Wild Florida Flower

[khill]

Every year in January these flowers bloom near where I live. I haven't been able to identify them after doing much searching for Florida wildflowers, native Florida flowers, etc.

They are so interesting and the leaves/plants seems to look like some kind of succulant. The flowers themselves seem to just rise from the ground with no leaves near the dirt. Below I have pictures of the flowers and the plants. Pardon the poor quality of the photos, but they grow near a canal and I was looking around for any stray alligators! Anyone know what these are? I just think they are stunning.

[kavanaru]

Hi Khill, they are Kalanchoe, but no idea which species... They are originally african plants (I think some asian species too), but have become feral in several countries...

[khill]

Really---wow. Who knew! I'll have to look that up and see which variety. Maybe because they are not native, that's why I couldn't find any information on them, as that was how I was searching?

These are growing wild on uncleared property. I actually saw more of these blooming north of here in Sarasota along the road a few weeks ago when I was up there.

[Ross]

I'm thinking Kalanchoe tubiflora - Chandelier plant (Crassulaceae) - Plants of Hawaii K. tuberiflora. It's quite common for plants to escape into "wild" from gardens, etc. and look like "natives".

[khill]

Yes Ross, that's it!

Well, maybe I'll just take a few of the seeds and try to grow them in my own garden. I always admire them every January, and thought that maybe they were some kind of protected wildflower. We always say, "if it won't grow in Florida, it won't grow anywhere"!

Obviously, they like our climate, since no one is taking care of them and they grow beautifully. My kind of plant!

[kavanaru]

Khill, don't look for seeds these plants use to produce lots of keikis on the leaves... just take some of them and throught them where you want them to to grow (also some leaves and/or pieces of the stem) they are very easy to grow and you will have to protect the rest of your garden, otherwise they will rapidly invade it

[flhiker]

Hi khill, I see these plants all the time thourgh out south Florida and Iam sure they are not protected. I have a good site for wild plants/flowers of Florida and it doesn't even list this plant so I sure you can take what you want. IRC - Natives for Your Neighborhood
Heres a good site about this plant.
Detailed information on Chandelier Plant, Mother of Thousands Kalanchoe delagoensis

[cb977]

I have a few potted Kalanchoe and they reproduce by "keiki". One of them drops the little tiny plants right down onto the soil and the other grows plants off the tips of it's gigantic leaves. Kind of cool plant family

[khill]

Thanks all--great info. The name 'Chandelier Plant' certainly describes it to a tee!

I actually have a Kalanchoe blooming on my lanai right now. It's flowers hang down in a similar fashion. I'll try to get a picture of it later and post.

Sue-yes, it is an interesting plant family.

[khill]

Here is a picture of my Kalanchoe that is currently in bloom. Not as showy certainly, but kind of cute. I put it in this strawberry pot and obviously I'm going to have to do something--Do you think it's a little big? I don't know if you can see in the pictures, but it is starting to grow out the hole on the other side!