Donkey Ears, Life Plant, Palm Beachballs, Velvet Ear Kalanchoe, Sprouting Leaf, Sprouting Leaf Plant, Miracle Leaf, Good Luck Leaf, Giant Kalanchoe, Tree of Life…

Kalanchoe gastonis-bonnieri

kal-un-KOH-ee  gas-TON bon-nee-ER-ee

Synonyms of Kalanchoe gastonis-bonnieri (3) (Updated on 12-15-23 from Plants of the World Online): Bryophyllum gastonis-bonnieri (Raym.-Hamet & H.Perrier) Lauz.-March., Kalanchoe adolphi-engleri Raym.-Hamet, Kalanchoe gastonis-bonnieri var. ankaizinensis Boiteau ex L.Allorge

Kalanchoe gastonis-bonnieri Raym.-Hamet & Perrier is the accepted scientific name for this species of Kalanchoe. It was named and described as such by Raymond-Hamet and Joseph Marie Henry Alfred Perrier de la Bâthie in Annales des Sciences Naturelles in 1912.

The genus, Kalanchoe Adans., was named and described as such by Michel Adanson in Familles des Plantes in 1763.

As of 12-15-23 when this page was last updated, Plants of the World Online lists 169 species in the Kalanchoe genus. It is a member of the plant family Crassulaceae with 36 genera. Those numbers could change as updates are made on POWO.

THERE ARE A FEW LINKS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE FOR FURTHER READING.

I went to Wagler’s Greenhouse on March 29 (2021) and found a few succulents I didn’t have that I always wanted to try. I was very surprised when I found this Kalanchoe gastonis-bonnieri so I had to grab one of the two they had. I first found out about this species of Kalanchoe when I was on the website called Sucs for You. I drooled!

The Kalanchoe gastonis-bonnieri is a native of northwestern Madagascar. It has naturalized in other areas after being introduced as an ornamental. It is well known for its HUGE leaves, some of the biggest of all the Kalanchoe species. It has many common names including Donkey Ears, Life Plant, Palm Beachballs, Velvet Ear Kalanchoe, Sprouting Leaf, Sprouting Leaf Plant, Miracle Leaf, Good Luck Leaf, Giant Kalanchoe, Tree of Life, and possibly others. Some of the common names are shared by other species…

Its huge leaves are described as ovate-lanceolate and taper to a point. Leaves can be light green to bronze-green and are covered with maroon streaks and spots. The leaves can grow to around 12-18” long and produce plantlets along the margins at the tips. 

Leaves and stems are covered somewhat with a waxy, powdery “bloom” that protects the plant from the sun.

If it is like Kalanchoe daigremontiana and x K. x laetivirens, the scientific community says their leaves are actually phylloclades which are flattened branches modified for photosynthesis. Ummm… Flattened stems are called cladodes. Interesting that phylloclades still have a petiole that attaches to the stem. I wonder if a plant with a cladode that produces a phylloclade is attached to a petiole? 🙂 There are several species and hybrids of Kalanchoe that do this and they have bounced around from the genus Kalanchoe and Bryophyllum several times. Many share the same common names of Mother of Thousands and Mother of Millions…

After a few years, it “may” produce a flower stalk up to 3’ tall with a candelabra of flowers. Being monocarpic, after flowering the plant will die… One of my Kalanchoe x laetivirens did this and it was AWESOME. Well, the flower part was awesome but not the dying part. I have a long history with the Kalanchoe laetivirens you can read about by clicking HERE if you want… OH, I brought home a “real” Kalanchoe daigremontiana and another Kalanchoe luciae. Both produced flowers and didn’t die…

On July 19 I noticed the Kalanchoe gastonis-bonnieri needed to be rotated. It was sitting on a table on the back porch under the covered part. It gets plenty of morning sun but is protected from full sun. Not that full sun would hurt it as long as it isn’t really hot. When I rotated the pot, I noticed something… I moved it to the propagating table to have a better look.

It had its first kid… Kalanchoe gastonis-bonnieri is “one of those” Kalanchoe that produces plantlets from its leaves, phylloclades, or whatever you choose to call them. The scientific community calls their leaves phylloclades, which are modified “branches” used for photosynthesis… To the rest of us, they are just odd leaves. 🙂

I found it quite weird the roots of the plantlets are pink… I guess it’s a girl. I wonder if boys have blue roots? Please don’t take that seriously. I doubt the pink has anything to do with gender.

The lower leaf on the opposite side of the plant is also pregnant. It appears another one is starting next to it. I will be keeping an eye on it…

This plant has been steadily growing all summer, but it really jumped in September.

It has grown to 12″ tall x 22″ wide. It may be that tall since it is leaning toward the sun. I rotated it again to lean in the other direction. I have put it in the full sun a few times which it doesn’t seem to mind. I have a tendency to keep my plants in a little shade when some of them would do just fine in more sun.

The largest “plantlet” was 4″ wide on 9-18-21. If you have one of these it may be a good idea to set the pot on something to raise the plant a little to keep its leaves from touching the table. Putting them in a hanging pot would also be a good idea.

Sorry to say this plant didn’t make it inside the house over the winter. I couldn’t find another one locally in 2022 or 2023. I would definitely like to have another one. I should have put the plantlets in a pot… Live and Learn…

USEFUL INFORMATION:
Family: Crassulaceae.
Origin: Madagascar.
Zones: USDA Zones 10-11 (40° F/4.5° C).
Size: 12-18” (Dave’s Garden says 36-48” tall).
Light: Sun to part shade.
Soil: Very well-draining. Good quality potting soil amended with pumice (50/50) or additional perlite and chicken grit (2-1-1).
Water: Regular watering during the summer and barely any during the winter

You can read my Cactus Talk & Update and Cactus & Succulent Tips to get my opinion about growing cactus and succulents.

When you bring your new plants home from the store, you need to check their roots and the soil to see if they are wet. If so, you may want to re-pot it right away. It is advisable to re-pot them in a better potting soil more suitable for cactus and succulents.

I hope you enjoyed this page and maybe found it useful. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions I would like to hear from you. Please click on “like” if you visited this page. It helps us bloggers stay motivated. 🙂 You can check out the links below for further reading. The links take you directly to the genus, species, and/or cultivar of this plant. If you notice I made an error, please let me know. Of course, you can always send me an email at thebelmontrooster@yahoo.com.

FOR FURTHER READING:
PLANTS OF THE WORLD ONLINE (GENUS/SPECIES)
INTERNATIONAL PLANT NAMES INDEX (GENUS/SPECIES)
TROPICOS (GENUS/SPECIES)
WORLD FLORA ONLINE (GENUS/SPECIES)
WIKIPEDIA (GENUS/SPECIES)
LLIFLE (ENCYCLOPEDIA OF LIVING FORMS)
DAVE’S GARDEN
INTERNATIONAL CRASSULACEAE NETWORK
CRAZY PLANTS CRAZY CRITTERS
PLANT CARE TODAY
THE NATIONAL GARDENING ASSOCIATION
USDA PLANTS DATABASE