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Today will learn some interesting facts and care tips about two interesting plants called The Mother of Millions also known as Chandelier Plant and Mother of Thousands also known as Alligator plant. The differences between these two closely related succulents and how to easily grow and propagate these plants at home. And Lastly one Interesting Hack on this Plant. All That’s coming up..
Well, The name itself sounds so interesting – The Mother of Millions and the Mother of Thousands. These are two different succulent plants and both belong to the same Crassulaceae family and genus Kalanchoe. They are actually considered as Toxic weeds by many, but they are really beautiful ornamental plants if grown with caution, like keeping them away from pets and children. All parts of these plants are poisonous and contain a very toxic steroid known as daigremontianin.
The Botanical name of Mother of Thousands is Bryophyllum or kalanchoe daigremontianum, also called alligator plant, or Mexican hat plant. By seeing this clip, You can easily understand why its called Alligator plant and Mexican hat plant. Sometime its also known as devil’s backbone, though another plant called pedilanthus or the zig zag plant is known as devils backbone.
Now, the mother of millions which is botanically Bryophyllum or kalanchoe tubiflorum. Also known as chandelier plant.
The basic difference between these two is:
- The Shape of their leaves. Mother of Thousands has broad, tear-shaped leaves. These leaves always grow in pairs, each leaf on opposite sides of the stem. If you closely look at the edges of the leaves, you’ll see they have little ridges. That is where their baby plants called as plantlets or buds develop. These plantlets, or buds, grow all along the edge of the leaf. A happy, healthy leaf will have full of babies around its margin. Leaves also rush to grow babies if they are damaged or think they’re about to die.
These plantlets are literally miniature plants. They are already growing and performing photosynthesis, while still attached to their mother. Most even produce roots in addition to their leaves like the one you see in this clip. They eventually fall on the ground and grow as independent plants by this natural process. That’s a huge advantage for these plants, because regular plants have to grow or propagate from seeds by natures process!
- Mother of Millions, on the other hand, has very narrow leaves. The plantlets on these leaves only grow at the end of the leaf, near the tip. Usually there are between 2-4 babies on each leaf. Am not sure though more plantlets per leaf are produced by mother of thousands, and why this plant is called mother of millions. If you know this answer, please let us know by commenting below the video. I think may be, the number of stalks arising from the same plant are more in number than the mother of thousands.
Care tips and propagation techniques, which are common for both these plants:
They are easy to grow succulents, and actually they are very much loved by beginners, because they do not require much care. The care is just like any other succulent plant.
- Watering: They need to be less frequently watered, only if the soil is dry.
- Soil: They grown in any type of soil, but do very well in any well draining soil with some compost to nourish.
- Sunlight: They prefer indirect bright light and do not tolerate direct sunlight.
- Fertilizers: Not actually needed. But once a month feeding with liquid water soluble NPK or compost tea is good for home gardening level.
Propagation: As I have discussed earlier, It is able to propagate vegetatively from miniature plantlets that develop on its leaf margins. This is unique method of propagation of this plant. But this plant also develops flowers and can be propagated via seeds.
Now One Simple hack for this plant: Actually if the plantlets are seen on this plant, it indicates that the plant is healthy and you can separate these plantlets carefully, preferably if roots have developed and then just place them in soil and each plantlet will develop into a new plant. And if there are no plantlets, you can still propagate multiple plants by cutting a mature leaf and half burying it in the soil. Actually in nature, this plant sheds its leaf not able to bear its weight and this develops plantlets and the propagation proceeds.
So, there we have it folks, that was about these interesting succulent plants.
