Kalanchoe tomentosa is also known as “panda plant”, “cat ears”, “cocoon plant”, or “chocolate soldier”. This plant is known for it’s woody stems and fuzzy oval leaves with brown tips, resembling a panda. Panda plant care is easy for beginners because kalanchoes do great even if they are neglected AND grow well indoors.
The leaves on panda plants look velvety and fuzzy due to tiny hairs on the leaves, called trichomes. These allow the plant to deflect light and limit water evaporation.
These are tips and tricks specific to panda plant care. For a general guide to taking care of all succulents, click here.
| Name | Kalanchoe Tomentosa Panda plant, cat ears, cocoon plant, chocolate soldier |
| Sunlight | 7 to 8 hours of light |
| Water | Once every two weeks |
| Soil | Well-draining, porous soil |
| Temperature | Warm and dry. Not cold hardy |
| Dormancy | Summer Dormant |
| Propagation | Leaves and cuttings |
| Toxicity | Toxic to dogs and cats |
Panda Plant Care:
Sunlight
Panda plants do best with about 7 to 8 hours of bright light mixed with partial shade. South-facing windows are best for panda plants because they provide bright light, which encourages growth. Make sure you rotate the plant every few days so each side receives equal sunlight and grows evenly.
If your panda plant receives too much sunlight (this is more common if it is planted outdoors in areas that receive a lot of sun), it can get sunburned. This will show up as brown, calloused spots on the leaf surface. Unfortunately, once burned, the leaf cannot go back to it’s original color, so the goal is to avoid sunburning the plant altogether. You can do this by gradually easing your Kalanchoe tomentosa to a sunny area over the course of a week. Immediately transitioning your plant from a shady area to the sun will cause sunburn.
If your area is especially sunny, consider moving the panda plant to the shade during the afternoon times when the sun is brightest, or placing it farther away from the window.
Kalanchoe Tomentosa needs average humidity- your room’s natural humidity should be enough for this plant.
Panda plant watering needs
Panda plants have the same watering needs as other succulents. Their thick leaves allow them to store plenty of water and survive periods of drought. As with other succulents, you will want to cautiously water your panda plant to ensure it does not rot, because they are susceptible to overwatering.
Check that the soil is completely dried out before watering by sticking your finger in the top inch of soil: if it feels dry, you can water. Otherwise, wait a few more days.
When watering, the succulent’s soil should be soaked enough that you see water begin to seep out of the drainage hole (if your pot has one). You should pour the water on the soil at the base of the plant. Do this about once a week, allowing the soil to dry out in between waterings. Remember: Infrequent soakings are key!
When you water, pour the water right at soil at the base of the plant. Do not get water directly on the leaves of the plant, because that could cause rot. If you do get some water on the leaves, wipe it off with a tissue.
Panda plants will require more frequent watering during the summer months (once every 1 to 2 weeks) compared to the winter months (once every 3 to 4 weeks).
Potting
A fast-draining, porous soil mix can help prevent your panda plant from rotting. Once your panda plant is older, the stems will start to grow down and hang below the pot: at this point, Kalanchoe tomentosa look great in hanging baskets if you have one. Panda plants can grow up to 18 inches (46 cm) tall. However, if they are in a grown in a smaller container, their size is limited by their pot shape.
Kalanchoe tomentosas are slow growers, but when they do outgrow their pot, re-pot them in the spring or early summer into a new container with fresh potting soil. You will need to repot your panda plant around once every two years.
Fertilizing panda plants
I fertilize my panda plants once every two months during the summer and spring times.
You do not need to fertilize during the winter months.
Panda plant propagation
Panda plants plants are easily propagated from their leaves. To obtain a leaf to propagate, twist it carefully off the plant. Make sure the leaf you chose is healthy, and not wrinkled or dried out. Pull the leaf carefully from the stem, ensuring you get the whole leaf and there is no piece left on the stem- whole leaves have a much better chance of propagating than torn leaves. Allow the leaf to callous for 2 to 3 days.
