What are Succulents?
Succulent plants, or succulents, are plants that can store water in their thick, fleshy parts like leaves or stems. They thrive in an arid environment and are generally drought tolerant.
There are many types of succulents. The most popular succulent genera are: Echeveria, Aeonium, Aloe, Agave, Haworthia, Aeonium, Gasteria, Cactus, Crassula, Cotyledon, Kalanchoe, Sedum, Sempervivum, Senecio, Graptoveria, Adenia, Euphorbia, and Lithops.
General Care
Watering
- Water your succulent deeply everytime the soil is completely dry. Tip to check the soil moisture: Insert your finger in the soil to the second knuckle. If it feels wet then it’s not time to water yet.
- Succulent watering routine heavily depends on the climate (humid or dry). For beginners, we recommend watering your succulent once every 10-14 days.
Sunlight
- Most succulents require at least 4-6 hours of morning sunlight to grow. Some succulents prefer bright but filtered light like Haworthia, others like Echeveria or Cactus love full sun.
- Colorful succulents often tolerate direct sun better than green succulents.
- Underexposure: Lack of sunlight often results in etiolation and leaves growing downwards. Colorful succulents will lose their vivid color and turn green.
- Overexposure: Succulents might get sunburned given too much sunlight so it is not recommended to expose your succulents to direct sun when the temperature is above 90F.
Soil
- Succulents prefer gritty and well-drained soil. Porous soil is crucial in improving drainage and preventing root rotting in succulents.
- You can either use cactus mix or prepare the potting medium by mixing organic (eg. dark soil, compost, bark fines) and inorganic components (eg. perlite, granite or pumice) at a 50:50 ratio.
Temperature
- The ideal temperature for succulent is from 60 to 80°F. Some succulents like Sempervivum can tolerate temperatures as low as 20°F or as high as 90°F. Extreme temperatures can “stress” succulents into changing color.
- Most succulents are drought-tolerant. However, high summer heat and direct sun can still damage your succulents by causing brown patches or sunburn on the leaves. Move your succulents indoor if you spot similar signs.
