Low Light Succulents Varieties to Grow in the Dark

Low light succulents – It still a popular choice for houseplants, but they may be difficult to cultivate if you don’t have access to a bright, sunny area. Succulent plants, in general, want as much sunlight as possible. Even if your home or apartment doesn’t have a north-facing window that gets plenty of sunlight, don’t despair. Succulents thrive in low light, and the following list of low light succulents can help you do just that.

Succulents grown in low light need a certain amount of illumination

South-facing windows in the northern hemisphere get the most light throughout the day. In the morning, windows facing east are the brightest; in the afternoon and evening, windows facing west are the brightest. The least quantity of sunlight enters via windows on the north side.

The ideal location for most sun-loving succulents in the northern hemisphere is a window with a south-facing orientation. A west or east-facing window will also work for any of the low-light succulents mentioned here. Some of them can even make it in a dark, north-facing window, but it’s not something I suggest since, although they’ll live, they won’t flourish in that situation.

However, no succulent can live in total darkness. Succulents that need low light may benefit from a tabletop grow lamp if you live in a basement apartment with just one north-facing window, or if you don’t have any windows at all. If you place a tiny grow lamp above low-light succulents for six to eight hours a day, you’ll be surprised at how well they do. Using a timer eliminates the need to always remember to switch the lights on and off.

You now know how much sun low light succulents require, so now let me share with you a list of some of the finest low light succulents. Succulents are excellent houseplants because of their low light requirements.

11 Low Light Succulents to Grow as Houseplants

The venomous Snake Plant

Mother-in-law’s plant is also known as snake plant.One of the hardest low-light succulents, the African native is a tough cookie. Don’t give up on snake plants just because you’ve destroyed so many others. It comes in a wide range of sizes and shapes, some reaching 4 feet in height while others remain compact and only reach a few inches in height. The long, flat, sword-like leaves are green, and depending on the cultivar, they may be marked or variegated in different ways.

This plant requires very little water and requires very little care. Although snake plant thrives in bright light, it can also grow well in dim light, although at a slower rate than it does in direct sunlight. If possible, move the plant to a patio or deck during the summer. Overwatering succulents will kill them, as it would other succulents as well.

Aloe aristata, the Lance Aloe

This plant, oh how I adore it! Succulents that need little light have been in my collection for the last eight years. As long as the mother plants continue producing puppies (offsets), I’ll keep dividing, potting up, and giving them away to neighbors. This 8-inch succulent houseplant spreads out to approximately a foot wide, making it perfect for apartments and compact spaces.

Because of the thick, meaty leaves that retain water for a long time, irrigation is only necessary a few times each year. When growing lance aloe, make sure to choose a potting soil that drains properly (a specialized cacti mix is best). It’s true that this succulent thrives in direct sunlight, but if that’s not an option, it may also be grown well in low light. When watering, be careful to just wet the soil and avoid wetting the rosette’s leaves.

Kalanchoe Tomentosa a.k.a Panda Plant

Kalanchoe tomentosa, often known as the panda plant. Touching the delicate fuzz on these low light succulents’ leaves is impossible for anybody, child or adult. The Panda plant is an easy-to-grow succulent that grows to a height of 18 inches and a width of just a few inches.

Because of their thickness, the stems will extend more in low light than they would in bright light. To maintain a bushier growth habit, I do a half-yearly pruning on mine. Gray-green in color with brown undertones, the leaves have pointed ends.

Gasteria prolifera, the ox tongue succulent plant

With its wide, thick leaves sprouting in pairs from the center growth point, this plant has an appealing shape. The ox tongue plant should be planted in well-draining potting soil with a gritty texture (and for all succulents, really).

Ox tongues are adapted to low light levels since they grow naturally in shady areas of Africa. The patterns and markings on the leaves provide even another level of visual appeal. Between waterings, make sure the potting soil is totally dry. Plants need much less water throughout the winter than they do in the summer.

If you’re fortunate, you may be able to locate a low light succulent with yellow variegation or striping on the leaves, which makes it stand out from the crowd.

Echeveria

Various species of Echeveria Echeverias, one of the most well-known succulents, with a wide variety of leaf colors and forms. The range of choices is mind-boggling. I like the gray/blue-leaved plants better for low light than the green, pink, and purple-leaved ones. I’m not alone. Echeverias’ central stalk will grow longer and wider if they don’t get enough light.

As a result, if at all possible, look for a place with at least four hours of sunlight each day. The plant will not grow too much to one side if the pot is rotated every few days. When it comes to care, echeverias don’t need much from the gardener.

When it comes to watering, it seems that they do best when you ignore them. The plants I have growing in my office during the winter (in the summer, they’re out on the patio) need just two waterings throughout the whole winter season.

