Kalanchoe tomentosa 'Chocolate Soldier'

'Chocolate Soldier' (Kalanchoe tomentosa) (Baker): A cinnamon brown cultivar of the well-loved from Madagascar. "Tomentose" refers to the fuzzy, felt-like coating of hairs that covers the whole plant and helps it survive dry, sunny conditions.

This stemmed variety has long, upright leaves that range in color from rusty red to silvery green with spots of chocolate brown dotting the leaf edges. Spring blooms are maroon to copper and have the same fuzzy coating as the rest of the plant.

'Chocolate Soldier' makes an outstanding, low-maintenance house plant in sunny rooms. It will stay small and tidy in a pot and only needs water when the soil is completely dry and the leaves start to feel flexible. This resilient plant is happiest with gritty soil and pots with drainage holes. It's even easy to re-grow from leaf cuttings ().