Invasive Species Spotlight: Mother of Millions

If you live anywhere near the coast, your neighborhood gardens probably contain plenty of Kalanchoe x houghtonii. 

This bright-blooming succulent can grow in pure sand, with practically no nutrients and no extra irrigation needed. It spreads quickly through garden plots and requires no maintenance, and its varicolored leaves and bright red flower panicles make it a popular plant both indoors and out. Throughout the year, the leaves sprout tiny bulbils, which grow into fully formed small plants. These tiny plants then drop and take root, spreading rapidly from the parent. It’s not unusual to see a patch of adult plants surrounded by hundreds of babies- and that’s where this plant gets its common name, mother of millions.

Kalanchoe x houghtonii leaves growing bulbils
Edso, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

As is often the case, the same characteristics that make this plant well-loved by gardeners also make it horribly invasive in Florida’s coastal areas. Its ability to grow in sandy soil and reproduce extremely quickly allows it to crowd out native coastal plants, many of which are already suffering from habitat loss and other stressors. In fact, Kalanchoe species have become invasive on almost every continent- although they haven’t yet figured out how to survive in Antarctica.

Kalanchoe x houghtonii is a human-created hybrid of two other Kalanchoe species, both native to Madagascar. Another related plant, Kalanchoe pinnata (commonly known as life plant), is also considered invasive in Florida, and several other related species most likely have the potential to become invasive here as well. Both mother of millions and life plant have been listed as category II invasive species by the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council, or FLEPPC. This means that they have the potential to damage and alter native habitats by out-competing native plants, which is certainly already happening in some coastal areas.

Mother of millions growing in a natural area
H. Zell, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

If you want to replace Kalanchoe species in your garden with non-invasive plants, there are some great options available. Florida-friendly Agave lophantha is another flowering succulent which reproduces by growing pups, or small copies of itself, like mother of millions. Some cultivars have beautiful striped leaves, and all can be grown in sandy, low-nutrient soil with very little care. Many bromeliads also make great low-maintenance garden choices, spreading through sandy areas and sending up bright flower stalks. Lots of yucca species also grow well in Florida and thrive in well-drained, sunny gardens.

To learn more about Florida’s invasive plants, visit the IFAS Invasive and aquatic plants web page; to learn more about native and Florida-friendly garden plants, visit the IFAS gardening solutions web page.