Family: Crassulaceae
Kalanchoe daigremontiana, a succulent commonly called Mother of Thousands, is native to dry zones in Madagascar. Originally introduced as an ornamental, it has naturalized on all the main Hawaiian Islands. The invasive succulent thieves in water-stressed areas.
The common name is fitting – Mother of thousands produces more than 16,000 seeds per plant and numerous plantlets are born along the leaf edge. The wind-dispersed seeds don’t remain viable long, less than a month. The clonal plantlets survive for long periods of time. In a Hawaii Island herbarium, platelets continue to grow roots for 4 months in the dry, dark cabinet.
Dense thickets are common due in part to the plant’s allelopathic properties and abundant reproduction rates. It is very hard to eradicate from the cultivated environment after it establishes.
*Caution: This species is toxic to humans and animals.
High Risk Traits:
- Naturalized and invasive in regions with tropical climates
- Naturalized on Kauai, Oahu, Lanai, Maui, and Hawaii islands and elsewhere throughout the tropics
- Regarded as a garden and landscaping weed (but also valued as an ornamental)
- Environmental weed
- Other Kalanchoe species are invasive
- Allelopathic
- Unpalatable
- Toxic to animals and people
- Tolerates many soil types
- Able to form dense stands that exclude other vegetation
- Reproduces by seeds and vegetatively from plantlets
- Hybridizes with other Kalanchoe species
- Self-compatible
- Capable of reproducing in one year
- Seeds dispersed by wind
- Dispersed intentionally by people
- Prolific seed production
- Seeds may form a persistent seed bank (longevity unknown)
- Able to resprout after damage or mowing
Low Risk Traits:
- Unarmed (no spines, thorns, or burrs)
- Ornamental value
- Herbicides may provide effective control
