Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Flapjacks
Flapjacks is a kalanchoe with round, flat, paddle-shaped leaves stacked like pancakes in a low rosette. The gray-green leaves turn red along the edges when the plant gets enough light, most of all in the cooler months. It stays about 1 to 2 feet tall and wide, a good size for a patio pot or a shaded bed. In the Valley it grows best with morning sun and shade in the afternoon.
Best for: patio pots, beds with afternoon shade and mixed succulent plantings.
At 1 to 2 feet tall and wide, it fits a patio pot. Use a pot with a drainage hole and fast-draining cactus mix, and move it under cover on frost nights.
It takes high heat but wants only morning sun in the Valley. Bright morning light brings out the red edges, and afternoon shade keeps the leaves from burning.
Pups come up around the base and form a clump over time. When a rosette blooms and fades, the pups fill in.
Frost below about 26 to 30°F can collapse the leaves. Hot afternoon sun burns it. It is toxic to dogs and cats if eaten, so keep chewing pets away.
Water a new plant to get it rooted. After that, let the soil dry out completely before watering again. Keep it on the dry side in winter.
It takes high heat but wants only morning sun here. Put it where it gets shade from the afternoon sun, and water sparingly in summer.
Cover it with frost cloth or a sheet down to the ground, not plastic, on frost nights. Move potted plants under cover and keep the soil dry.
A rosette that blooms sends up a tall stalk and then fades. Leave the pups at the base to fill in, or move some to new pots.
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.
Is Flapjacks Kalanchoe thyrsiflora or Kalanchoe luciae?
This plant is Kalanchoe luciae. It is often sold as Kalanchoe thyrsiflora, and the two are easily confused. Care is the same for both, and luciae has white flowers while thyrsiflora has sweet-smelling yellow ones.
How big does Flapjacks get?
It grows about 1 to 2 feet tall and wide, and pups can form a clump over time. Pick a pot or spot with room for that.
Why are my Flapjacks leaves not turning red?
The red edges only show with enough light, and cool weather deepens them. In shade the leaves stay green. Give it bright morning sun.
Does it need shade in Phoenix?
Yes. It takes the heat, but in the Valley give it morning sun only, with shade from the afternoon sun. Too much hot sun burns the leaves.
How often should I water Flapjacks?
Let the soil dry out completely, then water deeply. Keep it dry in winter, when wet soil and cold can rot it.
Can Flapjacks handle frost?
It takes only light frost. It is rated to about 26 to 30°F, and plants can collapse in the 20s. Cover it with frost cloth on frost nights, or move a potted plant under cover.
Does Flapjacks die after it blooms?
The rosette that blooms sends up a tall stalk, then fades. Pups at the base carry the plant on, so leave them to fill in.
Is Flapjacks toxic to pets?
Yes. Kalanchoe is toxic to dogs and cats if eaten, most often causing vomiting and diarrhea. Heart rhythm problems are rare and depend on how much is eaten. Keep pets away and call your vet if they chew it.
When is the best time to plant it?
Plant it in March or April, after frost danger, so it roots in before summer. September and October also work. Avoid planting in the summer heat.
Can I grow new plants from it?
Yes. Pups from the base and leaf cuttings both grow new plants. Let the cut end of a leaf dry before planting it in cactus mix.
Flapjacks for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Flapjacks is Kalanchoe luciae, a paddle-leaf kalanchoe often sold as Kalanchoe thyrsiflora. Its round leaves stack like pancakes and blush red in bright light. This page covers size, sun and shade in the Valley, water, frost, blooming and pups, pets, planting months and soil.
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Kalanchoe thyrsiflora vs Kalanchoe luciae
Both are sold as Flapjacks or paddle plant, and they are often confused. This plant is Kalanchoe luciae, which has white flowers, while thyrsiflora has sweet-smelling yellow flowers. They grow the same way.
Does paddle plant need shade in Phoenix?
Yes. It takes high heat but only morning sun. In the Valley, give it shade from the afternoon sun so the leaves do not burn.
Why is my paddle plant turning red?
Red edges are normal and a sign of good light. They show most in bright light and cool weather. In shade the leaves stay green.
Is Flapjacks frost hardy?
It is hardy only to about 26 to 30°F, and plants can collapse in the 20s. Cover it on frost nights, keep the soil dry, and move pots under cover.
Is paddle plant toxic to dogs and cats?
Yes. Kalanchoe is toxic to dogs and cats if eaten. Vomiting and diarrhea are the usual signs, and heart rhythm problems are rare. Keep pets away and call your vet if they chew it.
Does Flapjacks die after flowering?
The blooming rosette fades after it flowers, but pups at the base keep the plant going. Leave the pups to fill in.
When to plant Flapjacks in the Valley
Plant it in March or April after frost danger, or in September and October. Summer planting is hardest on young plants.
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