Kalanchoe delagoensis Eckl. & Zeyh.

Chandelier plant, devil’s backbone, lizard plant, mother-in-law-plant, mother of millons

Mother of millions is native to Madagascar. They are invasive in some habitats.

Plants: 8–79″ (20–200 cm) in height, with erect, round stems.

Leaves: Alternate or opposite, thick and roughly triangular in cross section, ⅜–5 ⨉ 1/16–⅛″ (1–13 cm ⨉ 2–6 mm). Upward-facing leaf edges curl leaves into a roughly cylindrical shape, and those edges sport small teeth that develop into brood buds. Each bud is capable of propagating the plant, hence the common name “mother of millions.”

Flowers: Compact inflorescences are ⅛–¾″ (6–20 mm) long, with hanging green- and red-striped tubular flowers. The petals fuse into bell shapes. Each flower is 1/16–⅛″ (2.5–6 mm) long.

Fruits: Seed pods are follicles that open to reveal seeds on little parachutes. Seeds are 1/32–1/16″ (0.6–2.5 mm).

Habitats: Deserts and dry shrublands.

Edibility: Poisonous. Cardiac glycosides make these plants poisonous to grazing animals as well as people.

Online References:

Kalanchoe delagoensis description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.

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