Do Succulents Need Light?

If you are looking for your first plant to own, succulents will be perfect for you.

They are very low maintenance and don’t require a lot of attention, so if you are unable to dedicate a lot of time to your plants but you want some in your home, succulents are a good way to go.

They are perfect for those who live busy lives and can’t dedicate lots of time to nurturing plants, but also for those who want to add some decoration to their homes!

Even though succulents don’t require round-the-clock care, they still need to be stored correctly.

This will help your succulents to stay healthy and not become too damaged by the sun, especially if they are on display in your home.

As succulents are indoor plants, do they need light to survive?

Find out everything you need to know about caring for your succulent below so that you can keep them looking healthy for as long as possible.

What Are Succulents?

Succulents are plants that have thick leaves where they store water. As succulents store water in their leaves, they can survive in dry conditions so they do not need to be watered regularly or experience rainfall.

This is what makes succulents ideal houseplants for people who do not have lots of time to dedicate to their plants.

Do Succulents Need Light?

As succulents store water in their leaves, it is assumed that they are used to living in the same conditions as cacti. Although they enjoy warm and dry conditions, succulents need to be stored in the correct light so that they can survive.

There are over 40 different families that succulents can belong to, so you must get the lighting correct for the succulent that you have.

Here are the types of light that different succulents prefer so that you can make sure that the conditions are perfect for your succulents.

Direct Sunlight Succulents

With direct sunlight succulents, they must get at least 4 hours of direct sunlight a day for them to grow properly. Although succulents are houseplants, direct sunlight succulents require direct sunlight to help maintain their color.

Most succulents are green in color and can maintain this through living indoors.

This is due to them being exposed to direct sunlight and indoor lighting. Positioning the succulents on a windowsill where they can be exposed to sunlight and heat is the perfect place for them to happily grow.

The succulents that need direct sunlight are aloes, bunny ear cactus, and the jade plant. By keeping these succulents in direct sunlight, they will be able to live for longer and there is no danger of their leaves becoming moist or soft.

The sunlight helps to keep their leaves firm so that they can continue to store water in them.

Indirect Sunlight Succulents

With indirect sunlight succulents, they need to be positioned correctly so that they are not exposed to too much direct sunlight.

They are ideal for people who are inexperienced in looking after plants as they do not need to be placed in bright sunlight.

You can keep the succulents on the windowsill, but the sunlight needs to either be indirect or filtered. The ideal location is somewhere in the room where there is bright sunlight that isn’t direct.

The sunlight can also be filtered by a mesh curtain so there isn’t direct sunlight directly shining on the succulent.

The indirect sunlight succulent group is home to some of the most popular succulents that people have in their homes.

The zebra plant, Christmas cactus, and flaming Katy are popular succulents that thrive in bright indirect sunlight and away from the rays.

Artificial Light For Succulents

If you are unable to get direct or indirect sunlight into your home, it is a good idea to consider artificial lighting for your succulents.

If you want to position your succulents in a certain place in your home but it is away from sunlight, artificial lighting can help keep them healthy when they are in the area that you want them to be in.

Giving the succulents between 14-16 hours of artificial light a day will allow the succulents to grow and prevent you from worrying about whether or not they are getting enough sunlight.

The quality of the light from the artificial light will be just as efficient as sunlight for your succulents.

Is My Succulent Getting Enough Light?

If you are worried about whether your succulent is getting enough or too much sunlight, there are a few ways to tell if you need to move your succulent to a brighter or less bright area.

The biggest sign that your succulent needs less sunlight is if browning appears on the leaves. This shows that the leaves are drying out. If this happens, prune your succulent and move it to a different location where it isn’t in direct sunlight.

If your succulent needs more sunlight, the plant will look weak. If your succulent begins to shift position to try and find more sunlight, this is an indication that it needs to be moved to a brighter area with more direct sunlight.

Final Thoughts

To conclude, different succulents need different levels of sunlight, so it all depends on what group your succulent belongs to.

If your succulent needs direct sunlight, it is important to position it in a place where it doesn’t have to strain to find the light. If your succulent needs indirect sunlight, make sure it is positioned in bright light or behind a mesh curtain in direct sunlight.

If your succulent needs more or less sunlight, it will let you know. Keep an eye out for unusual behaviors or colorings on your succulents such as stretching or browning. If your succulent shows signs of stretching, it is looking for sunlight.

Brown leaves indicate it needs less sunlight, so just move your succulent according to its behaviors.

Finally, enjoy taking care of your succulents!