What Are Shade Succulents? Some Famous Shade Succulents You Never Want To Miss

Succulents are striking, eye-catching plants that can be the centerpiece of a drought-tolerant garden due to their statuesque bearing. Succulents can retain water thanks to their thick and fleshy leaves, allowing them to withstand longer between waterings than other plants. In nature, some succulents prefer to be in the shade more than the sun. They are called shade succulents. Though it may not seem like it since most succulents prefer and need sunlight, either to grow better or to flourish if they receive the rays of the sun, they even change the pigmentation of their leaves thanks to direct exposure to light.

Shade Succulents: An overview

However, there are also succulent that are shade plants and grow well in a place with bright shade, where direct sunlight does not reach them; they do not need this light to grow properly and healthily. Something very important that we should not get confused with is that this does not mean that you can put them in the darkest place in your house, these plants may thrive in places where there is no direct sun, but they still need some light to survive. Here is a list of some succulents that can grow in indirect light and look amazing in the process; they can be a great addition for those homes where a very large amount of direct sunlight does not usually enter.

List of shade succulents

Jade Tree – A shade succulent with good luck

This plant is considered good luck in many parts of the world. Many people like to grow and keep it at home, in gardens, or even in offices. Another factor that affects people’s general taste for this is because it is one of the easiest plants to care for at home. The most important factors to consider in growing the “Jade Tree” are irrigation, light, temperature, and fertilizers.

One of the things that most influence these plants’ correct development is that they are well watered. We must not allow it to dry out completely. But we mustn’t exceed the frequency of watering either, as it could cause root rot. We only need to water it if the top of its substrate is dry to the touch. An indicator that we can use is that if we observe that the leaves begin to fall or spots appear on the plant, it is likely that it has a significant lack of water; in this case, we must increase irrigation frequency.

As far as light is concerned, this plant needs sun. So its leaves are healthy and shiny and avoid its branches’ etiolation (That they begin to grow irregularly, lanky and weak). It does not need too intense an exposure, especially in summer, since it can be counterproductive. Instead of benefit, it can even burn the leaves of this tree. In terms of temperatures, this plant does not withstand frost. In this case, if we live in a place where the winters are very cold or have snowfalls, it is best to grow it in pots and take it inside our home when it is very cold. We can keep it inside until spring, where it is best to fertilize it and return it to its place outside.

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Sansevieria Trifasciata

The Sansevierias plant species is one of the most resistant plant species that we can find. This plant can grow indoors, in the garden, or even on the balcony. With their pointed leaves, they can withstand almost any circumstance. They are not plants to everyone’s taste due to their rigid and sharp appearance, but their size is ideal for gardens with a modern style and avant-garde interiors. There are many Sansevieria varieties that we can grow both in pots and in the garden soil.

Thanks to its exceptional resistance, this plant can withstand hot, almost desert climates as long as we keep them protected from the strong sun. There are tall or short varieties, with round, flat or concave leaves, and shades dotted with light green, dark, silver, yellow, or white, there is one so that it can fit perfectly in almost any style of decoration in our homes. Sansevieria care is similar to that of any succulent. We must water it every 2-6 weeks, depending on the temperature, light levels, and humidity of the place, always taking care not to overwater it. They prefer medium light, shade in hot places, and sun in cooler climates. They are versatile plants withstand dry or stale air in our homes and offices, but they can also thrive in a bathroom, where humidity is usually high.

Aeonium Tabulaeforme

Aeoniums, in general, are very striking succulent plants for their rosette-shaped leaves. The Aeonium tabuleiforme is one of the most beautiful, with an interesting compact, almost flat foliage and leaves arranged in a Fibonacci spiral. Tabuliform is one of the coldest sensitive Aeoniums. It grows incredibly well outside. But needs protection in temperatures below 39 ° F. A tip when planting this Aeonium is to incline it slightly so that the water can flow freely from the crown. It does not puddle the plant’s center that could rot if you expose it to constant and prolonged humidity. It can also be planted vertically, between rocks or cracks in a wall.

Christmas cactus

These cacti are one of the most popular and favorite succulents of many people. When they blossom, they produce colorful tubular flowers in pink or lilac colors. In addition to being pretty, they also have a fairly long flowering time. It adds to their easy care, makes them a wonderful plant to keep indoors, and gives it a different and natural touch. Unlike many other cacti, Christmas cacti do not come from arid environments. Still, in their natural habitat, they are epiphytic plants that live on trees’ branches in Brazil’s rainforests.

