10 beautiful and resistant succulent plants that you can have at home and their care

Succulent plants (from the Latin succulentus, “juicy” or “meaty” or crass) have leaves with a large capacity for water storage, which allows them to survive when water is scarce on earth. As ornamental plants they are quite simple to maintain, however, there are some things that you can take into account to give them proper care in your home.

hardy succulent plants

Not all succulents are suitable for indoors. Even if you put them next to a window, they may not receive enough light. It is better to choose succulents that can live in semi-shade.

In general, succulents with bright colors like red, purple or orange are not ideal for indoors, they require direct sunlight and much more light than is generally available indoors.

These are the cares that succulent plants need so that they are beautiful.

Lsucculents with green leaves are more suitable for your home. The best indoor succulents include the following species.

1. Donkey Tail

Donkey’s tail, sheep’s tail or drunkard’s nose (Sedum morganianum) is a trailing succulent and looks best in a hanging basket or in a container that sits on a ledge, shelf, or plant stand. Each stem can be up to a meter long and is packed with gray-green leaves the size and shape of a round grain of rice.

The leaves have a pale sheen that disappears when you touch them, so it will show your fingerprints. Also, the leaves are brittle and fall off easily, so it’s best to avoid handling this plant as much as possible. Native to Mexico, donkeytail prefers bright light for best performance. You can let the soil dry out between waterings, especially in winter when it’s not growing.

2. Christmas Cacti

Unlike other cacti, the Christmas cacti (Schlumbergera x buckleyi) or Santa Teresita does not have sharp thorns. It prefers a little more humidity than its spiky relatives, so water when the top 2 cm of soil has dried out. But if you forget to water it will easily recover. Keep it near a window.

3. Two similar plants: echeveria and immortelle

The echeveria, echeverio or alabaster rose (Echeveria elegans) forms flat, flower-like rosettes with rounded edges and produces arching, bell-shaped flowers each year.

The immortelle of the roofs (Sempervivum tectorum) also forms rosettes, but each leaf tends to be flatter and more pointed. It has tiny star-shaped flowers. Both succulents come in all kinds of varieties that offer interesting shapes and colors, making them especially fun to collect.

Echeveria and immortelle have similar needs when grown as houseplants. They should be allowed to dry out slightly between waterings because constant moisture often causes their stems and roots to rot. They will do best with plenty of light near a window.

You can easily propagate these succulents by removing the suckers and placing them in their own container, but be sure to use a gritty mix for succulents, so your plants have the drainage they need.

4. Jade Plant

The jade plant (Crassula ovata) is a favorite of many people for a reason: it is very easy to grow! This native South African plant produces stout, branching stems with thick, glossy green leaves, sometimes tinged with red around the edges when placed in full sun. Some varieties have different looking leaves, such as the ‘Gollum’ variety with leaves that resemble green monster fingers.

When grown as houseplants, they usually do not exceed 12 inches in height. They can get a bit top heavy so it’s a good idea to plant them in a heavy container like terracotta. The key to keeping a jade plant happy is to allow the soil to dry out completely between waterings. Some gardeners only water jade when the leaves start to wrinkle or lose their shine, but these are signs that the plant is already stressed; if you wait that long, it might start to drop leaves.

5.Aloe vera

Aloe vera grows as a cluster of long, thin leaves on a short stem. Over time, it produces more leaf clusters than the entire pot. It is easy to divide it and occupy new pots. It is better not to put it in a place of passage because the leaves have spikes that can hurt.

Aloe vera is an indoor plant easy to care for Like other succulents, it prefers to be kept dry rather than moist. It likes a lot of light but if you place it next to a sunny and hot window, the leaves could burn.

6. Panda Plant

The panda or cat ears plant (Kalanchoe tomentosa) is native to Madagascar. It has gray-green hairy leaves, covered with soft silvery hairs and blotched with brown or rust-colored tips.

They can reach 60cm tall as a houseplant, but grow very slowly. Provide plenty of light by a window and allow the soil to dry out between waterings. When you water, don’t do it on the leaves because they will rot.

