Scientific Name

Kalanchoe daigremontiana Raym.-Hamet & H. Perrier

Common Name(s)

Alligator Plant, Devil’s Backbone, Mexican Hat Plant, Mother of Thousands

Synonym(s)

Bryophyllum daigremontianum, Kalanchoe daigremontianum

Scientific Classification

Family: Crassulaceae
Subfamily: Sedoideae
Tribe: Kalanchoeae
Genus: Kalanchoe

Description

Kalanchoe daigremontiana, also known as Bryophyllum daigremontianum, is a monocarpic succulent with a simple, brownish, erect, or decumbent stem with thick fleshy leaves with numerous bulbils on the teeth. It grows up to 3 feet (1 m) tall. Leaves are very variable in size, color, and shape. They are dark green, pinkish-green to purplish-green with brown-red spots, up to 8 inches (20 cm) long and up to 1.4 inches (3.5 cm) wide, and held on up to 2 inches (5 cm) long petioles. Flowers are grayish-pink or sometimes reddish to purple, bell-shaped, up to 1.2 inches (3 cm) long, and appear in umbrella-like terminal inflorescence in early winter.