Thanks to their provenance, these cacti prefer a humid, not dry climate, and it is important to water these cacti more frequently than most succulents. The Christmas cactus grows very well in pots, as long as they have their essential drainage holes. It will help if you keep them in a place with bright but indirect light, with temperatures between 60 and 70ºF. In the hot months of summer, we can keep it outside in a place provided with adequate shade until the temperatures cool again. It is important to remember that this cactus’ substrate, contrary to other cacti and succulent plants, must be kept slightly humid to not suffer from droughts.

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Aeonium “Kiwi”

Colorful succulents are a favorite of almost every fan of these plants. Aeonium “kiwi” is a small green leafy succulent with a hint of bright color around the edges. Aeonium “Kiwi” is rosette-shaped, with succulent leaves that store water. They are slow-growing succulent plants that typically don’t exceed 10 inches tall and 10 inches wide. They are perfect for medium containers and rockery gardens. These small Aeoniums prefer to grow in the shade, whether they are in containers or planted in the garden soil. We need to keep in mind that they are a species not very resistant to cold, and it may be better to protect them indoors in winter to avoid damage or burns.

Gasteria Gracilis

Gasteria is a species of succulents native to South Africa, where it grows in shady conditions in soils with excellent drainage and has a shape similar to Aloe. This plant tolerates lower light conditions than most other known succulents, making them very good indoor plants. Depending on the species, Gasteria leaves usually have very interesting reliefs and colorations.

When grown indoors, you need to keep Gasteria in a place with bright light but not direct sunlight. When grown in the garden, the soil should be somewhat sandy and well-drained, which will prevent root rot, and if it is outdoors, they should also have bright light without direct sun. Filtered sunlight under large trees is ideal. Gastritis, like most succulents, requires little water or fertilizer. It will be enough to water it only when the substrate is completely dry and fertilize them once a year, in spring, regardless of whether they are being grown as indoor or garden plants. Indoor potted plants can be brought outside during the summer for more wind and a change of environment, as long as they in shady areas.

Euphorbia Ritchiei

This small and original succulent plant is from Kenya. It is an attractive plant for hot and dry environments that produce small pink flowers on its stem in late spring to early fall. It grows columnar emitting small rounded protrusions on the stem arranged in a spiral called tubercles. Some leaves form at the end of the stems during the growing season, but they fall as the plant goes to rest. It is easy to propagate through underground buds. The stems of Euphorbia ritchiei turn red in full sun. Although this color gives a unique appearance to the plant, it is a stress symptom since it does not tolerate direct sun for a long time. To take good care of this plant, it is better that you grow it in a very bright shade with well-drained soil, watering only when the substrate is dry.

Hawortia Cymbiformis

This shade succulent is a very fleshy plant that retains a lot of water, allowing it to go long without irrigation. This succulent plant’s most important quality is its leaves’ color, a pale green tone with translucent tips, so more light enters them. You can locate it where it gets exposed to the semi-shade or filtered sun in its natural environment. In the garden, a place where it receives the sun in the morning, but shade in the afternoon, will do well. As a houseplant, this succulent prefers indirect sunlight. Since Hawortia is not a very tolerant plant to very low temperatures in winter, the idea is to keep them indoors. Irrigation should include below. It will be enough to water when the substrate dries completely. Excess water will be very harmful to this Hawortia as it is prone to root rot.

Crassula Ovata “Gollum”

The Crassula Ovata “Gollum” is one of the popular “jade plant” family members and makes an excellent shade succulent. Gollum is very easy to get since it reproduces very easily from a small clone. It grows easily in a lively way in sunny climates. However, if they are in very hot environments, it is best to keep them in partial shade. It can also be grown indoors, in front of a very bright window. The care of this Crassula is simple. It requires a substrate with good drainage, little watering only necessary when the soil dries completely, and a little fertilizer for succulents once a year in spring to help with its general development.

Make sure to follow Succulent City on Facebook, Pinterest & Instagram for more informative & interesting content about succulents & cacti 🙂 Happy planting, and live the moment, my friend!

Hawortia

Hawortias are succulent plants that have striking white spots on their pointed leaves. Thanks to these striking pearly specks, it is also called “Zebra Cactus,” “Pearl Plant,” or “Star Plant.” Its care is very simple. It is considered one of the easiest succulents to care for. To do this, we must ensure well-drained soil and be careful not to overwater. We need to water it when its soil is completely dry and its leaves begin to curl. It can happen every two or three weeks, based on the weather. In the winter, they need less water so that we can suspend watering. In case of keeping it outdoors, we must place the plant in a place with bright light but away from the sun’s rays that can quickly scorch its leaves’ curled tips. You can grow it indoors, near a very bright window away from prolonged direct sunlight.

Which are your favorite shade succulents?

Each shade succulent has its unique characteristic. Among the given list, which one do you like most and why do you like it? Comment us with your choice below.

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