Kalanchoe beharensis subnuda

Kalanchoe beharensis var. subnuda is a variety of Kalanchoe with elephant ear leaves. It is a highly ornamental plant with an unusual silhouette composed of one or more slender, twisted trunks that bear a tuft of giant triangular leaves with serrated, undulate margins. Evergreen, smooth as plastic, and bright with their light green to bluish colour, its foliage dazzles and surprises all year round. It is a slow-growing succulent shrub to tree-like perennial that branches out with age and produces tall erect stems with small yellow flowers striped with dark red in spring. Frost-sensitive but easy to grow, it can be planted along the edge of a patio against a wall in warm regions or in a pot in sunny or partially shaded areas with well-draining, even poor soil, which should be protected in colder regions.

Kalanchoe beharensis var. subnuda belongs to the vast Crassulaceae family. It is a horticultural variety of Bahara Kalanchoe, a succulent perennial native to the dry bush of Behara in the region of Madagascar. It withstands drought very well but does not survive below 0°C (32°F). In its natural habitat, it can reach over 2m (7ft) in height. Here, it will be smaller in size and can be grown in a pot outside mild climate regions, in full sun or bright partial shade with well-draining mineral soil mixed with some sand. It should not be too dry during the growing season. Gradually acclimatise it to more intense sunlight before placing it in full afternoon sun, especially in hot regions.

The plant is commonly known as elephant's ear kalanchoe due to the size and shape of its leaves. Here, Kalanchoe beharensis var. subnuda is a bushy to upright perennial that stands out with its large glabrous and very smooth foliage and its more compact growth. It forms a small tree or bush up to 3m (10ft) in all directions, but only after many years. It develops one or several vertical stems measuring 2 to 12cm (1 to 5in) in diameter, fleshy but hardening and lignifying over time, forming slender, branched, slightly twisted trunks with hard, pointed leaf scars along their entire length. At their tops, they bear leaves that are 10 to 30cm (4 to 12in) long and 10 to 20cm (4 to 8in) wide. They are triangular to heart-shaped, opposite, decussate, light green to bluish in colour, with serrated, undulate margins. This plant blooms in spring, typically in February, producing erect stems up to 60cm (24in) long with clusters of yellow flowers with dark red stripes.

In hot regions, Kalanchoe beharensis var. subnuda will find its place in a dry and sunny rock garden, on a wild bank, or at the edge of a patio where its curious silhouette and giant foliage can be admired. Elsewhere, it can be planted in a pot in a bright room, which should be protected when the first cold weather arrives. Stop watering until vegetation resumes in spring.