Panda Plant Kalanchoe Tomentosa

• Attractive Foliage
• Light Preference/Tolerated (Bright Direct Light, Bright Indirect Light)
• Below Average Watering Needs
• Succulent Soil
• Mature Height 4 feet

Succulents are popular houseplants for their low-water needs, diverse foliage, and minimal maintenance. The Panda Plant (Kalanchoe tomentosa, also called Chocolate Soldier) meets each of these expectations. With its long, thick leaves, sporting thin, silvery hairs and rusty-brown, speckled edges, the Panda Plant stands out amongst other succulents. Placed in a bright spot, this plant makes a great addition as a standalone beauty or in a succulent planter. 

Best Locations For Growing Panda Plant

Like other succulents, the Panda Plant will do best in a bright windowsill where it can get several hours of sunlight a day. Succulents that are placed too far from windows tend to stretch, losing their compact structure and fullness. Place the Panda Plant in a bright bedroom or living room window without worrying about humidity or water access, or in the interior of a room with a grow light. Like other Kalanchoes, the Panda Plant is toxic, so care should be taken when placing it in a home with children or pets.

Panda Plant Sunlight Requirements

Panda Plants do best when they have access to a few hours of direct sunlight a day. For this reason, place it in an east-, west-, or south-facing window. Though the small hairs, called trichomes, serve as a way for the plant to protect itself from harsh sunlight, you may want to monitor the Panda Plant for signs of sunburn while it adjusts to a new location. When succulents are placed too far from a light source, they may begin to stretch. This is called etiolation and is a sign that the plant needs brighter or more hours of light. Rotate the Panda Plant frequently to ensure that it is growing evenly. 

Panda Plant Care

The Panda Plant has few maintenance needs, requiring water infrequently and repotting rarely. Like other succulents, the Panda Plant prefers to be in a small pot, as excess soil holds onto water and increases the chance of root rot. When the Panda Plant has outgrown its pot after a couple years, choose a pot with drainage holes that is slightly larger than the previous and repot using a succulent or cactus soil. Panda Plant leaves tend to be susceptible to powdery mildew, so avoid wetting the plant’s leaves when watering or providing humidity to other plants nearby. 

Watering Panda Plant

Allow the soil of the Panda Plant to dry completely before watering deeply. The frequency of watering will vary depending on lighting, temperature, and humidity. In the spring and summer, the Panda Plant will need water approximately once a month. If the soil is dry and the leaves begin to flatten and wrinkle, the succulent is using the water stored in the leaves to survive and you may need to increase watering frequency. Taper back on watering in the winter as plants slow down their growth. When soil is allowed to dry out completely, it may take adding water a few times before the soil retains moisture. In addition, succulents benefit from bottom watering - set the pot in a few inches of water until water is absorbed through the drainage holes and moisture can be felt on the soil surface. Bottom watering is especially useful for Panda Plants because their hairy leaves can collect water, increasing the chance of powdery mildew or other foliar infections. 

Feeding Panda Plant

Succulents have evolved to handle harsh desert conditions, and they often grow just fine in the wild in low-quality soil with little access to nutrients. For this reason, the Panda Plant does not need to be fertilized frequently. Instead, add a liquid cactus or succulent fertilizer into your watering routine once in the springtime to encourage new growth. There is no need to fertilize in the winter as plants slow their growth.