A considerable number of gardeners and enthusiasts are getting interested in succulents for their home décor utility. They are piece of cake to look care for and are just as aesthetic as other plants and flowers. Here’s our top ten pick for succulents to grow indoors. Don’t forget to learn the tips to plant and care for your garden.
1. Christmas cactus
Schlumbergera x buckleyi, popularly known as the Christmas cactus, is loved for its lack of sharp spines. Which, by the way, makes it a succulent worth potting at your favorite spot inside the house. The plant has a flat, fleshy, segmented stem that goes up to a foot in length and drapes over like a crab’s claw.
The Christmas cactus thrives with a little more water than the other cacti and will do well when kept near a window with a lot of light. It blooms with yellow pollen.
2. Burro’s Tail (Sedum morganianum)
Also known as donkey’s tail, burro’s tail is a trailing succulent best potted in a hanging basket or on a container over a high place that will let it drape over. Its stems grow up to three feet and have gray-green leaves that measure a plump grain of rice in size. While the plant rarely blossoms, it will have pink or red flowers at the end of the stems in summer. It does well under bright light and does not require much watering in its dormant winter growth period.
3. Jade Plant (Crassula ovata)
This succulent has been in the books for years. It is a well-loved plant and deserves all the praise. It is a South African native and has stocky, branched stems with thick, glossy green leaves that sometimes get a red tinge over the edges with the sun. While it grows several feet tall outdoors or when in the garden, it will stick to one foot and will grow heavy on the top. It is advisable to pot it in a heavier terra-cotta like container.
To keep it looking pretty, water it once the soil is completely dry. If you see its leaves starting to lose its shine, it is a sign of stress and will need water and sun.
4. Aloe vera
This popular succulent has a cluster of long, slender leaves and a short stem. They grow fast and fill up the container within no time but can be easily divided and moved to other pots to avoid overcrowding.
It grows best with dry soil rather than always watered soil and has sharp teeth on the leaf edge that will require you to handle it with care to avoid cuts.
And not just about decoration, aloe vera comes with many health benefits.
5. Panda plant (Kalanchoe tomentosa)
This native of Madagascar is loved for its fuzzy, gray-green leaves that are covered with soft, silvery hairs and tipped with brown or rust-color spots. With the right conditions, bright light, and a bit of water that will not dampen the soil, it will grow to two feet tall. Ensure that you do not get water on the leaves while watering it, as this might result in rot.
6. Ponytail palm (Beaucarnea recurvata)
While the ponytail palm looks like actual palm trees, it is not. It does not look like a succulent either. It has a swollen bulbous base in its trunk that lets it store plenty of water for the seasons, and is the reason for the name Elephant foot. While on the outdoors, it reaches anything between 12-20 feet when mature, but it adapts well to life as a houseplant and will do great with bright light, warm temperature, and mild watering. If you are a neglectful gardener, this is the plant for you. It goes dormant in winter and will not need much watering then.
7. Snake plant (sansevieria trifasciata)
This hardy plant can survive months without water and in total darkness without losing its shine. It has thick, stiff, pointed leaves that grow straight up, reaching three feet and have snakelike pattern markings hence the name.
To keep it shiny, water it whenever the soil feels dry, and keep it near medium to bright light and divide it and repot whenever it fills up the pot in a thick clump.
8. Zebra haworthia (Haworthis fasciata)
This succulent derives its name from its striking stripes and spiky foliage that make it look like an exotic plant. It is readily available and easy to grow at home. It does well under bright light, and you only need to water it when the soil feels dry between your fingers.
Zebra haworthis can also be grown alongside other succulents as it stays small and grows to a maximum of five feet.
9. The African Milk Tree (Euphorbia trigona)
Even though the African milk tree grows to nine feet tall, it is not a tree. It grows to three feet when grown in the house and produces upright, triangular, branched stems with short but sharp thorns along the rib. Its tips have small leaves with a reddish tinge and produce a milky, sticky sap that irritates skin if not washed off immediately with water. It needs plenty of light and enough water to keep the soil evenly moist.
10. Hens-and-chicks (Echeveria elegans and Sempervivum tectorum)
Two closely related succulents share the name hens-and-chicks; echeveria elegans and sempervivum tectorum.
Echeveria has flat, flowerlike rosettes that have rounded edges and grows arching, bell-shaped blooms annually.
Sempervivum forms rosettes, but its leaves are flatter and more pointed. It has tiny, star-shaped flowers with attractive and beautiful colors.
Both of these can be kept as houseplants, and their soil should be allowed to dry slightly between watering to avoid rot and are best kept near a window where there is a bright light.
Final Word
You do not always have to condemn your succulent plants to the outdoors. Some will do just as well indoors and are a beautiful addition to your home décor. Get your garden tools today and pot indoors a bit.
