If you want to add some nice greenery to your home, but you’re new to plant care or you’ve lost a few plants before, you don’t need to look any further than these adorable succulents.
What Is A Succulent?
Not only do they look cute when put out in tiny decorative pots, but succulents traditionally survived the most dry deserts, so they’ll be able to survive you. Succulents are thicker and fleshy in place of traditional leaves so they can retain more water. This gives them their waxy, eye-catching appearance and separates them from other plants. Though all of them have the characteristic rubber-like exterior, succulents come in a variety of shapes and colors.
Do Succulents Need Sun?
Because succulents originate sunny environments, they flourish in bright, direct sun. Though plenty of sun exposure is generally best, each succulent handles sunlight differently and they don’t all NEED it, so check our guide below for your specific plant. The plant will communicate if it is receiving too much or too little sunlight. If it is being overexposed, the plant will become scorched and burn. If the plant is starving for sun, it will become skinny and stretch up toward the light. Adjust the plant’s placement until you find its happy medium.
How Much Water Do Succulents Usually Need?
Despite their origins in dry climates, it is important to remember that succulents are not cacti. Though they can survive longer periods without it, they need to be watered in order to grow. That said, the main risk is that you might over-water your succulent, which can kill the succulent.
A safe way to avoid over-watering while still making sure your plant is healthy is to check the soil. If the soil is completely dry, add water. If it’s not, don’t. Too much water can also cause the soil and plant to rot.
What Temperatures Do Succulents Need?
As said above, they come from deserts, so generally speaking warmer is better. They will die if they’re left outside in the cold, but if you plan on keeping these plants indoors they should do just fine at room temperature.
OK, So I Want A Succulent. Which One Should I Get?
Below, we’ve researched the succulents that you’re most likely to see in stores and the basics of succulent care that each will need, so you’ll know which one is best for you and your home!
Burro’s Tail
- Grows better indoors in partial sunlight
- Should be watered when the soil is dry
- Best temperature is 65 – 70 degrees F
These guys don’t need direct sunlight per se since having them in the hot sun could cause them to burn and wither away. They do, however, need to be placed somewhere with partial sunlight or bright shade. It enjoys more of a warmer climate, but it can still thrive in temperatures as low as 40 degrees F.
You’ll want to be careful when it comes to watering these guys as overwatering a Burro’s Tail is pretty much the fastest way to kill it. They should be watered when the soil is dry in the spring and summer months. In the winter months, they need even less watering as they’re considered to be “resting.”
These succulents do well in smaller pots and can be re-potted in the warmer months when they’re thriving a bit more. Gently remove the plant when the soil is dry and re-pot them when they outgrow their current living arrangements.
Echeveria
- Grows better indoors in partial sunlight
- Should be watered when the soil is dry
- Best temperature is 65 – 80 degrees F
These plants don’t need direct sunlight, but they do need to be somewhere that has a lot of light coming in. Be sure to move your echeveria to a window that gets a good amount of sun in the winter as well so it can continue to grow.
You don’t need to water this succulent again until the soil becomes dry completely. When it is, be sure to give it a good soaking without overwatering as you don’t want to drown the plant. Make sure when you’re watering that you only water the soil and don’t get water on the echeveria itself.
The best kind of pot you can have for this particular succulent is an authentic clay pot that will allow for the water to evaporate; ensuring your echeveria doesn’t drown in an excess of water is important. Having a soil that drains well works perfectly fine as well.
Aloe Vera
- Grows better indoors in bright light, but not direct sunlight
- Should be watered when the first 1-2 inches of soil is dry
- Best temperature is 65 – 80 degrees F
Aloe vera is a great succulent to grow at home because it can produce juice that stops skin irritation and burning in its tracks. For that reason, you’ll want to make sure that you take care of it properly.
This is the kind of plant that doesn’t need direct sunlight but does need to be in a bright area. It needs a few hours of sun a day and anything more could cause some damage to your succulent.
When you’re watering your aloe vera you’ll want to make sure that the first inch or two of soil is dry first. Be sure that you’re not spritzing this succulent either because it doesn’t need it and the plant could rot.
You only need to re-pot when the roots are coming out of the drainage holes in the pot it’s currently sitting in.
Agave
- Grows better indoors in bright light, but not direct sunlight
- Should be watered when the surface of the soil is dry
- Best temperature is 50 – 90 degrees F
Agave is the kind of plant that you can grow in or outdoors, but the details of their care remain the same no matter where you decide to plant them. It’s also one of those succulents that seem to do well in any conditions.
This succulent needs bright sunlight all year round, which means that you should be moving it to a bright place with plenty of sun when the winter months hit.
