It’s difficult to ignore the overwhelming popularity of the humble succulent for a variety of gardening, horticultural, and interior design projects.
These cheeky little plants are so adorable and easy to care for, that they are often a great choice even for someone who neglects their houseplants!
What You Can Expect: If you are wondering whether or not succulents are considered good houseplants, we outline our top 12 reasons why they make a wonderful houseplant in all homes, along with some top varieties to help you.
Are succulents good houseplants?
These unique and quirky plants can be a fantastic, low-maintenance complement for any home.
Because there are so many varieties of plants available, finding the right succulent for yourself will be easy.
Here’s twelve reasons why succulents make great houseplants.
1. Succulents are low to no maintenance
Despite its lush green leaves, these species hail from extreme dry terrariums where they may even need to go dormant to ride out a drought.
Succulents don’t require a lot of watering or feeding, in fact too much fussing could even be harmful to the courageous plants.
When pampered inside your home in a warm temperature they will be better positioned to inhabit a wonderful place where they look their best all year round!
2. Succulents are on-trend plants
Gain some interior design experience by simply adding some succulents to a sunny area of your home.
While they are loveable objects of interest, they contribute to and enhance a variety of interior design styles and color palettes and generally modernize a space.
Succulent’s popularity will not diminish any time soon, with various-themed planting projects and emerging designs and colours being implemented.
3. Succulents are some of the most drought-tolerant plants around
If you’re used to a crispy houseplant every time you turn the heating on in your home, you will discover that succulents will cope unbelievably well with dry conditions and are resistant to wilting when left unattended for a while.
This is due to the fact that the succulent has the unique adaptation to store their water in their plump foliage, limiting their need for water.
Provide too much water for your succulent, and you are likely to rot its roots.
4. These plants have amazing variety
There are hundreds of varieties of succulent plants. The most common succulents have varieties of the classic well-styled leaves.
Many succulents come in remarkable shapes and colors and variations of leaves.
Depending on their conditions and exposure to sun, the color will change to vibrant and vivid hues ranging from orange to a deep mauve.
With the number of sizes, you will find a succulent no matter where you want a succulent, from a teacup to a vintage cloche.
5. Succulents can increase humidity
If you enjoy collecting succulents to decorate your home, they will give back to you in the form of increased humidity in your home from releasing moisture into the air through the process of transpiration.
This can help balance dry conditions caused by central heating.
6. Succulents are excellent air purifiers
Succulents are among the best plants for your home if you are concerned with air quality because you or a loved one is experiencing allergies.
The reason is that many species can help clean the air in your home by filtering out pollutants, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as xylene and toluene.
7. Use succulents to oxygenate your home
These are great houseplants for oxygen in your home.
Succulents are one of the rare plant species that release oxygen into their surroundings 24 hours a day.
For other plants using oxygen at night is less than ideal for people suffering from respiratory issues like asthma or COPD.
8. There are so many creative ways to grow succulents as houseplants
Succulents are available in a range of shapes and sizes, meaning that succulents may lend themselves to many clever and stylish home decor projects.
Their low fertilizer and low water requirements mean that succulents can be used in a wider variety of projects with unusual plantings.
Here are some clever and stylish projects you could use these house plants for:
- Terrarium
- Teacup planter
- Framed succulents
- Living wall
- Macrame succulents
- Hydroponic succulents
- Fish tank or aquarium
9. Many succulents have health and healing properties
There are many (but not all) succulent plants that should be considered edible and have medically-relevant properties that can be used to combat a variety of ailments.
Aloe Vera is known to be a medicinal plant famous (worldwide) for its health-giving properties whether it is applied topically or ingested.
Yucca is another commonly known succulent plant with powerful anti-inflammatory properties when the roots are boiled to make a tea.
10. Succulents are easy to propagate
It’s simple to grow more of your succulents or grow your own from the interesting variety of your friends!
You can propagate succulents using leaf cuttings, stem cuttings or just divide from a healthy plant and in no time you will have new healthy plants.
Here are some succulents to propagate for your home:
- Echeveria
- Sedum morganianum
- Sedum nussbaumerianum
- Sedum rubrotinctum
- Graptopetalum paraguayense
- Sempervivum arachnoideum
11. Enjoy some beautiful flowering with certain varieties
If you appreciate a little more color from your succulent houseplant, you will be happy to know there are many flowering varieties that will provide a nice display once a year.
Flowering varieties included:
- Flowering Kalanchoe
- Calandiva
- Purple Ice Plant
- and Mable Buttons
12. Succulents can help to enjoy a peaceful, calm home
Succulents can create a sense of peace and well-being in your living space that helps you unwind and enjoy your surroundings.
These interesting and highly-stylized plants can be placed in clusters by a window or hung in a hanging basket, to add character to your rooms.
If you have a home office, placing one or two succulents on your desk can enhance your focus and productivity.
Here are 5 great succulents to enjoy as houseplants
These succulents look amazing in your home and are easy to care for.
Jade (Crassula ovata)
A classic house plant is the money plant, which boasts pert and oval leaves.
It grows to around three feet tall.
If treated properly, your Jade plant can will almost last forever,, jade plants are handed down through families.
Hens and chicks (Sempervivum tectorum)
This trendy succulent features a unique rosulate arrangement of its fleshy leaves.
Popularly known as houseleek, hens and chicks enjoy dry growing conditions, making it an excellent choice for the neglectful plant owner.
It can also be easily propagated from one leaf!
String of hearts (Ceropegia Woodii)
This is a playful trailing succulent that features long, slender stems and thin leaves, and thrives in bright sun.
It’s a quick grower that can look very dramatic if kept on a shelf.
Aloe Vera
This legendary succulent is a health and wellness superstar.
Aloe Vera will sanitize your air and humidity and oxygenate your room.
Once you become the proud owner of a thriving plant, you can chop off the leaves and use the gel inside as a soothing topical, as well as a hair or skin treatment.
Burros tail (Sedum morganianum)
This quirky native Mexican plant provides a lovely trailing effect that will suit either a hanging basket or pot.
Each of its unique leaves are sensitive to direct sunlight so be sure to keep it in semi-shade.
Before long you will be able to admire some beautiful purple or blue flowers from this succulent.
Rounding Up
As you can see, succulents are among the best indoor plants and, along with the fun of caring for them and showing them off, you will find yourself addicted to collecting these plants.
Experienced owners realize you can never have enough!
Kick start your succulent collection today, and make your home beautiful!!