Calico Kitten Plant Care

Tiny, carefree succulent plants of the species Crassula pellucida ‘Variegata,’ often known as Calico Kitten, with the sweetest heart-shaped leaves patterned with white, pink and green that have white flowers growing.

The leaves range from light green to yellowish green, with various pinks and creams interspersed throughout that can strive in direct light and extreme winter conditions like other succulent varieties.

The Appearance of the Calico Kitten

This trailing plant is ideal for hanging baskets and tall containers. They bloom in white and are very cheery.

Its leaves appear “stacked” because it either grows vertically or spreads horizontally.

In contrast to the sturdy, upright leaves of Jade plants and other members of the crassula species, Calico Kitten’s trailing stems and tiny leaves make it an ideal houseplant.

Crassula Calico Kitten Plant Care

In the beginning, taking care of this plant can be challenging, but if you do it right, it will eventually become more resilient.

Although they start as slow growers, they can become quite prolific once they get going. They are low-growing plants that tend to spread out or flow over the sides of the container rather than grow tall.

General Tips for Growth for the Calico Kitten

Some delicate white blossoms can be found in the spring and occasionally throughout the rest of the season.

You can grow a Calico Kitten in any location, be it indoors or outdoors. These plants look lovely as spreading succulent in xeriscapes, and rock gardens.

Although the Calico Kitten crassula thrives in bright light, it does best in a spot that doesn’t get scorched by the sun in the afternoons.

Calico Kitten succulents look best in scattered or direct light, where their vibrant colors pop.

As with other succulents, the soil in which Calico Kitten plants are grown must be porous and allow excess water to drain.

For houseplants, the best medium to use is either potting mix specifically formulated for cacti and succulents or a mixture of regular potting soil and sand.

It may take some practice, but this plant is relatively easy to care for once you understand how.

Light

The Calico Kitten is a beautiful plant since it can be grown almost anywhere with enough bright, partial sunlight during the full sun. They can live in direct sunlight, but they need to get used to it gradually so they don’t become sunburned.

Light Indoor Space

You can cultivate the Crassula Pellucida ‘Variegata’ either indoors or outdoors with full sun. Place in a well-lit area indoors, preferably one that receives a lot of natural light.

Try a window that faces east. You can also try a window facing west or south, but you might need to move the plant around a few times before you discover its optimal location.

This Crassula Pellucida ‘Variegata’ plant thrives in both indoor and outdoor settings. Position in a bright interior spot, ideally one that gets plenty of natural light.

Try an east-facing window and afternoon heat. You may also try a south or west-facing window, although you may have to reposition the plant a few times before you find its ideal spot in the full sun.

East Facing Windows for Calico Kitten Succulents

If you insist on growing this inside, an east-facing window is the best spot for the calico kitten.

If you don’t have a window facing south or west, observe how it responds to indirect light and less intense heat. Inadequate light might lead your plant to spread, while too much will cause it to burn.

If your plant becomes too hot, you may put it in the shade, and if it needs more light, especially during the long, dark winters, you can use grow lights to give it that. If you really want to keep your plant from showing any of these symptoms, relocating it is your best chance.

You should always make it a priority to provide your calico cat with at least five or six hours of bright light every day, no matter what the weather is like outside.

Frost Tolerance of Calico Kitten

Zones 9–11 are ideal for growing Crassula pellucida Variegata, the hardiest species in the genus. It can take a light covering of ice if the temperature is not held below freezing temperatures outdoors for too long.

You can safely leave the calico kitten plant outside all year long if you live in USDA hardiness zones 9–11. They can tolerate mild frost that most plants can’t handle, including below-freezing temperatures, freezing rain, and frost. The abundance of daytime sunlight is largely to blame.

The ideal technique to cultivate such plants during the harsh winter months is in pots. In this way, you won’t have to worry about damaging them if frost or snow is predicted.

If you are unable to bring your plants inside, there are measures you may take to safeguard them from the slightly freezing temperatures. Frost blankets or small greenhouses can protect your plants from the harsh winter weather.

Soil Requirements for a Calico Kitten

Growing a young Calico Kitten succulent successfully requires soil that is consistently wet. Because of their sensitive root systems, Calico Kittens need well draining soil to thrive. Wet sandy soil may lead to the development of root rot, which can be fatal for the kittens.

