Panda plant
Kalanchoe tomentosa
Also called Chocolate soldier and Pussy ears
Houseplant · Succulents & cactiThe felt on the leaves holds water and rots. Water the soil and keep the fur dry.
Care at a glance
- Ease
- Medium
- Water
- Every 18 daysSoak, then bone-dry — wait until the soil is dry right through — lift the pot, it tells you.
- Light
- Bright, some direct sun
- Feed
- Every 90 days
- Humidity
- Low
- Hardiness
- Indoors, or out for the summer RHS H1C, to 5°C
- Size
- 0.45 m tall · 0.3 m across
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Origin
- Madagascar
Is it safe for pets and people?
PetsToxic to pets
Affects dogs, cats. Signs: vomiting, diarrhoea and, rarely, an irregular heartbeat.
PeopleNot checked yet
Nobody has checked this one against a source for us yet, so treat it as unknown rather than safe.
Checked against ASPCA and RHS on 2026-07-31.
A guide, not veterinary or medical advice. If a pet or a person has eaten a plant and you are worried, call your vet or doctor now — don’t wait for signs to appear. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
First signs of trouble
- A flat brown blotch where a drop sat on the fur and never dried — the hairs there stay matted.Water marks on the felt · disorder