A Guide to Succulents For Beginners

If you are new to gardening and are at the point of selecting easy plants to grow, you have probably come across succulents.

Succulents are perfect for beginners as they are

easy to maintain,
don’t require a lot of resources,
and can be grown both inside your home and outdoors.

Plus, they don’t need lots of space so are suitable for all homes and gardens no matter how big or small.

If you are thinking about growing succulents at home, keep reading this guide to succulents for beginners to help you select the right succulents for your home.

What Are Succulents?

Did you know that cactus plants are a type of succulent?!

Succulents aren’t just one plant, they are a variety of plants that store water in their leaves. They thrive in dry climates with little water and lots of sunlight.

There are many different varieties of succulents ranging in shape, size, textures, and colors. With some dark green and spiky, others have smooth thick leaves that change in color placed in more sunlight such as pink, orange, and purple.

Which Succulents Are Good For Beginners?

With over 1000 types of succulents, it can be challenging to know where to start for beginners. Here are 6 succulents that are perfect for beginners to look after and grow:

Echeveria

One of the most popular varieties of succulents is echeverias. They are appreciated by many for their rosette-shaped leaves.

Echeverias grow from a couple of inches to 12 inches tall. They are easy to care for requiring lots of sunlight and a dry environment. When watering, ensure to wait for the soil to dry out completely before rewatering.

Sempervivum

Sempervivums also have rosette-shaped leaves with many varieties offering two tones of deep green and purple. For a short period in the summer, many varieties will provide pink, red, or yellow flowers.

Sempervivums require the soil to be completely dry before watering again.

Sedum Donkey’s Tail

Also known as Burro’s tail, this unique succulent has oval, bulbous green leaves grouped and growing upwards.

To retain its plump shape, it does need watering more regularly than other succulents. Ensure to water this plant again once the top of the soil has become dry.

It also does not need full sunlight like other plants. Sedum Donkey’s Tail only requires partial sun so the leaves don’t burn.

Aloe Vera

Aloe vera is incredibly popular to grow due to its beneficial properties. It has long, thick green leaves full of juices that can help calm sunburn or relieve pain from scrapes.

Aloe needs partial sunlight otherwise the sun will burn its leaves. The soil also needs to completely dry out before watering again.

Zebra Haworthia

Named after its white striped, long green leaves, Zebra Haworthia is an ideal beginner plant. Like with other succulents, this plant is best watered once the soil has completely dried.

Zebra Haworthia also only requires partial sunlight otherwise the leaves will turn bright red and become dry.

Mother of Thousands

This unique succulent has a set of green leaves, with baby plantlets growing on the tips of the leaves. These plantlets will then drop once the main plant dies to grow into new Mother of Thousands plants.

Because of this method of reproducing new plants, it is best to grow Mother of Thousands within a container.

Ensure it is not placed within direct sunlight and watered before the soil completely dries.

What Is The Easiest Succulent To Grow?

All 6 from the above list are some of the easiest succulents to grow and maintain. However, if you were to choose just one succulent, to begin with, I would recommend a variety of Echeverias.

Echeverias are very durable and can withstand sunlight, dry conditions, and cooler months.

When growing echeverias ensure to:

Place in direct sunlight for it to thrive
Move the plant indoors if it becomes too hot in the summer or the winter months so it doesn’t freeze
Water sparingly. Check if the soil has dried completely before rewatering. Do not overwater as the roots will rot
Pinch off flowers in the summer when they have faded

Growing Succulents Indoors Vs Outdoors

Succulents are very durable and can be grown indoors or outdoors. There are a few things to consider when deciding where you will grow your succulents:

Growing Succulents Indoors

If choosing to grow your succulents indoors, make sure to select containers that have excellent drainage to plant your succulents into.

The soil needs to be made up of a sand mixture to be less compact and improve drainage of excess water.

It is important to know what your succulent plant needs, as well as this, will dictate where to place your succulent. Most succulents require a lot of sunlight each day without a draft. Ideal locations are on your brightest windowsill where there isn’t a draft from open doors.

Check out our guide for more about caring for your succulents indoors.

Growing Succulents Outdoors

If you would prefer to grow your succulents outdoors, do keep in mind the season and weather change where you live.

Succulents are suited to hot, dry conditions. In the winter, if they freeze your succulents will not survive.

For this reason, if you live somewhere that does experience cold winters, it might be worth planting your succulents in pots so they can be easily transferred indoors during the winter months.

If you live somewhere with warm weather all year round, you can plant them directly into the ground. Remember to leave lots of room between each plant so they are not competing for resources. It is also less likely that disease or pests will transfer from plant to plant if they are not touching.

Succulents make excellent plants for beginners. They are suited to be grown either indoors or outdoors and do not require a lot of space or resources to thrive.

By choosing to grow a range of succulents, you can provide your garden or indoor space with an eye-catching arrangement. But do keep in mind that each succulent has slightly different care requirements, so it might be best for a beginner to choose just one variety to start with.

Here are some key points to remember about succulents to help your succulents thrive:

Most succulents prefer hot, dry areas
They do not like humid or drafty conditions
Succulents are suited to dry weather and hence do not need too much water. Overwatering will lead to root rot
If you live in a location that experiences cold winters, make sure your outdoor succulents are in pots to easily transfer indoors