Once the leaves have calloused, place them on top of well-draining, porous soil. Water the soil more often than you would a fully grown panda plant (every 4 to 5 days) to allow roots to grow, and make sure it receives partial sun (propagated leaves need less sun than their parent plants). Hopefully, you will see a small plant start to grow from the leaf.
Temperature and humidity
These plants are native to Madagascar, so they do best in hot and dry areas. A temperature from around 60° F (15° C) to 75° F (23° C) is best. They are not cold hardy and should not be left in an area colder than 35 ºF (1.5 ºC) as that can damage the plant.
Like other succulents, if you live in a hotter area, your panda plant will need more frequent watering than colder temperatures. Drier environments will also require more frequent watering than humid environments.
Flowering
Unfortunately, blooms are rare for panda plants growing indoors. You may have better luck if you keep your panda plant outside.
However, their unique shape and texture is reason enough to keep them around!
Toxicity
Panda plants are toxic to dogs and cats, so keep them out of reach of animals.
Common panda plant care problems:
Mushy, brownish stems or yellow, translucent leaves – is my panda plant rotting?
If you notice the bottom leaves or stems of your panda plant are turning mushy, you have over watered it and your plant is suffering from root rot. This is a common problem and can be difficult to fix. Allow the soil to dry out and decrease how often you water your plant. If the damage is extensive, you may have to cut away the healthy parts of the plant and focus on growing those. To learn more about how to fix root rot in detail, check this guide.
If the root rot is particularly extensive and the whole stem is mushy, you may only be able to chose a few leaves to propagate.
Mealy bugs
If you notice tiny white, fuzzy bugs crawling around, or white substance growing on the surface of your plants, you have a mealy bug infestation. Mealy bugs LOVE panda plants and are a huge pain to deal with.
When you see mealy bugs, immediately quarantine your plant away from the others. Check all of your other plants for signs of the pest because mealy bugs spread quickly, and other plants may be infected as well. Pay special attention to the nooks and crannies of your plants- mealy bugs love those areas. Quarantine any infected plants.
For the plants with signs of infestation, take a q-tip, soak it in rubbing alcohol and dab it at any bugs you see. This will kill them instantly. Also water the soil with rubbing alcohol to kill any eggs they may have left behind. This does not harm your panda plant and helps get rid of any eggs in the soil. You will have to repeat this every other day for several days because mealy bugs are quite pesky.
Long, spaced out leaves
If your panda plant is stretched out, it is not receiving enough sun. Transition it to a brighter area over a week so that the new growth becomes more compact.
Unfortunately, the stretched out stem cannot go back to it’s compact shape, but you can keep the rest of your plant compact if you move the panda plant to more sun.
You can always behead the top of the plant and propagate the cuttings. Check this propagation guide to learn more.
A few dried leaves at the bottom
Succulents grow from their centers by absorbing nutrients from the bottom leaves. A few dried leaves on the bottom is completely normal. You do not have to pull them off; they will fall off automatically when they are ready. This process allows your panda plant to grow brand new leaves from the top.
Many wrinkled, dried leaves on the bottom
While a few dried leaves at the bottom are normal, many wrinkled and dried out leaves on the bottom are a sign your panda plant is not getting enough water. Gradually increase the frequency of your watering (do not water the leaves themselves- just the soil as you would normally).
After a few watering cycles, you will see the leaves begin to “re-inflate” and lose their wrinkles as the plant receives more water.
In summary for panda plant care…
Overall, panda plants make a great addition to any garden and are especially great for beginners. Panda plant care is relatively easy once you know their needs and common problems to look out for. Their unique fuzzy hairs with brown spots on the tips will definitely make them stand out and add a unique touch to your garden.
Have any questions I did not answer? Let me know down below!
If you enjoyed learning about panda plants and want to learn more about general succulent care, check here:
