Succulent plants are trendy because they look good in homes, offices, businesses, etc. It’s an easy choice for people who are busy with their everyday lives because succulents’ juicy leaves, stems, and roots allow them to thrive even in hot weather and minimum supervision. It does not hurt that they look stunning placed on your windowsill, counters, fireplaces, and terraces.
The color variation of succulents is almost endless. They come in blue-green, chartreuse, pink, red, yellow, white, burgundy, almost black, mixed, and more. They sometimes come with rounded, needlelike, ruffled, berrylike, or spiky leaves, but that doesn’t matter because they look good no matter what.
Here are the top five succulents for the home and how to take care of them:
1. Burro’s Tail (Sedum Morganianum)
Burro’s Tail looks better if you will place it in a hanging basket and hang that over your porch or your home garden. Their leaves will look like waterfalls since they grow up to three-feet long. It’s a native of Mexico and prefers medium to high light for best performance.
Keep the soil dry during winter season and fertilize once during summer with a balanced 10-10-10 fertilizer. Pink or red flowers may appear if you managed to take care of them. The leaves of Burro’s Tail easily fall off, so make sure to place them in a location where they cannot be disturbed.
2. Jade Plant (Crassula Ovata)
The Jade Plant is very easy to grow. It’s a native of South Africa and grows thick stems and thick glossy green leaves with a tinge of red. To take care of Jade Plants, allow the soil to dry completely before watering again. Fertilize three times during summer with 10-10-10 fertilizer. For good air movement through the soil, you have to plant it in a terra-cotta.
3. Medicine Plant (Aloe Vera)
The reason why many people choose Aloe Vera is because of its medicinal qualities. For centuries, the healing sap of this has been used to treat wounds and sunburn. The problem is that the plant has sharp teeth, so make sure that it is placed in a location where it would not accidentally cut someone.
Allow the soil to dry out in between soaking. Remember not to allow the plant to stand in water. Keep it under direct sunlight and fertilize three times in summer with a balanced 10-10-10 fertilizer. Do not fertilize during winter.
4. Panda Plant (Kalanchoe Tomentosa)
The Panda Plant is the most common of the Kalanchoe family. It is a native of Madagascar and mostly grown for its foliage.
Between watering, allow the top two inches of soil to dry out. During winter, water just enough to keep the soil from drying out completely. Like many succulents, fertilize three times with a 10-10-10 fertilizer during summer. Panda Plants rarely need pruning and grooming, except to remove dried out stems.
5. Ponytail Palm (Beaucarnea Recurvata)
If you want to have palm trees inside your house, then choose the Ponytail Palm. The feathery mops of green leaves sit atop a leathery-looking trunk. It is related to the agave plant, and is also commonly referred to as the Elephant Plant because of its swollen and bulbous base. This succulent plant can grow 12 to 20 feet indoors.
The Ponytail Plant does not need a lot of watering. Allow the soil to dry out completely before watering and keep the plant in the lowest humidity as possible. You may grow it in high light, though it would also adapt in medium light. Fertilize only once a year with a 10-10-10-fertilizer.
