The Best Succulents to Grow Indoors

 

Succulents and their natural habitat

Succulents; a group of distinctive plants that are surprisingly easy to grow and care for yet seem to be often met with uncertainty from the plant community, especially beginners! With the right knowledge and suitable indoor conditions that will see your succulent happily settle into its new home, you will soon find that it thrives, opening up a world of opportunity to get really creative with interesting plant pairings that will liven up any space in the home. 

Succulent plants are great additions to any indoor plant collection due to their compact and distinctive foliage patterns and low maintenance requirements. You can pair them together in endless combinations in a way that expresses your own aesthetic and preferences when designing your indoor gardenscape. Succulent house plants can grow quickly and be propagated easily, making them very suitable for beginner plant-lovers, contrary to popular belief. In the wild, you will find succulents thriving in arid and semi-arid environments such as deserts, rocky alpine landscapes and coastal areas; typically areas that are prone to drought and high temperatures. Because of this, they are mostly grown as indoor plants in the UK because the ideal growing environment can be easily replicated. Whilst succulents can tolerate low temperature drops, they are not frost hardy, so care must be taken if you wish to keep your succulents outdoors. 

 

What is a Succulent?

You will recognise a succulent plant by its thick, fleshy water-storing leaves; an adapted trait that enables these types of plants to fend off drought by storing water in their leaves for long periods of time. The term succulent is a broad label used to describe their main characteristic - a plant that stores water in its leaves - so succulent plants are actually a myriad of various plant families that share this same characteristic. Succulents enjoy growing next to one another so you can play around with creative combinations for a unique look; exploring different textures, colours and flowering types to achieve a distinctive succulent ecosystem.

 Desert Succulents vs Forest Cacti (also a succulent)

Desert succulents have evolved to thrive in temperatures that range from high heat with ample sunlight in the day, to very cold temperature drops at night. Because of this, their characteristics are well suited to the UK climate that brings similar fluctuations in temperature. Desert succulents often feature spikes that, in the wild, exist to cast shadows to protect them from the sun, and any predators of course. 

Desert succulents that you grow indoors will be extremely tolerant of sudden temperature drops, similar to the temperature drops they would experience in their natural habitat, even tolerating drops down to -5 degrees celsius. The sunlight in the UK is not as strong as the desert sun, so succulents will happily sit in full sunshine all day long - they will thrive in a south-facing window. As long as they receive enough sunlight in the day they should be happy with more extreme fluctuations compared to their forest-dwelling counterpart. 

On the contrary, forest cacti are a type of succulent that grow in humid, shady environments, and for this reason prefer temperatures above 12 degrees celsius. Cacti are a type of succulent but not all succulents are cacti. So they tend to be spineless and will grow either on other plants (epiphytes) or on rocks (lithophytes). 

This article discusses 14 of the best succulent plants to grow indoors, with a couple that are happy to tolerate outdoor temperatures - making them perfect for balconies. 

 

The Best Succulent Plants to Grow Indoors

 

Aloe Vera - Desert Succulent 

Aloe vera is a low-maintenance succulent, making it an excellent choice for growing indoors. Indoor aloe vera plants enjoy sunny spots like a window sill with bright light and generally warm temperatures. Aloe vera likes well-draining soil, so using a cactus or succulent mix is beneficial. Ensure the pot has drainage holes to prevent water from logging, as this will cause root rot. Wild aloe vera plants can tolerate long periods of drought, so to thrive indoors it only requires watering when the soil has fully dried out. Overwatering will lead to root rot so allowing the soil to fully dry is the best measure. Aloe vera will go into a dormant state during the winter months so you can reduce watering even further during the colder period.  

 

 

Echevaria - Desert Succulent

For the best indoor growing conditions, Echeveria has very similar requirements to aloe vera for indoor growing. To ensure the best care for your echeveria, place it in bright spot and allow the soil to fully dry out in between waterings. Some Echeveria produce a powder-like substance on their leaves, similar to the powder film you see on grapes, and this acts as a natural sunscreen for the plant so they can tolerate sunny spots in the home. As with all indoor succulents however, excessive amounts of direct sunlight can sometimes burn the leaves, although they should be fine in the UK sun. 

 

 

 

Haworthia - Desert Succulent

Haworthia is a desert plant and enjoys bright light, although where this succulent differs to many is that they are typically spotted growing under the shelter of rocks. Because of this, they may be suited to slightly shadier spots in your home, although they will still happily tolerate bright light. Due to their natural preference for growing under rocks, they remain fairly small and are ideal for your desk or on a shelf. Haworthia still requires heat and dry air.

Photo by Audumbar Haldankar on Unsplash

 

Kalanchoe Magic Bells – Desert Succulent

This unusual looking succulent is eye-catching and features delicate, bell-shaped fleshy blooms and will suit a plant lover looking for a unique house plant. Kelanchoe Magic Bells come from a plant-group known as the leaf of life because they're very easily propagated using the edge of their leaves. This distinctive, drought-tolerant succulent enjoys sunlight but can handle lower light conditions and will produce beautiful orange-red flowers for a lengthy period of time. Keep the soil dry for your Kalanchoe and water sparingly.