You should be watering your agave every week when you first get it and then you can only water it half the amount in the second week. As time ticks by, you can water it even less; you’ll need to water it once every other week after the first month or so. Be sure you wait until the soil is dry.
It’s recommended that you re-pot this plant once a year.
Snake Plant
- Thrive in low-light conditions
- Should be watered when the soil dries out a bit
- Best temperature is 60 – 80 degrees F
A snake plant really is a low-maintenance succulent, which makes it a great choice for those looking for an easy green member of the house.
They don’t need to be placed in direct or bright light and can, in fact, thrive in indirect sunlight or low-light conditions.
Unlike other succulents that need to be watered a bit more frequently, snake plants don’t need to be watered very much, especially in the winter. In fact, they only need to be watered once or twice a month when the colder months roll around. Let the soil dry in between waterings.
Snake plants can grow to be pretty large and you should re-pot them when their roots are growing to be too big for its current home. Typically you only need to re-pot these every 3-5 years.
Blue Finger
- Grows best in 6-8 hours of direct sunlight
- Should be watered when the soil dries completely
- Best temperature is 55 – 70 degrees F
This is another succulent that doesn’t need a ton of maintenance and does well on its own without much water.
The blue finger needs to be in direct sunlight for six to eight hours a day, meaning you should be placing it near a window that gets lots of sun. If you’re growing this succulent outside then it can also thrive in partial shade. They also thrive in warmer climates.
Watering this little guy only needs to happen in the warmer summer months and not at all during the winter months when it’s resting. You should only be watering these plants when the soil is dry completely in between each visit.
They should be kept in smaller clay pots and can be re-potted every two or so years.
Kalanchoe
- Grows best in bright, but not direct, sunlight
- Should be watered when the soil dries completely
- Best temperature is 55 – 80 degrees F
These beautiful kalanchoe succulents don’t need to be placed right under the boiling sun, but they do need to be in a bright area where they can catch of lots of indirect sunlight. Keep them away from direct sunlight as it can cause the plant to burn. They’re also not the biggest fans of cooler weather, so be sure to keep them away from any drafty areas – especially in the fall and winter.
The soil should be dry before you revisit for another watering. Though, you’ll want to make sure you’re watering the plant deeply and thoroughly when you do give it something to drink.
Kalanchoe succulents do best in clay pots and only needs to be re-potted when the roots start escaping their current home. Be sure you allow for the soil to dry completely before you re-pot.
Stonecrop
- Grows best in direct sunlight or partial shade
- Is a drought-tolerant plant
- Best temperature is 55 – 65 degrees F
This is one of the best outdoor succulents you can grow because it’s very forgiving if you ever happen to neglect it. In fact, it would probably do better on its own!
The stonecrop succulent will be more than fine by itself in direct sunlight and with very little water. It’s drought tolerant, which means it really only needs to be watered during dry spells. Otherwise, it’ll be fine and if you overwater it or over-fertilize it, it’ll quickly let you know what you’ve done by, you know, shriveling up and dying.
These little beauties will sprout their flowers in the colder months as well, typically not growing much during late spring until the middle of summer. Clusters of flowers will typically sprout towards the end of the summer and into the autumn, however.
Make sure this succulent doesn’t have any wet roots or too much fertilizer and you’ll be fine to let it flourish on its own.
Zebra Plant
- Grows best in bright light, not direct sunlight
- Should be watered when the soil dries
- Can survive in temperatures 50 – 80 degrees F
This is a pretty low-maintenance plant in the sense that it will handle a lot of different lighting conditions so long as you don’t reach the extremes of direct sunlight or total shade. Otherwise, it’ll be totally fine in bright light or partial shade. The zebra plant prefers warmer summer temperatures but will also do well in the cooler weather of fall and winter.
These succulents need water most in the summertime, but should really only be watered once or twice a month in the winter when it’s resting. Be careful not to overwater in the summer, though, only visiting your plant when its soil is dry.
You can re-pot this guy as soon as it outgrows its current living quarters, but you don’t need to move it to a huge pot. These guys tend not to outgrow their pots very fast, which means re-potting comes infrequently.
Jade Plant
- Grows best in direct sunlight
- Should be watered when the soil dries and soil should be kept moist, not wet
- Best temperature is 65 – 75 degrees F
These pretty little succulents prefer about four or five hours of full sunlight. If they don’t get the sunlight they require then you’ll more than likely be greeted with a browning or withering plant.
The watering for the jade plant is on par with the majority of succulents on this list. In the summer, their soil needs to be kept moist, but not wet. You should also only be watering when the soil is completely dry in between your visits. In the wintertime, it’s not uncommon to leave them to rest, watering them once a month at best. Watering them too much will cause rotted roots.
