# Flaming Katy (*Kalanchoe blossfeldiana*) Flaming Katy is a colorful flower that blooms in bright shades like pink, red, and yellow. It's a cheerful plant that loves to soak up the sun and can brighten up any room! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Urban areas ![Flaming Katy](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Kalanchoe.blossfeldiana.jpg&width=800) Photo: Cdpanic at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kalanchoe.blossfeldiana.jpg) ## Appearance The Flaming Katy boasts glossy, deep green succulent leaves with scalloped edges. It produces dense clusters of small, star-like flowers in vibrant shades of red, orange, pink, yellow, and white, held above the foliage on short stems, creating a striking pop of color. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Saxifragales - **Family:** Crassulaceae - **Genus:** Kalanchoe ## Interesting facts - It's related to plants famous for growing baby plants right on their leaf edges! - Its tiny, bright flowers can bloom in a rainbow of colors, like mini bouquets! - The Flaming Katy was discovered on the far-off island of Madagascar! - You can trick this plant into blooming by giving it 14 hours of darkness daily! ## Special abilities - **Water Wallet:** Flaming Katy has thick, fleshy leaves that store water, helping it survive dry periods like a desert plant. - **CAM Power:** Flaming Katy uses CAM photosynthesis to open leaf pores only at night, saving water in hot, dry conditions. - **Daylight Detector:** Flaming Katy can be tricked into blooming by controlling its light exposure, making it flower even out of season. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 20-45 cm - **Spread:** 15-30 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.5-1.5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Winter to Spring (can be forced year-round) - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Collects nectar and pollen from its blooms. - **Eats:** [Garden snail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garden-snail) (*Helix aspersa*) — Feeds on its succulent leaves and stems. - **Eats:** Cotton aphid (*Aphis gossypii*) — Sucks sap from its leaves and young stems. ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form. - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [Everblooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/everblooming): Everblooming plants produce flowers continuously or in repeated flushes over a long period. - [Drought Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/drought-tolerant): Drought-tolerant plants can survive and flourish in conditions with limited water availability. - [Succulent](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/succulent): Succulent plants have thickened, fleshy parts, usually leaves or stems, adapted to store water in arid climates. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Domesticated](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/domesticated): Domesticated refers to species that have been selectively bred and tamed by humans for specific purposes. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always wash your hands after touching plants, just to be safe! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Flaming Katy? Compare leaf arrangement, rosette shape, ribs, spines and flowers. Keep in mind that drought and strong sun can shift a plant's color and shape. Succulent Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Flaming Katy? 20-45 cm ### How wide does Flaming Katy spread? 15-30 cm ### How big are the flowers on Flaming Katy? 0.5-1.5 cm ### When does Flaming Katy bloom? Winter to Spring (can be forced year-round) ### Is Flaming Katy edible? No ### Is Flaming Katy toxic? Mild ### What is Flaming Katy's lifecycle? Perennial ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Flaming Katy: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/flaming-katy)