Kalanchoe tomentosa Baker is a beautiful slow growing perennial succulent plant with dense white felt-like hairs covering the entire leaf eventually forming an upright small shrub that will reach about 35-45 cm (In nature, it grows to 1 m in height). It is a very attractive but polymorphic species and there are many cultivars with color variants .It is commonly sold as 'Panda Plant' or 'Pussy Ears' because of its furry leaves.
The dense covering of hairs performs a vital function for the plant in the form of water conservation. In the dry environment in which it lives, it must conserve what little water it can absorb from the soil. The dense mat of hairs growing from the leaf retards the movement of air directly across the leaf surface, thereby reducing water vapor loss (transpiration). The “dead-air” space created by the numerous trichomes insulates the leaf from its harsh external environment, too. In addition, the white-silver appearance of the leaves reflects light, lessening the chances of the leaves overheating.
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Genus name: form New Latin Kalanchauhuy as recorded by Georg Joseph Kamel, form a Sinitic source akin to Cantonese 伽藍菜 (gaa, laam, coi, literally “temple plant”).
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Kalanchoe tomentosa
Kalanchoe tomentosa is approx 15 cm tall, and come in a ø 6 cm pot.