Haworthia zebra

Haworthiopsis diminishes in size. This succulent is ideal for gardeners who are just getting started. Plants like Zebra Haworthia or zebra plants do well in bright light, dim light, and all points in between. Leaves with white ridges on the tips are similar in appearance to an aloe but shorter.

The plants’ tiny offsets may be split and potted up so they can survive on their own. In low-light regions, zebra plants tilt toward the sun, but they develop slowly. As a consequence, to maintain an equal growth rate, rotate the pot every few days by a quarter turn. Water your plants just once a month at most.

Mistletoe

There are many species of Rhipsalis in North America. Mistletoe cactus has fleshy, needleless finger-like leaves that cascade from the center of the plant. Succulent as they are, mistletoe cacti are indigenous to the rainforests of South America, where they grow as epiphytes in the trees.

They dislike both full sun and very dry circumstances, which sets them apart from most other cactus. These low-light succulents do best in the morning or evening sun. Several distinct kinds of cacti may be cultivated inside. Our succulent, unlike the others on this low light succulents list, requires to be watered on a regular basis. Overwatering, on the other hand, should be avoided at all costs.Water the soil if it seems too dry to the touch. Wait a few more days if the air seems moist.

The String of hearts

Cedar of the Valley. String of hearts would be my go-to low-light succulent for a hanging basket, if I had to select just one. Small, multicolored heart-shaped leaves adorn string-like stalks that flow down in exquisite trails, fitting their popular name to a tee. The stems of the rosary vine, which are also known as the bead vine, grow little bulbils throughout their length, giving them the appearance of beads strung together.

Small brown/pink trumpet-like blooms may appear on occasion on this low-maintenance houseplant. The vines may grow to a height of three feet. Allow the soil to dry fully between waterings for these low-light succulents. They can tolerate both high and low light levels, but they will only blossom if they have enough direct sunlight.

The String of pearls

Senic/curious rowleyanus. String of pearls and its close relatives, string of bananas (Senecio radicans) and string of tears (Senecio citriformis), are eye-catching low-light hanging succulents.

They resemble little green bubbles and grow on thin stems that dangle from the sides of hanging pots. Alternatively, you may put them in a colorful pot and let them trickle down a bookshelf or plant stand. Even while they thrive in bright light, their succulent nature makes them an excellent low light houseplant as well.

The Burro’s Tail

This plant is known as Sedum morganianum. Low light succulents can’t get much easier to grow or propagate than these colorful beauties. Every leaf that falls to the ground produces roots and ultimately becomes a new plant. They like plenty of light, but can grow quite well in dim light.

Over-watering in the winter will cause the plant to decay, so water more liberally in the summer. A lovely dusty green covers their water-filled leaves which grow thickly along the stems. The stems form a lovely path when placed in pots or hanging plants.

Don’t be shocked if the plant frequently loses leaves and stems simply by brushing against the burro’s tail. But don’t be alarmed; all you have to do is pick up the shattered pieces, bury them in soil, and start the process all over again.

Wax plant

The genus and species of HoyaIn my childhood, my mother had a wax plant, and I’ll never forget the moment it bloomed for the first time for me. There was a lovely aroma filling the kitchen. While wax plants aren’t always blooming, when they do, it’s a sight to see. There are waxy star-shaped blooms on the stalks that attract bees and other pollinators. Long, green vines with medium-sized leaves develop on these semi-succulent plants.

Hoyas trail beautifully or may be taught to climb a window sill. The plants in their natural environment are epiphytic, meaning that their roots and tendrils grow on tree branches rather than in soil.

Even though hoyas are easy to grow in low light, be sure not to overwater them or the soil may rot. To best imitate its epiphytic nature, use a potting mix with pine bark, perlite, and peat. There are many varieties to select from, making it an excellent plant for gardening enthusiasts.

Holiday cactus or Schlumbergera truncata

There is Schlumbergera truncata as well as S. x bukleyi in this collection. Succulents thrive in reduced light settings, and festive plants are a wonderful choice. Schlumbergera is a tropical tree native to South America that has flattened segments on its leafless stems. Its segments have a blunt tip and jagged edges, like those of the Thanksgiving Cactus (S. truncata). The segments of the Christmas cactus, S. x bukleyi, are oblong and have wavy edges.

S. truncata, a native epiphyte, usually blooms around Thanksgiving in the United States. One of its hybrids, S. x buckleyi, is often referred to as the Christmas cactus due to its later blooming time. Low-light succulents like these Christmas cactus do well. Their flowers are really stunning.

The roots of these plants, unlike those of many other succulents, must never be allowed to sit in wet soil.