Introduction
I would highly recommend that you start off with some of the more forgiving, hard-to-kill succulent varieties. This approach will prevent you from overwhelming yourself with the more finicky, often more expensive rarities. We have a whole section of our catalog devoted to these easy indoor succulents. Today, I’m going to go over a select few of my favorites from different categories: low light, hanging and trailing, easiest cactus, and more. These are the same varieties that you would find absolutely covering my own house. Even if you’re already a seasoned succulent grower, easy plants like these give you the freedom to expand your collection without drowning yourself in a lot of plant care.
Three Guidelines for Indoor Succulents Care
Additionally, I’m going to attempt to simplify the entirety of indoor succulent care into just three guidelines that every beginner (and even the purported “black thumb”) needs to know. With these tips and the easier varieties, you’re all going to be able to enjoy the low-maintenance, no-fuss charm of succulent house plants.
Easiest Low-Light Indoor Succulents
Let’s start with the easiest low-light succulent because frankly, lack of light is the most common challenge I see people having with their succulents. If you’ll allow me to save my personal best for first, this here is Gasteria—the ultimate succulent house plant. This particular one is a Gasteria bicolor (but forgive me, I lost the label a while ago—it happens). Gasteria always has thick, robust, tongue-shaped leaves and can tolerate low light. They can also withstand neglect—whether you go on vacation and forget to water them or if you accidentally over-water a couple of times. These ones are really resilient. Additionally, they don’t have a lot of issues with pests.
I’ve seen this one keep growing even when it was sealed in a dark box for shipping for about a month and a half—it was still putting off new offsets and looked great. Of course, that’s not ideal, and not how you’d care for your plant, but it’s a good example of how forgiving Gasteria is.
A few other options for low-light succulents include Jade Plants (Crassula ovata or Crassula arborescens) and Haworthia (often called zebra plants). That’s my top three trifecta for indoor low-light succulents.
Easy Fuzzy Indoor Succulents
Next up, we have our easy fuzzy succulents, and my choice for this group has to be the Panda Plant, also known as Kalanchoe tomentosa. The entire plant is covered with a short, felty velvety coating, making it a more sensory tactile experience. I know that when I pass this plant, I can’t help but touch the leaves. It’s a great plant if you have kids who like to touch plants but aren’t going to eat them, as this one isn’t safe to eat. It’s a really flexible, forgiving plant. I’ll be honest, this one hasn’t been treated very well by me, and it’s still chugging along! They can handle a wide range of light conditions and imperfect watering.
An alternate for this category would be the Bear’s Paw (Cotyledon tomentosa), which also has a velvety soft covering on the leaves and cute little claws. The reason it didn’t make the top spot is because it’s not as forgiving of imperfect watering. It stores a lot of water in its chunky leaves, and over-watering can cause it to lose leaves. But for those who tend to underwater, this one could be your best bet.
Trailing Indoor Succulents
Next up, we have trailing succulents. These are great additions to a houseplant collection because they add levels and heights, helping you connect your shelves together as they overflow around them. My top pick for this category is the String of Bananas (Senecio radicans). It truly has these fun banana-shaped leaves and is forgiving of different light conditions. This is because of the translucent tissue along the leaf, which allows more sunlight to enter. Once in the right light and water conditions, it can go crazy, growing stems up to three feet long. The stems are also really easy to re-root.
Another trailing succulent is Senecio jacobsenii, commonly known as Weeping Jade. While not a true trailing plant, it has thick, robust stems that store more water, making it better for those who tend to under-water. I also love the plant’s stress colors. If you can get it into more direct sunlight and stress it a bit with drought, you’ll see lovely magenta flushes on the plant.
Easiest Prolific Indoor Succulents
Now, let’s talk about the easiest prolific succulents. These are the ones that grow quickly, even when they’re indoors. My top pick is the Elephant Bush (Portulacaria afra). It’s a fantastic plant and a strong grower, even in less-than-ideal light. It can also handle a lot of water. You’ll notice wrinkling of the leaves when it’s thirsty, which is your clue that it’s time to give it a good drink.
