Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Elephant's Ear Kalanchoe
Elephant's Ear Kalanchoe, also called felt plant, has large, triangular leaves covered in soft, velvety brown and silver felt. The leaf edges are wavy and toothed, and the plant grows slowly into a tree-like shrub. In a pot it stays much smaller, making a bold accent for a patio. It needs little water once rooted.
Best for: large patio pots, a textured accent with afternoon shade, and covered patios.
Its large, triangular leaves are covered in soft felt, brown to silver. The texture stands out next to smooth-leaved succulents.
In a large pot it grows slowly and stays much smaller than in the ground. Use cactus mix in a pot with a drainage hole.
It grows in full sun to shade. In the Valley, morning sun with shade from the hot afternoon sun in summer suits it.
It is frost tender and can be hurt near 30 to 32°F. Soggy soil can rot it, and it is toxic to dogs and cats if chewed.
Water a new plant to get its roots going, then let the soil dry between waterings. Keep it on the dry side in winter.
It is tender and can be hurt near 32°F. On frost nights, cover it with frost cloth or a sheet to the ground, not plastic, or move a pot under cover.
Give it morning sun and shade from the hot afternoon sun in summer. Too much hot sun can burn the leaves.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
How big does Elephant's Ear Kalanchoe get?
In the ground it can grow into a tree-like shrub 5 to 12 feet tall and wide. It grows slowly and stays much smaller in a pot.
Why are the leaves fuzzy?
The leaves are covered in fine felt-like hairs, which give them their velvet feel. That is why it is also called felt plant.
How is it different from Blue Slick?
Blue Slick is a smooth, hairless form with blue-green leaves. This plant has the soft brown to silver felt, and the care is the same.
Does it need shade in Phoenix?
It grows in full sun to shade. In the Valley, give it morning sun and shade from the hot afternoon sun in summer.
How often should I water it?
Water when the soil is dry, then let it dry again. Keep it on the dry side in winter, since wet, cold soil can rot it.
Can it handle frost?
No. It is tender and can be hurt near 30 to 32°F. Cover it with frost cloth to the ground or move a pot under cover.
Does it flower?
Mature plants can bloom in winter with small yellow-green flowers. Keep pets away from the flowers, which carry the most toxin.
Is it toxic to dogs and cats?
Yes. Kalanchoe is toxic to dogs and cats if eaten, most often causing vomiting and diarrhea. Keep pets from chewing it, and call your vet if they do.
Elephant's Ear Kalanchoe for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Elephant's Ear Kalanchoe, Kalanchoe beharensis, is a slow-growing succulent from Madagascar with large, felt-covered leaves. Below is what to expect on size, sun, water, frost, flowers and pets in a Valley yard.
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Kalanchoe beharensis in Phoenix
It grows in the Valley with morning sun and afternoon shade in summer. It is frost tender, so many people keep it in a large pot.
How big does felt plant get?
In the ground it can reach 5 to 12 feet tall and wide over many years. It grows slowly and stays smaller in a pot.
Elephant's ear kalanchoe vs Blue Slick
Both plants are Kalanchoe beharensis. This form has soft felted leaves, while Blue Slick is smooth and blue-green.
Watering felt plant
Water when the soil is dry and keep it dry in winter. Soggy soil can rot the roots.
Is felt plant frost hardy?
No. It can be hurt near 30 to 32°F, so cover it or move it under cover on frost nights.
Is Kalanchoe beharensis toxic to pets?
Yes. It is toxic to dogs and cats if eaten. Keep pets from chewing it.
We deliver across the Valley, from Phoenix, Scottsdale and Mesa out to San Tan Valley, Maricopa and Casa Grande, and up to Prescott, Sedona, Payson and Globe. See delivery areas and rates.