Do Succulents Like Humidity?

Succulents have significantly increased in popularity in recent years, and it’s not hard to see why! They have a unique appearance, add interest to any indoor or outdoor area, and they are super hardy. What more could you want from a plant?

However, that isn’t to say that succulents are impossible to kill. In fact, they do have one big weakness – excess moisture. In turn, this weakness can cause difficulties if you’re trying to grow succulents in a humid environment.

If you’re struggling to encourage your succulents to thrive in a humid environment, check out the information below. We’ve included all of our tried-and-tested tips and tricks that make a humid environment more succulent-friendly.

If you’re not a succulent owner yet, but you are looking for a humidity-resistant plant to brighten up your home, we’ve also included a list of the most hardy succulents available today. They also each have a very unique appearance. Take a look!

What Is A Succulent?

A succulent is a plant that has thick and fleshy leaves. They are this way because they have adapted to store water. Most succulents are native to hot and dry areas such as deserts, or regions that have a semiarid season.

A number of succulents have become particularly popular house plants and ornamentals. For instance, Aloe Vera, Echeveria, and Kalanchoe are now commonly used to brighten up and add interest to interior spaces.

Do Succulents Like Humidity?

Humidity refers to the presence of water vapor in the air. When humidity is high, this means that there is a considerable amount of water in the air. If you notice fog or mist in the air, it is likely that the humidity levels are high in your area.

It is a general rule that succulents don’t like being in particularly humid environments. This is because humid air adds to the moisture of the soil. In turn, soil that is too moist might induce health issues, such as rotting and fungal infections.

However, they are also known to be particularly hardy plants. Even though it isn’t their preferred environment, succulents have been known to survive and do well in areas with 80 to 100% humidity. It is just important that they aren’t exposed to humid air for too long.

How To Grow Succulents In Humid Environments

If you’re concerned about how the environment might affect your succulents, check out the tips and tricks below. You’ll find all of the information you need to ensure that your succulent stays happy and healthy, even when the weather is humid.

Provide Adequate Sunlight

If you live in a humid area, giving your succulents a good dose of daily sunshine is probably the best possible remedy. However, moving your plants around a few times a day can be particularly taxing, especially if you work full time or your plants are potted in a heavy pot.

To avoid this problem, we recommend keeping your succulents indoors and close to a window that gets a good amount of light.

The light that your plant will receive throughout the day should reduce the moisture on the leaves and soil, which will prevent further problems.

Use Grow Light

Generally, you can expect the most humid weather to occur during the cold season.

During this season, it can also be tricky to give your plant a good amount of sunlight. As such, the window method might not work so well in these conditions.

If you’re working with such conditions, we recommend that you try using grow light.

Not only can these reduce the moisture in the soil that will cause your succulent harm, but they will also give them a good boost throughout the winter.

Avoid Excess Watering

If you live in a humid area, it is necessary to be sparing when it comes to watering your succulent.

The general rule is to always check the moisture level of the soil before watering. If it is not completely dry, do not water the plant!

In regular conditions, watering a succulent once a week is just fine. However, in more humid conditions, it might be more appropriate to water the plant once every two or three weeks to avoid the dangers of excess moisture.

Improve Indoor Air Circulation

We have already mentioned that bringing your succulents indoors during humid weather is a good idea. However, if your interior is also humid, the excess moisture can still damage your succulent.

If you’re a keen succulent grower, we recommend investing in a good dehumidifier. This will ensure that your plant will remain healthy regardless of the weather outside, and it can also be quite refreshing for you too!

Use A Suitable Soil And Pot

To give your succulent the best chance, you should make sure that you are using an appropriate type of soil and pot. Succulents need well-draining soil and thrive when the soil is mixed with sand.

If you have your succulent in a coffee mug or glass jar, we recommend repotting it in a more suitable container that has been made specifically to allow for drainage. If you need to purchase a suitable pot, you can do so here.

Be Vigilant

Finally, if you are keeping your succulent in a humid environment, it is necessary that you keep an eye out for any signs of health problems or deterioration. If you notice any wilting or the growth of fungus, this is a sign that your plant is struggling due to humidity.

The Best Succulents To Grow In A Humid Environment

If you’re a big fan of succulents, but you live in a particularly humid environment and don’t fancy dealing with difficulties described above, don’t worry!

There are a few succulent species that have been known to deal very well with such environments.

Check them out below!

Crassula Ovata (Jade Plant)

Crassula Ovata, or more commonly known as the jade plant, is a very popular type of house plant. It is a particularly lovely-looking plant, with rich tubular green leaves that have a reddish outline.

The Crassula Ovata originally comes from South Africa. This means that it is a particularly hardy plant. In fact, it is one of the hardiest succulents available. It can thrive in many different lighting conditions, temperatures, and doesn’t require much care.

Aloe

Aloe is another particularly popular house plant. They are known for their very long and sharp leaves that contain Aloe Vera gel. Aloe plants are very low maintenance and are actually very difficult to kill (even in high humidity!).

Kalanchoe Delagoensis

Also known as the Devil’s Backbone and Mother of Millians, the Kalanchoe Delagoensis is a very unique-looking plant.

It has very thick, short leaves and appears as if it has been coated in white or pink paint. Most importantly, this plant is very hardy. It can survive and even thrive, in many different environments.

Euphorbia Milii

This plant is also known as the Crown of Thorns, due to its very thorny appearance. However, it does produce beautiful pink, white, and red flowers, which brighten up any interior or exterior.

The Euphoria Milii has a good reputation for being very hard to kill. It is native to Madagascar, so it can handle many different types of climate. As such, it’s a great option for beginners who live in humid environments.

Delosperma Cooperi

Finally, if you have struggled with over-watering in a humid environment in the past, this succulent might be perfect for you. Unlike other succulents, the Delosperma Cooperi requires a lot of water to survive.

In turn, this makes it ideal for growing in humid environments. It also has a particularly vibrant and bright appearance that will give your house a wonderful splash of color! It will survive indoors or outdoors.

Final Thoughts

Succulents make for wonderful house plants. They are unique-looking, bold, hardy, and very versatile. Although, humid environments are succulents’ Achilles heel.

The presence of excess moisture can cause a lot of damage to an otherwise healthy succult.

However, this isn’t to say that you cant grow succulents if you live in a humid environment. If you follow our tips and tricks above and take a look at our favorite humidity-resistant plants, you’ll be a succulent grower in no time!