7. Elephant’s foot

The elephant’s foot, nolina, beucarnea, beaucarnea or bocarnea (Beaucarnea recurvata) It’s not a palm tree even though it looks like it for its long, woody-looking trunk and tuft of leathery leaves at the top.

They grow slowly and indoors can be over a meter tall. The elephant’s foot is a succulent, but not because of the leaves, but rather by the swollen, bulbous base of the trunk (called the caudex) where it stores water

It adapts very well to the interior environment, as long as it receives a lot of light, the temperature is good and there is little humidity in the soil and air. It is the perfect houseplant for a careless person because needs very little water especially in winter.

8. Sansevieria

This classic houseplant succulent seems almost indestructible. Lto Sansevieria trifasciatait can survive weeks without light or water, without losing its good looks. Its thick, stiff, pointed leaves reach around a meter in length and often have patterned markings reminiscent of a snake.

Over time, it will multiply into a bushy clump that fills the entire pot, but it’s easy to divide and transplant as needed. It tolerates low light but does best in medium to bright light. They also appreciate a bit of water whenever the soil feels dry.

9. African milk tree

The African milk or crown tree (Euphorbia trigona) It can reach a meter in height indoors. It produces erect, triangular and branched stems covered with short but sharp spines.

The tips of the green stems also have small leaves with a reddish tinge. The African milk tree is related to the poinsettia flower, so produces a sticky, milky sap which can irritate the skin if not washed off. It needs plenty of evenly moist soil to stay healthy.

10. Haworthia

The striking stripes and spiky foliage of the haworthia (haworthia fasciata) can make it look like a rare landrace, but it is often available at garden centers and it is very easy to grow.

Place this succulent near a window where it gets a few hours of bright, indirect light every day, and allow the soil to dry out completely between waterings. Haworthia is also a good choice to grow alongside other succulents because it will stay small, with a maximum height of about 12cm.

Succulent plants: basic care

Succulent plants: the light that suits them

Indoor succulents receive less sun than outdoor ones. Many species do best when exposed to direct sun for at least 6 hours. Therefore, You should place sun-loving species such as echeveria in the most illuminated place in your home.

Of course, a large south-facing window is ideal. If you have a fairly dark floor or all your windows face north, some species will not grow well.

Succulent plants: watering

succulents They need a surprising amount of water to grow and thrive. but they must be watered much less frequently than the other houseplants. You have to soak them and let the soil dry before the next watering. On the other hand, it is not convenient to spray the leaves because it prevents strong roots from developing.

What many people don’t know is that heSucculents have periods of dormancy and periods of growth. In the resting phases they do not grow actively and need less water than in the growth phases. Most species remain inactive during the colder months of the year.

During these cold months, the lower leaves of your succulent may also wither and die. But you shouldn’t worry about that, it’s completely normal. They break away from their older leaves and new ones emerge.

You only have to worry if the new or upper leaves are wilting. So you probably made a mistake in watering and your plant got sick.

Succulent plants: the best containers

In general, glass containers are not a good long-term solution for succulents. They do not like wet soil and the water cannot be drained into a glass pot. Another disadvantage of glass terrariums is poor air circulation. Succulents need fresh air to develop healthy roots.

The best containers for succulents are clearly the terracotta and ceramic pots. Wood is also suitable, and very beautiful.

Succulent plants: how to avoid pests

insect infestations they shouldn’t be a problem with your indoor succulents if you care for them properly (adequate irrigation, well-drained soil, oxygenation, etc.).

One of the most common pests are mosquitoes, which they appear when the soil is permanently too wet. Use special cactus soil and let it dry out between waterings.

Another problem that can arise is the mealybugsbut infrequently affect indoor plants.

The good thing about growing succulents indoors is that there’s not much that can go wrong. Ultimately, these plants are very hardy and frugal. They can resist several weeks without water. So don’t stress and just enjoy the beautiful sight of your succulents. Plants should not be a cause of stress, but should bring joy and beautify your home.