Due to the thickness of these succulents, you should be placing them in a wider pot for easier growth. You can re-pot them as you need, ensuring the soil is completely dry before you transfer them to a new home.
Bear Paw
- Grows best in bright light, not direct sunlight
- Should be watered when the soil dries
- Best temperature is 70 – 85 degrees F
It’s best not to keep these fuzzy little guys in direct sunlight, but rather chilling out in bright shade.
These succulents like warmer temperatures but that doesn’t mean they can’t brave the cooler weather. Bear paws can live in cooler temperatures like 40 degrees F, but any colder may cause significant damage.
Feel free to water these guys liberally in the summertime, doing so once a week or so and only watering again when the soil dries. If you’re growing them outside, water them once every two weeks and come back for another good hose down when the soil is dry. In the winter, you only need to water them enough so that they don’t dry out – about once a month both indoors and outdoors. Overwatering these plants will cause mutated little paws to start sprouting.
The pots you place them in should have a drainage hole cut into the bottom of it and its home shouldn’t exceed the length of its roots.
Graptoveria Opalina
- Grows best in direct or partial sunlight
- Should be watered when the soil dries
- Best temperature is 60 – 75 degrees F
This mouthful of a succulent thrives off of direct sunlight, or partial if you can’t quite give it the rays it needs. Given the size of this plant and the thickness of its leaves, they’ll do better in the sun and you don’t need to worry about anything burning. The Graptoveria Opalina also enjoys warmer climates but does well in a typical household temperature as well.
They should be watered regularly in the summertime, much like their succulent brothers and sisters, but you should wait to water them until their soil dries completely. You only need to water them once every month or so in the winter as they’re resting and don’t need to be fed as frequently.
Be sure to have a drainage hole in the bottom of the pot and only re-pot them once their roots are sprouting out of the hole.
Panda Plant
- Grows best in medium to bright light, not direct sunlight
- Should be watered when the soil dries
- Best temperature is 60 – 75 degrees F
This adorable and aptly named succulent enjoys being in the bright sun, like its brethren, without boiling in direct sunlight. It’s more than fine on its own in the normal humidity you’d find in your home and it can do well in dry conditions.
Just like many of the succulents on this list, you’ll need to give it a good soaking when the soil gets dry. Be sure that you’re not leaving the plant to soak in water as it will kill the roots and cause it to drown. It will only need to be watered about once a month when it’s resting in the winter.
These little guys tend to grow a bit slower than other succulents, so you’ll only need to re-pot them once every 2-3 years and even less as it continues to grow into adulthood.
Hens-and-Chicks
- Grows best in bright light, not direct sunlight
- Are drought tolerant and should be watered when the soil dries completely
- Best temperature is 65 – 75 degrees F
Hens-and-chicks succulent plants are definitely ones that you’ve envied in your neighbor’s gardens or seen in stores. These guys are easy to grow, thrive in bright shade, and are considered to be drought tolerant.
Once you plant this guy be sure to give it a good soaking but only revisit when the soil has dried completely. These succulents do well with less watering since they actually store water in their leaves! If you overwater them there’s a good chance you’ll do some damage to them.
It’s best if you let them grow outside and you can keep them growing and healthy by having good soil with lots of drainage and by adding some compost. Though, if you want to grow them inside, you’d do well to put them in clay pots.
Flaming Katy
- Grows best in bright light, not too much direct sunlight
- Should be watered when the soil dries completely
- Best temperature is 70 – 85 degrees F
We end on Flaming Katy succulent plants, which sprout beautiful little flowers if you treat them right.
These succulents are considered to be a stronger plant, which means they can handle varying degrees of sunlight. They prefer to be sitting around in bright shade but can also thrive in some direct sunlight, so long as it’s not all the time.
This another succulent that stores water in its leaves and only needs to be watered when the soil dries out entirely. Though, you should be giving is a thorough watering right down to the roots when the soil does dry. In the winter, it will need to be watered once every 3-4 weeks.
Be careful when you’re repotting because the leaves are tender and can snap off it handled roughly.
That does it! The only things you need to be aware of for every succulent are:
- Even though we covered how to water succulents, it’s important to remember that they don’t like wet roots. Be sure that every pot you have them in has a drainage hole at the bottom so water can fall through.
- If you have an indoor plant, stick the pot in a saucer and drain the saucer of all water when you’re done watering your plant so the succulent doesn’t soak in any remaining water and drown.
- You’ll need soil with good drainage and should be fine by using soils meant specifically for succulents and cacti.
- Some succulents will need to be fertilized and you can receive thorough information on how to do so from the experts!
Once you learn how to take care of succulents you no longer need to be afraid that you’ll kill one. These guys are here to help you along and they’ll flourish so long as you follow these basic steps!