Sandy well draining soil may be made by combining cactus or potting soil with coarse sand at a ratio of 2:1, or you can use a cactus potting mix that has been combined with peat moss to increase drainage. It’s OK to use any of these approaches.

The plants are drought-resistant after they have matured and become established. Succulents are susceptible to rotting if they are overwatered.

The absence of moisture should always be prioritized above the presence of moisture. Indoor plants need watering in the winter when their leaves begin to show signs of mild withering.

Watering a Calico Kitten

The local weather heavily influences how often you need to water your calico kitten plants. Even though these plants have evolved to thrive in arid environments, they will produce far greater results if provided with adequate water. But not too much that it makes the soil moist.

When it comes to watering succulents, there is neither a predetermined schedule nor a specific formula. The watering routine would vary and be determined by the fact that you live in a very dry climate.

Overwatering the Calico Kitten Succulents

The dangers of overwatering are frequently discussed, and these plants are not an exception to the rule. These plants are susceptible to root rot if they receive excessive water, which is harmful to the calico kitten plants.

Calico Kitten is exceptionally drought-resistant, as are most succulents. This implies the plant may go longer between watering without suffering water stress, but it also means that keeping it in constantly damp conditions will lead to decay.

Seasonal Watering Schedule

It would be best if you watered your Calico Kitten frequently in the spring and early fall when it is actively growing to ensure it gets enough water. However, you should let the soil dry out between watering to avoid causing waterlogging. and sticking to a watering schedule!

However, as the weather becomes cooler, watering them less frequently is recommended, particularly during the winter, as they are prone to root rot if the soil is too cold and wet for too long.

You will have to water less frequently if you live in an area with high relative humidity. If you bring your plants inside and they are not exposed to a great deal of light, you may not need to water them as frequently if you do.

Build a Routine!

These plants are doomed if they receive excessive water in addition to an inadequate amount of light. People often say that they only water their succulents once a week inside, and then they wonder why their plants are dying from the roots up.

This is a common misconception. If you bring your plants inside for the winter, they will most likely not require as much watering as they would if they were outside. This is coming from someone who lives in a highly arid climate.

If you reside in a region that has high relative humidity, you may only need to water your plants less frequently or on a strict schedule.

The key to success here is to carefully monitor the temperature of the environment in which your plant is growing. The lower the temperature, the less frequent the need to water your plant. It is also strongly recommended to water Calico Kitten from the bottom, mainly when the plant is being cultivated in a container.

Fertilization

Between the middle of spring and the beginning of fall, while they are growing strongly, Calico Kittens can be fed. To make this valuable fertilizer, it is necessary to dilute a balanced fertilizer low in nitrogen to at least 50 percent of the suggested strength before applying it to your plants.

Fertilizer must be applied three or four times a year to potted Calico Kitten. However, this should only be done during the growing season. It is recommended that you make a solution of the soluble fertilizer that is fifty percent water and fifty percent fertilizer.

Fertilizer is rarely required for plants grown in the ground outside, though a light mulching of compost can almost always be beneficial.

Regrowth and Propagation of a Calico Kitten

The body and bristles of calico kittens are susceptible. If one of them breaks, you can easily replace it by growing a new one from the same seed. It is possible to start a new plant from as little as one leaf.

Propagating a new plant can also be accomplished by dividing already-existing plants or by removing and transplanting pups that sprout from the mother plant’s roots.

Stem cuttings are the method that will allow you to multiply these plants the quickest and most easily.

They can be grown from leaf cuttings, although this method may be more difficult and less successful than stem cuttings. It is possible to propagate this plant from its leaves with gently twist but doing so requires time and patience. However, it is possible.

If you wish to give leaf propagation a try, be sure to use the entire leaf, including the base, to have a better chance of success.

Once you propagate the mother plant, you would have to provide the baby plants with intensive care in a succulent garden so in a few more weeks, you can grow calico kitten mother plant!

Conclusion

Caring for the calico kitten plant is tricky but it is not an impossible task! Although it is general knowledge that succulents don’t need so much water, care, and attention to keep the plant and root system healthy, these plants do!

With stem cutting, common pests control, partial shade, and keeping up with the watering needs like most succulents, you can grow a plant that can withstand frost cloths! It is ideal you follow these instructions on plant care to ensure your houseplant’s growth!