Last updated on August 25th, 2023 at 12:22 pm
This best indoor succulents guide is all you need to know about the best types of succulents you can grow in your home. Succulents are an excellent choice for those looking for a low-maintenance plant that can thrive in both dry and humid conditions. They require less light, water and can go a long time without the need to be watered.
There are several popular types of succulents that work well for indoor gardens. The Jade Plant is extremely easy to care for and also has beautiful, leafy green foliage with jagged edges. Another option is the Echeveria which has a more pronounced spiky appearance.
For those who prefer stringier plants like cacti, there’s the Senecio rowleyanus which produces long thin leaves overtime before blossoming into clusters of blue flowers in late summer or early fall.
The Kalanchoe daigremontiana looks great as part of an arrangement on your desk while its glossy red-orange leaves can be eaten raw as they have no toxic qualities (though it does contain oxalic acid so should be cooked before consuming). The Haworthia cooperi is a more delicate succulent with small, fleshy leaves that can grow in clusters up to 12 inches high.
What are indoor succulents?
Indoor succulents are plants that are grown in your house. They can be easily and quickly found at indoor plant nurseries or in the plants’ section of some supermarkets.
The benefits of succulents are that they need minimal care and are durable. They can tolerate a variety of lighting conditions, making them perfect for low-light areas such as offices. Plus, the plants require little watering which saves you time!
There are many different types of succulents, so it is best to research each type thoroughly before making a purchase as some species may require more light or water than others do in order to grow and thrive inside your home.
The key with all plants indoors is providing them with the right amount of sunlight, and if you cannot provide enough natural light then supplemental lighting should be used in combination with artificial lights placed near the plant for maximum results.
Best indoor succulents to grow
1. Burro’s Tail
This plant is found in the deserts of the southwest including Arizona and New Mexico. It’s a succulent that can survive long periods without water. The Burro’s Tail succulent has beautiful, bluish-green leaves with white stripes on them. This plant requires low light so it works well for those living in apartments or other areas where there isn’t much natural sunlight.
The downside to this type of succulents is they do not take up too much space which some would rather have as opposed to something like air plants which need more attention because they are hanging from the ceiling or sitting around your home waiting for you to remember them! Plus, these types of indoor plants require less watering than others making them easy when it comes to time to trim the budget.
The Burro Tail succulent grows with a single stem that then branches off to create more height and width. They are relatively tall, but not too wide, which makes them easy for those who have less space in their homes or apartments. These types of indoor plants require very little maintenance when it comes down to watering as they can go up to four months without needing water!
This plant is great because even if you forget about it for a while, there’s no risk of wilting away like other plants might be prone to do after neglecting them! It also has an attractive look that adds some charm to any room – making this one worth looking at before picking your favorite type of indoor plant for your home or apartment!
2. Christmas cactus
The Christmas cactus is a popular houseplant, and for good reason. This plant has beautiful pink flowers that bloom at the end of winter when you need something to cheerfully remind us that spring will soon be here. Plus, it doesn’t require much light or water so if your home gets too hot in the summertime or dry from air conditioning during other seasons this is a perfect plant for your space!
The best part? It only needs watering once every two weeks which means less time spent tending to plants.
3. Hens-and-Chicks
The Hens-and-Chicks is one of the best indoor succulents for beginners. It has a low water requirement and can easily be grown from cuttings or taken out into the garden in summer to grow more plants. This plant looks nice enough as an accent but is also durable enough to be used on its own.
The name comes from its resemblance to chicks huddled around their mother hen, with leaves resembling those of both baby chickens and mothers, respectively.
Hens-and-chicks is a type of succulents that can grow in both sun and shade.
This means it will help to attract insects like bees and butterflies which pollinate your flowers, fruits, and vegetables. Any part of the hen-and-chick succulents can be eaten as long as you cook them first (except for the roots).
They’re sweet tasting when cooked in sugar water before frying up with eggs for breakfast! The leaves are also beautifully used fresh on salads or wilted over pasta dishes. Don’t worry if they seem slow-growing at first, they’re natural to take a while.