Crassula - Desert Succulent

Crassula will benefit from a south or west-facing window because they can tolerate a direct light and typically thrive in at least 6-8 hours of indirect light. Grow Crassula in your most brightly lit room and it will flourish. They require relatively minimal care and once the light condition is right they will settle in and grow well. Water sparingly, allowing the soil to fully drain and use cacti or succulent potting mix for the best results. Crassula prefers warmer temperatures which can be achieved by placing it on a sunny window spot, however ensure the temperature doesn’t drop too much during the colder months.

 

Snake Plant - Tropical Succulent

Give this easy-going house plant an ample dose of natural light and they’ll be happy. Sansevieria or ‘snake plant’ is a tropical succulent and very easy to care for. For visible growth, ensure they are placed in a spot with bright, indirect light or even a spot with full sun. They can also tolerate most humidity levels and even areas with strong draughts or very dry air, which is often the reason why they are so well-suited to homes in the UK.

 

 

Epiphyllum – Forest Succulent 

Epiphyllum, also known as orchid cacti, are a large, very colourful, ‘showy’ succulent that is native to Central and South America. This genus of forest cacti originates from the tropics, as opposed to the desert, the latter of which is often understood to be the common natural habitat for succulents. Because of this, they can thrive in shady, humid environments. They often grow as epiphytes, typically found growing on tree trunks so like a desert plant they require very little soil, and you will find that a big plant will survive in a small pot. Contrary to desert cacti, epiphyllum tend to be spineless and, once they are settled in their ideal environment, will produce flowers that bloom at night. Epiphyllum do not like a dry environment and much prefer higher levels of humidity.

 

Lepismium Bolivianum - Forest Succulent (Trailing Plant)

Lepismium bolivianum, also known as the Bolivian Forest Cactus, is a trailing succulent plant that will cascade down the sides of the pot, offering a beautiful alternative to other, more ‘stout’ siblings. As the name would suggest, it is an epiphytic succulent native to Bolivia and can be found growing on trees in the cloud forests. This charming succulent can tolerate lower light conditions but do make sure to allow the soil to dry fully between waterings. 

String of Pearls - Senecio Rowleyanus – Desert Succulent

String of pearls are a popular and beautiful hanging plant that can be found in its natural habitat scrambling across the desert floor, rooting as they go. They are native to arid regions of South Africa. Due to their low maintenance nature, string of pearls can be very easily propagated but they do require light from above to do well. Bright light and a watering pattern that allows the soil to dry each time. The leaves have a thick barrier of flesh to prevent moisture evaporating in the heat, with a small slit (known as an epidermal window) embedded in each pearl that allows the plant to photosynthesise.

 

Aeonium – Sub-tropical Succulent

A hardy succulent plant with rosette-shaped glossy, waxy leaves. As they are a succulent, they can tolerate drought, although interestingly they are also very tolerant of large downpours. For this reason, aeonium can be kept outside in the UK, so it would be a very suitable house plant for a balcony, but do try to avoid long periods of direct light as this can scorch their leaves.

 Photo by Leonardo Iheme on Unsplash

Sedum – Forest Succulent

Sedums are alpine succulents that are very easy to grow and can also be kept outside. ‘Donkeys tail’ is a popular sedum and they are loved for their decorative foliage and variety of flowers.

 

Barrel Cactus – Desert Succulent - Cacti 

This stunning cacti succulent flowers vibrant blooms of red, orange and yellow. The barrel cactus has spines that run in vertical lines across its circumference, designed to trap additional moisture and deflect harsh rays of sunshine. For this reason, they are very well suited to window sills that get a lot of sunshine. Additionally, the barrel cactus can store water for months on end, so keeping it outside is an option, although they are not frost-hardy so it’s beneficial to keep this plant well-sheltered during the winter months. 

 

Photo by Brice Cooper on Unsplash 

Euphorbia - Desert Succulent 

A striking succulent, commonly known as Spurges and often mistaken for cacti due to their tall, multi-pronged stems that produce the most beautiful flowers. There are many different types of Euphorbia in this large and varied genus, but we refer to succulent euphorbia in this instance. Succulent euphorbias are native to South Africa and Madagascar so they are heat and drought-resistant. Proper watering is crucial; ensure the soil completely dries out between waterings. 

Agave - Desert Succulent 

The agave succulent has a rosette-like foliage with large leaves that taper to a point. Agave requires a well draining soil, like cactus soil, and only needs very sparse watering. They like a lot of sunshine, but the hotter the temperature in their indoor environment, the more shade they can subsequently tolerate, so it is possible to keep them in certain areas that experience some shade. Agave has been popularised recently due to their use in tequila and mezcal distillation! 

Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash