How to Take Care of Succulents Indoors
A brief insight on different varieties of these pretty, easy plants!
In this post, we will be covering 5 easy succulents to care for. Whether you’re just starting out taking care of plants or you’re a plant-expert, succulents are the perfect plants for those small touches around your home.
Getting Started With Succulents
What Are Succulents?
Succulents are a type of plant that holds water in their leaves and/or stems, making them drought resistant and able to sustain very dry climates for long periods of time. They come in a variety of colors, ranging from greens, reds, blues and yellows. Most succulents are fairly small, and grow slowly. This makes them perfect for compacted-potting arrangements.
Taking Care of Succulents
Succulents are low maintenance and drought tolerant, meaning they can go weeks without water. So don’t be afraid if you forget to water your plants-they’re most likely going to be just fine!
They can be sensitive to colder weather, so warmer climates are ideal for these plants. Although keeping them away from drafty windows and using a small grow light to keep them happy would help in colder locations as well as during the fall and winter months.
Direct or indirect light will help these plants thrive. Just be sure to watch over your new succulent for about the first week. And adjust your lighting if you notice sunburned leaves, that’s a sign of too much sun which can be harmful to your plants.
Succulents aren’t very picky when it comes to potting soil. For these plants, a basic cactus mix with perlite will be fine. Add sand if you want it to be really loose and airy. The better drainage, the less likely your plant will succumb to root rot.
Lastly, succulents can be toxic so avoid ingestion.
Top 5 Decorative Succulents
Now that you know a little about what succulents are and how to best care for them, let’s talk a little about the 5 top decorative succulent plants to help you decide which ones might make a great new addition to your plant collection.
1. Echeveria
First up on our list is the Echeveria.
A flowering succulent that comes in numerous colors, shapes and sizes! Some with pointy and long leaves. Others with round, stubby leaves. Most have a rosette shape starting from the center. They flower in late summer to early fall and are very low maintenance plants.
They can tolerate inconsistent waterings and only really need well-draining soil and bright sunlight daily to thrive. Typically, they’re fairly small plants. Making them perfect for sunny windowsill. They prefer warmer weather, so temperatures below 50°F could cause them to go dormant. Echeveria are not known for being poisonous, but just to be safe, keep away from children and pets to avoid ingestion!
2. Sedum Jelly Bean plant
This jelly-bean looking plant will be a great addition to your home. Whether outside on your porch, or inside placed on a windowsill. This plant will brighten up the room with its stunning color. Depending on how much light it receives, it can go from its usual soft green color to a deep reddish shade. Its stems and leaves sprawl out as it grows longer. Creating a full, bushy look. Warm weather is ideal for these plants.
Giving them lots of sun will help it flourish! They appreciate being neglected, as they don’t need a ton of water. When watering these plants let soil dry out thoroughly before watering again. Well-draining potting soil would do just fine. Winter to spring is when this plant usually blooms. In early years of its life, this plant can produce small, yellow flowers shaped as stars! If ingested, this plant can be poisonous to humans and pets.
3. Aloe Vera
The Aloe Vera, is a pretty popular succulent! It has thick, greenish leaves with white speckled dots. It’s pretty much stemless, or rather short stemmed. They do well in bright, indirect light. They shouldn’t be placed in direct sun or their leaves will start to crisp.
When watering this plant you want to wait until the soil is fairly dry before watering again. A simple, well-draining soil is fine for these plants, when it comes to soil mixtures they are not very picky. These plants do best in temperatures 55°-80°F. The gel from the Aloe Vera can be used to relieve pain from cuts when applied topically. Do not ingest the gel from this plant, as it is toxic to humans and pets.
4. Jade plant
If you’re looking for a tree-like plant, the jade plant is the one for you! This easy plant does not require a lot of attention, but does grow fairly slow. The Jade plant has shiny, oval-shaped leaves and thick stems. The plant is usually muted green, but if placed in direct sun for some time, the leaves will start showing a red hue. Bright sun is preferred for these plants, as they favor warmer weather.
These plants aren’t fussy. A well-draining potting mix, like cactus soil will do the trick. When watering let the soil dry out completely between waterings to avoid root rot. Keep this plant out of reach to children and animals, as it can be toxic to both humans and pets.
5. String of Pearls
Last, but definitely not least, is String of Pearls. A viney plant, perfect for hanging baskets in the corners of your home, or outdoors. Its round leaves give them a pea shaped look. This plant is very easy to care for. The thing most people have trouble with is overwatering. When watering your String of Pearls, let the soil dry out completely between waterings. Use a well-draining mix with perlite and sand so it’s fairly loose.
Placing this plant in bright, indirect sunlight would be ideal. This plant is a quick grower, so it is recommended to trim back the vine. Once you’ve cut some pieces off, you can add them back into the pot to create a fuller plant.
Around spring, the String of Pearls can produce pretty blooms. It rarely flowers indoors, but it’s not impossible! The blooms are white, with a hint of pink. Some even say it gives off the scent of cinnamon! Be careful to keep this plant away from children and pets, it is toxic and should not be ingested.
In Conclusion…
Succulents are an amazing addition to your plant collection.
No matter if you’re a plant-pro or just a beginner, succulents are easy to care for plants that can bring life to your collection and your home. Not needing much attention is what makes succulents so popular, and of course their beautiful color varieties are a joy to look at.
That brings us to the end of this post, we hope you found this helpful, hopefully from reading this you can keep your succulent plants beautiful and healthy! Best of luck to you.