4. Jade Plant
In the world of succulent plants, jade is a standout. It’s one tough cookie that can withstand some pretty rough conditions—it grows well in low light and tolerates drought. The plant has small thick leaves that are a deep green color with an earthy tint to them.
The Jade Plant ( Crassula ovata ) originated from South Africa but now thrives outdoors all over Southern California as well as other parts of the United States too. This hardy succulent prefers indirect sunlight or bright shade, so it’s perfect for creating depth in your indoor garden without having to worry about watering schedules! As long as you give this beauty room to grow then you’ll have yourself not just one, but many jade plants.
5. Aloe Vera
Aloe vera is a great plant for the bathroom because it can grow in low light and dry air. The Aloe Plant needs only to be watered once or twice per week, but it also likes its soil to stay moist so make sure you water thoroughly when needed.
When caring for your aloe vera don’t prune off any leaves if possible, as this will help them turn into more of a bush shape that can hold up better against drafts. You should trim back certain ones every few months though in order to encourage new leaf growth on younger parts of the plant. And make sure you never overwater!
If an aloe Vera succulent has been trimmed correctly then they won’t need much care at all and can last for years. Aloe vera plants don’t require any direct sunlight or fertilizing, but they do need to be watered from time to time when the soil starts drying out.
6. Panda Plant
The Panda Plant, sometimes called the Hen and Chick plant is a small succulent that gets its name from its white hairs. It prefers full sunlight or bright light but will survive in low-light conditions because of how slow-growing they are. They can make good house plants for people who don’t have natural sun exposure at home.
Panda Plants should be watered every two to three weeks with about an inch of water poured onto the soil surface; using containers without drainage holes may lead to root rot so use terra cotta pots instead. You also need to fertilize once per year during springtime, with a diluted liquid fertilizer like fish emulsion or worm castings mixed into the potting mix before planting your new succulent.
The Panda Plant is an excellent choice for people who may not have access to natural sunlight because of their location or schedule and it’s a great way to add color, texture, and life where you live without the need for expensive equipment.
7. Ponytail Palm (Beaucarnea recurvata)
One of the most popular houseplants to grow inside is a ponytail palm. This plant can be grown in many different kinds of containers, but it needs bright light and high humidity. The soil should always remain moist for this species, with watering done about once every other day or so depending on how quickly the potting mix dries out before being watered again.
These plants are tolerant of neglectful care as they easily bounce back from drought conditions within three days. They also tolerate dry air well indoors since their natural habitat usually has quite low levels of humidity outdoors. A ponytail palm grows best when its roots are not completely submerged, which means that water must be drained away often enough to keep them partially wet without letting them drown.
8. Snake Plant
The Snake Plant is a low-maintenance, easy-to-grow succulent. It can survive in both dry and moist environments. The plant gets its name from the leaves that emerge at one end of the stem and then coil around it like a snake! This means you’ll want to ensure your room has enough space for this slow-growing beauty.
It’s available with dark green or variegated leaf color variations, but no matter which choice you make, they’re beautiful plants that will look great in any environment!
9. African Milk Tree
The African Milk Tree is a great plant for beginners. It’s native to Sudan and can grow up to 15 feet in height – but its more usual size is around five or six feet tall. The tree produces small white flowers that have a pleasant smell, and these turn into clusters of bright orange fruit.
This succulent needs medium light conditions with moderate water levels; too much will cause the leaves to get droopy and lose color while not enough leads to them turning brown and drying out. It also prefers daytime temperatures between 70-78 degrees Fahrenheit (21-26°C) with nighttime temps at 65-75 °F (18-24 °C).
You’ll need potting soil mixed with sand or perlite because the African Milk Tree’s roots grow deep and won’t do well in potting soil alone.
10. Zebra Haworthia
Zebra Haworthia, with its striped leaves reminiscent of a zebra’s coat, is an attractive and easy-to-care-for succulent. Zebra Haworthias are available in both green and white varieties but the best variety to grow indoors is the variegated form that has shades of pale pink on it.
These plants can be damaged by excessively hot or cold temperatures so they should not be placed near windowpanes where cold air from outside may blow through them during the winter months. They prefer moist soil which needs to dry out before watering again as their roots do not tolerate excess moisture.
