Wildflowers of the United States

Chandelier Plant, Common Mother of Millions, Mother of Thousands, Christmas bells, Tingo Tango - Bryophyllum delagoense

Native Status: Introduced

Dicot, Perennial, Herb, Subshrub, Leaves:Opposite Leaves:Whorl

Bryophyllum delagoense - Chandelier Plant, Common Mother of Millions, Mother of Thousands, Christmas bells, Tingo Tango. Bryophyllum is a genus of about 30 species of Madagascar and some of the other islands relatively nearby in the Indian Ocean. Bryophyllum was first described as a genus in 1805. In 1907 the French botanist Raymond Hamet made a case for integrating it within Kalanchoe, which itself was published in 1763. Since then some botanists treat it within Kalanchoe, while others maintain it as a separate genus. While the momentum currently seems to be toward integrating into Kalanchoe, partly because there are several species which have characteristics that could fit into either genus, Flora of North America and Weakley's Flora of the Southern and Mid-Atlantic States both treat Bryophyllum as a separate genus, so I will follow their lead.

While there are no Bryophyllum native to North America, there are about 6 or 7 which have naturalized here, likely brought in as ornamentals. While they are invasive, they are restricted to tropical climates so have not spread far north, with Florida hosting all of them, and several found in a handful of other southern-tier states as well as Hawaii. Bryophyllum delagoense is the most widely distributed species in Florida, and is also found in Alabama, Texas, and Hawaii. There is a possibility that the species on this page is actually the hybrid Bryophyllum X houghtonii (Kalanchoe X houghtonii), based on a report from the park naturalist where this was photographed, but it appears to me to be closer to Bryophyllum delagoense in the shape of the leaves than the photographs I can find online for Kalanchoe X houghtonii. This plant is poisonous to livestock and humans and has significant adverse economic impact in some parts of the world, such as Africa and Australia. Some positive economic impact comes from its value as an ornamental, but if you live in a tropical or semi-tropical area, consider the possibility that this plant may be difficult to control before you use it as an outdoor ornamental.
Synonyms: Kalanchoe delagoensis, Bryophyllum tubiflorum, Kalanchoe tubiflora

Found in:
AL, FL, HI, TX

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Distribution of Bryophyllum delagoense in the United States and Canada:

Map courtesy of The Biota of North America Program.
Map color key
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Site: Shamrock Park, Venice, Sarasota County, FL Date: 2015-January-20	Photographer: Gerald C Williamson Nikon D7000
The flower of Chandelier Plant is orange to scarlet-red and up to about 1.5 inches long. It has 4 calyx lobes which are triangular and light- to reddish-green. The 4 petals join to form the corolla tube. The lobes are rounded and may or may not have that tooth at the apex.

Site: Shamrock Park, Venice, Sarasota County, FL Date: 2015-January-20	Photographer: Gerald C. Williamson Nikon D7000 Tamron SP 90MM f/2.8 AF Macro
The flowers of Bryophyllum delagoense are in cymes atop the stem, with the flowers held pendulous (drooping) on the pedicels.
Click on the photo for a larger image
Site: Shamrock Park, Venice, Sarasota County, FL Date: 2015-January-20	Photographer: Gerald C Williamson
Bryophyllum delagoense can grow to over 6 feet tall, although it is more commonly found at less than half that.
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Site: Shamrock Park, Venice, Sarasota County, FL Date: 2015-January-20	Photographer: Gerald C Williamson Nikon D7000
The succulent leaves are key to identifying Bryophyllum delagoense from similar species. They are terete - more or less cylindrical - with a groove on the top (unfortunately groove not seen in my photos.) It has a few conical teeth on the end of the leaf, and develops plantlets (bulbils) between the teeth (see inset). These plantlets drop off and sprout to form new plants, which along with the seeds increase its tendency to spread and crowd out other species. Kalanchoe X houghtonii has boat-shaped or folded leaves with numerous teeth along the margins. The leaves of both are variegated greyish, but with more greenish color in Kalanchoe X houghtonii.
Click on the photo for a larger image
Site: Shamrock Park, Venice, Sarasota County, FL Date: 2015-January-20	Photographer: Gerald C Williamson
Bryophyllum delagoense can form large colonies in tropical areas, sometimes crowding out native plants
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References used for identification and information:

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Bryophyllum delagoense initially published on USWildflowers.com 2019-01-21; Updated 2019-01-21

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All content except USDA Plants Database map Copyright Gerald C. Williamson 2024
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Code Update 20230302