Bells

Discussion in 'Plants: Identification' started by Ellen Headrick, Feb 6, 2017.

  1. Ellen Headrick

    Ellen Headrick New Member

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    Does anyone know what this plant is? It was in my yard when I bought my house and has gotten really big lately. I would like to know what it is, how to trim it and if it is poisonous.
     

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  2. wcutler

    wcutler Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

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    It looks like Kalanchoe pinnata, which seems to have been renamed Bryophyllum pinnatum; some common names are cathedral bells and miracle leaf. Does it get little plantlets around the leaves?
    It has some herbal properties and some reports of toxicity.
    It shouldn't be any problem cutting it back wherever you want, and you should be able to start new plants from the cuttings or the leaves.
     
  3. Daniel Mosquin

    Daniel Mosquin Paragon of Plants UBC Botanical Garden Forums Administrator Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    A Kalanchoe, but not Kalanchoe pinnata -- no pinnate leaves, from what I can tell. It's also not the cultivar 'Lucky Bells' based on foliage, but perhaps it is one of the parent species used to hybridize for that cultivar?
     
  4. Eric La Fountaine

    Eric La Fountaine Contributor Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    Bryophyllum (Kalanchoe) of some type. There is some toxicity in the genus--it is know to poison livestock. Many species form little plantlets along the leaf edges. Not something that normally pruned.
     
  5. Ellen Headrick

    Ellen Headrick New Member

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    Thank you all for the responses, one more thing I forgot to ask, does it attract butterflies? I'm not crazy about this plant as it looks like an ugly weed but the woman I bought the house from has a lot of butterfly plants here. If it does I will take care of it but if not I'm not sure I'll keep it around.
     
  6. Daniel Mosquin

    Daniel Mosquin Paragon of Plants UBC Botanical Garden Forums Administrator Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    I believe someone has made a quote about life being too short to keep around undesired plants. It should be good for some sort of pollinators, but perhaps not butterflies. You could give it away to someone and replace it with something that you enjoy that also attracts butterflies.
     

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