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Painted Succulents: Trendy Art or Harmful Practice?

4 min read

Painted Succulents - Trendy or Harmful

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Who does not love the striking, chubby, and drought-tolerant plants? No doubt, the amazing appearance of succulents is always appealing to the eyes. Whether you are new to gardening or experienced in possessing a nice collection of greens, the unique looks of the succulents are going to fascinate you for sure.

If that is the case, what do you think of the painted succulents? While the bright, vibrant colors will look strikingly beautiful, should you buy the painted succulents? Do they need care any different from what the non-painted succulents need? If you are a novice gardener, this question is likely to come into your mind after seeing a collection of painted succulents at a gardening store.

What are Painted Succulents?

Painted Succulents

                                                     <Source: Pininterest Account: Babble>

 

In the recent years, the colorful displays of painted succulents caught many eyes at the nurseries. Appearing with vivid unusual hues, these fleshy floras would have captured your attention at a glance.

Besides painted succulents, many garden management experts worked a lot to bring new varieties of plants. However, their work involved different chemical procedures and scientific methods, such as cross breeding, which resulted in unique array of plants.

Unlike those unique varieties of flora, the painted succulents result from a color dyeing procedure. Most providers of painted succulents claim that they use non-toxic and food-safe colors to paint these chubby greens.

So, will your painted succulents stay colorful forever? Unfortunately, the answer is ‘no’. These painted succulents are likely to fade and wear off after some time. Furthermore, the new growing parts of your painted succulents will boast their original color and not the hues of dye. But, they may stay colorful for several months and even for a couple of years.

 

Is Dyeing with Paints Harmful To The Plant?

Painted Succulents - Trendy or Harmful

          <Source: Photo from Yelp.com (Account: The Home Depot)>

Painted succulents are so common these days that you will easily find them at gardening shops, home improvement stores, and grocery stores. However, it is imperative to consider whether you should get the painted succulents or not. Sprayed with orange, neon pink, and blue paints, the latest trend of succulent is on the rise these days, but is it any good for the plants?

 

How the Dye Colors Affect Succulents’ Photosynthesis?

These chubby plants undergo photosynthesis in a bit different way than other plants. It is possible that the dye colors on its surface may not have any effect, but we could not say it for sure until recently. However, after coming across the reviews from experienced gardeners and horticulture experts, we concluded that a layer of paint on the surface of chubby greens can drastically affect its health.

Although the bright color may seem strikingly beautiful, these paints are likely to kill loveable succulents. Tiernach McDermott, a horticulture expert, says that spraying the succulents with paints prevents them from undergoing photosynthesize, which eventually suffocate these fleshy plants.

 

Dye Prevents the Plant from Absorbing Sunlight

Not to mention, succulents, like other plants, absorb energy from the light to thrive. However, when you layer them with a thick coating of paint, these striking succulents are not able absorb any light. Therefore, the chances that these spray-painted plants will not survive and die early are quite high.

You can check it while bringing in some of the painted succulents at home. You will notice that these painted succulents will suffer and die soon. Although succulents are one of the tolerant types of plants, painting them with dye will eventually kill them.

 

Dye May Contain Harmful Chemicals

Dyes usually contain chemicals, such as Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, and glycerine, which could affect the plant health.  Although succulents are some of the sturdiest plants, they need proper care and ideal environment for healthy growth. The harmful chemicals in dyes can affect their growth while preventing them from absorbing enough amount of carbon dioxide from air.

If you want to keep one or two neon plants, you may get a fake plant and enjoy it forever. However, bringing painted succulents in your garden is never a good idea. Moreover, it is important to keep in mind that succulents come in a variety of amazing textures and colors; you can get one of them to add in your garden collection.

However, if you still want to keep the painted succulents in your garden, you need to keep certain points in mind. There’s a variety of cacti dyed with paints, yet it is important to remember that cactus has different care requirements. Therefore, if you are looking forward to purchasing any of these succulents, make sure to check the label to determine the type and needs for care.

 

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