An alternate pick here is Rhipsalis, specifically the Coral Cactus variety. While this cactus doesn’t have the usual spines, it has fun, bushy-looking clusters of stem segments. This makes it a delicate and charming little plant. Both of these are great options—Rhipsalis might need a little more light, but it’s a trooper!
Easiest Windowsill Indoor Succulents
Windowsills are ideal for succulents, but it’s important to pick varieties that can handle at least a couple of hours of direct sunlight without burning. My first pick for a windowsill succulent is Corpuscularia lehmannii (an Ice Plant). It has chunky blue-green leaves and a pink, bubblegum-colored stem. It’s also forgiving with water, showing signs of thirst with wrinkles in its leaves.
Second, I recommend Senecio scaposus, a fun plant covered in a silvery-white, felt-like coating. It has bean-shaped leaves that split as they grow. Both of these are great for windowsills and can handle direct sun, offering a unique contrast to classic succulent rosettes.
Easiest Cactus Indoor Succulents
The easiest cactus was a hard category for me to judge because many cacti are easy to grow indoors with enough light and the right watering conditions. However, I picked Parodia lenninghausii, also known as the Golden Ball Cactus. It’s a gentle cactus with soft spines, making it a good option for homes with children or pets. When grown indoors, it stays small and round, but if placed outside, it would elongate into a tall columnar cactus.
A backup option is the Peanut Cactus (Echinopsis chamaecereus). It has fun, long stems that sprawl in a cool way and like the Golden Ball Cactus, it doesn’t have crazy spines. The stems bend as they use up their water, offering a neat visual cue that it’s thirsty.
Tips for Indoor Succulents Care
To wrap up, let’s move on to my three secrets for indoor succulent care:
- Pick the Right Variety for Your Location – Choose varieties that fit your home’s light, space, and watering conditions.
- Keep on the Sunny Side – Make sure your succulents get plenty of light. If you don’t have the ideal spot, consider using a grow light.
- Keep Them Dry – Use well-draining soil and a pot with a drainage hole to avoid waterlogging. Water succulents only when they show signs of thirst, such as wrinkling leaves.
Conclusion:
So friends, now you have found out which easy indoor succulents will fit perfectly in your home and how to keep them healthy and happy. Just keep in mind, choose the right variety, give it good light and air flow, and give little water, all these are important things. If you follow these simple tips, you too can make your home a beautiful succulent jungle without any tension. Your succulents don’t need much care, just a little love and attention can keep them happy. Happy succulents, and keeping your home green and fresh!
FAQ’S
How do you keep succulents alive indoors?
Succulents need enough light to survive indoors, so place them in a bright spot or on a windowsill. Watering should also be done carefully – water only after the soil is completely dry, and make sure there are drainage holes in the pot so that water does not stagnate.
What is the easiest succulent to grow indoors?
The easiest succulent to grow indoors is Aloe Vera. This plant grows with low light and low water requirements, and tolerates even a little neglect easily. If you are a beginner, then Aloe Vera is a perfect choice!
Are succulents easy to keep alive?
Well, it is quite easy to keep succulents alive, they just need a little care and the right conditions. They require bright light, little water, and well-draining soil. If you take care of these basic things, then succulents can grow easily and remain healthy for a long time.
How do you save a dying succulent indoors?
If your succulent is dying indoors, first check to make sure it is not dying from over-watering or under-watering. If it is over-watered, remove the pot, inspect the roots and cut off any rotting roots. Then, repot the plant in fresh, well-draining soil and reduce watering slightly. If underwatered, give the plant some water and make sure to water only after the soil is dry. After that, it is also necessary to keep the plant in direct sunlight. With proper care you can revive your succulent!
Do succulents need full sun?
Succulents need full sun, usually 4-6 hours of direct sunlight. If there is no direct sun, they can also be kept in bright, indirect light.