If you happen to experience too much water around this particular plant then use potting mix instead of regular soil as it will drain more quickly.
11. Crown of Thorns (Euphorbia milii)
This is a tropical plant that has gained popularity in the United States. The succulent is typically found growing on coastal rocks, and even though it thrives outdoors, it does well inside too! It can grow to be around 16 inches tall with dark green leaves covered by thorns.
12. String of Bananas
The string of bananas plant, with lush green leaves and sagging yellow flowers are very pleasing to the eye. It’s not hardy enough for outdoor gardens but it does well in containers indoors since they need consistent warmth or light from artificial light sources such as grow lights.
They also prefer soil that drains well (either potting mix with perlite added) so you don’t have to water them every day – just once or twice a week depending on how warm your house is kept during winter months when plants go dormant; then again more frequently in the summertime when they’re actively growing and producing those beautiful blooms!
13. Lithops
Lithops is a genus of succulent and perennial plants currently monotypic within the erythrospermaceae family. They have a round, flat appearance with leaves known as fronds that are fused together on top of the soil to conserve water. Lithops can grow in different colors including greenish-grey, pinkish-red, brownish-yellow, or cream white, and often resemble pebbles when they’re not flowering.
14. String of Pearls
String of Pearls, or Senecio rowleyanus is a stringy stemmed succulent with fleshy leaves. The individual segments are covered in tiny white hairs and when the plant flowers it produces small yellow-green star-shaped blooms resembling strings of pearls giving rise to its common name.
String of Pearls will grow well indoors as long as they’re given bright light and high humidity levels. It needs an environment that mimics their natural habitat found on rocky slopes in South Africa where they thrive on winter rainfall so make sure you mist them every day if possible!
Keep your String of Pearls away from direct sunlight because heat can cause injury to this sensitive succulent variety.
15. Kalanchoe tomentosa (Panda-like plant)
The Panda-like Plant is a succulent that originates from South Africa. It has beautiful textured, light green leaves with white spots scattered across the surface of each leaf to give it an adorable little panda-like appearance. This plant usually doesn’t need much watering and can withstand some pretty cold temperatures as well so you don’t have to worry about freezing your poor little Kalanchoe every time there’s a heatwave!
This wonderful houseplant loves low lights and could be placed in any brightly lit room or on the window sill without too many problems – just make sure they get plenty of fresh air by cracking open the windows occasionally.
Give this gorgeous little guy a bright spot for at least four hours per day (sunlight) and you’ll be rewarded with a happy, healthy Panda Plant!
How to Care for the Kalanchoe:
The kalanchoe usually does not need much watering and can withstand some pretty cold temperatures so you do not have to worry about freezing your poor little plant every time there’s a heatwave!
16. Kalanchoe blossfeldiana
The Kalanchoe blossfeldiana is a small, low-growing succulent plant that will bring life to any dull and dusty corner of your room! This lovely houseplant can grow as tall as 12 inches but they are more often seen at around six inches in height.
They bloom year-round which makes them perfect for those who suffer from a seasonal affective disorder or just want some sunshine indoors all the time! As with most other plants, this one loves plenty of bright sunlight – it’s no surprise since their natural habitats are typically found near deserts in Africa so you know these guys need lots of light.
The kalanchoe blossfeldiana does not like cold weather much though, so make sure you keep them away from drafts by closing your windows and doors when the temperature drops below 40 degrees.
17. Pencil Cactus (Euphorbia tirucalli)
The Pencil Cactus is a great choice for those who don’t want to spend their time watering plants. This succulent would be perfect for an office or classroom desk because it needs very little water and care, making it a low-maintenance option.
Conclusion
There are many different types of indoor succulents with various shapes, sizes, and color schemes. I’ve found that the best ones are usually easy to find in stores, so you can easily pick them up when they’re needed! The key is knowing how much light your selected plant will need before buying one.
If you live in a place like NYC without natural sunlight (and central air conditioning), then these tips should help make your life easier by saving money on electricity and water.
