shades as they intend to dry out due to excessive exposure to sunlight. So if you wish to grow them indoors, the perfect spot for this furry plant is a bright windowsill where it can get a few hours of shade in the morning or afternoon.

Is Panda Plant easy to care for?

Additionally, Panda Plant is fairly easy to care for and does not require much attention to thrive. So if you are a busy office worker who tends to forget to water your plants or someone who doesn’t have a lot of gardening experience, then Kalanchoe Tomentosa is the perfect choice for you!

Can you take care of Kalanchoe?

Once you notice your leaf or cuttings have established some roots, you can begin caring for your Kalanchoe like a full-grown one by following the aforementioned above.

Can Kalanchoe Tomentosa be left on wet soil?

Since Kalanchoe Tomentosa are prone to root rot, especially when left sitting on wet soil for too long, usage of cactus and succulent potting mix that has good drainage capabilities is highly recommended. This should avoid any problems to occur to your furry friend due to overwatering.