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| Category: Succulent |
| Family: Crassulaceae (Stonecrops) |
| Origin: South Africa (Africa) |
| Evergreen: Yes |
| Red/Purple Foliage: Yes |
| Variegated Foliage: Yes |
| Flower Color: Yellow |
| Bloomtime: Spring |
| Synonyms: [K thyrsiflora Variegated Desert Rose 'Shave Ice'] |
| Height: 1-2 feet |
| Width: 2-3 feet |
| Exposure: Sun or Shade |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): Medium Water Needs |
| Winter Hardiness: 25-30° F |
| May be Poisonous (More Info): Yes |
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Kalanchoe luciae 'Fantastic' PP21,945 (Variegated Paddle Plant) - This exciting new succulent, with its collage of foliage colors, is an interesting and beautiful sight. Like Kalanchoe luciae, the species it is derived from, this plant grows 1 to 2 feet tall and wide with thick clam-shell-like 4-6 inch long by 2-5 inch wide rounded leaves that emerge from the basal rosette. The leaves are like the species with a gray-green color and red highlights but add to this splashes of cream to white variegation and you have 'Fantastic'. We have yet to see this plant bloom but as with the species it should produce flowers rising on a single long stem, to 2-3 feet, bearing clusters of pale yellow tubular flowers from late winter into early spring. Plant in full sun to light shade in a well-drained soil with little to occasional irrigation. Should prove hardy to around 27° F - plants of the species survived and resprouted after several nights around 25° F in January 2007. Protect from snails which permanently disfigure the leaves. This plant was discovered and introduced by Dave Fell of Hawaiian Sunshine Nursery in 2009 after discovering this uniquely colored plant growing at a nursery in Aalsmeer, Holland. It was the winner of both the 'Favorite New Foliage Plant' and 'Retailer's Choice Award' at the 2010 Tropical Plant Industry Exhibition (TPIE) in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. This plant is also similar to a Dutch plant that had a patent application submitted in 2004 under the name Kalanchoe thyrsiflora 'Variegated Desert Rose'. Kalanchoe 'Fantastic' receiveid US patent 21,945 in May 2011. As with the species (non-variegated form) this plant is most often marketed using the name Kalanchoe thyrsiflora (in this case as Kalanchoe thyrsiflora 'Fantastic) but it is actually a cultivar of the similar Kalanchoe luciae. See our Information page on Kalanchoe luciae for the diagnostic differences between these two species. We first saw this plant in August 2009 at Terra Sol Garden Center in Goleta, CA where they have been calling it Kalanchoe 'Shave Ice' to honor its Hawaiian roots. The photo above was taken by Tony Krock of Terra Sol Garden Center.
This information about Kalanchoe 'Fantastic' PP21,945 displayed is based on research conducted in our horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also will relate observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we receive from others and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.
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