Succulents have historically been categorized as either “Winter Dormant” or “Summer Dormant.” Let’s explore the implications for succulents.
Winter dormancy in succulents is replaced by active growth in the spring, summer, and fall. However, they will experience a brief period of dormancy and slow down their growth during the hottest days of summer (July/August in the US).
These plants don’t like the excessive heat and will shut down to survive, despite the fact that they tend to prefer warmer temperatures than some of their other succulent relatives.
But once the temperature drops below 40F, you’ll notice that growth rapidly slows down. As was already indicated, minimize the watering of these plants when they are dormant to prevent them from rotting.
Succulents: do they grow year-round?
Succulents are frequently cultivated for their year-round vivid colors and intriguing textures, but their blooms may also add seasonal interest! By selecting plants for their flowering season, you may enjoy year-round blooms in your succulent landscape with a little advance planning. Genus diversity is the key.
No matter where you reside on the planet, most succulents and cacti bloom around the same time of year, although depending on your climate, they can bloom at different periods.
Spring
Dudleya flowers bloom from early spring through late summer (see below). In the rock garden, their beautiful pink peduncle (inflorescence stalk) steals the show. Yellow flowers are adored by bees! Because Dudleya are simple to cultivate from seed, be sure to keep their flowers.
In any setting, Delosperma ‘Garnet’ adds a vivid, dense mat of flowers (see below).
Oscularia deltoides is a ground cover that grows quickly and flowers numerous times per year (see below). We adore it because of the lavender flowers and purple stalks that contrast with the silvery-blue leaves.
The most coveted feature of Sedum pachyclados is its scalloped borders, which resemble small cabbages. This little clumping Sedum’s white flowers make them a lovely addition to container gardening.
Sedum dasyphyllum ‘Fuzzy Wuzzy’ (below) puts on a show of small, delicate flowers that hang a few inches off the plant and create a lovely white halo.
Early spring through the summer sees aeonium blossom, giving pollinators a supply of pollen for several months. Aeonium canariense and A. undulatum both produce huge, up to 4-foot-tall yellow inflorescences, while A. nobile has a pink inflorescence that lasts very long. Because the blossoms are monocarpic, plants only produce one bloom before withering away. You might see additional rosettes emerging from the plant’s base during the plant’s bloom, which will eventually close the space left by the flowering rosette.
Depending on the species, echeveria will bloom in the spring through the fall. From the 4 ft tall Echeveria gigantea inflorescence to the 4 inch Echeveria ‘Lola’ blooms, there is a great deal of variety in Echeveria flowers. Hummingbirds and other pollinators will be drawn to all of them! Flowers keep well in arrangements for weeks and work nicely in dry arrangements as well.
Summer
The cactus family is responsible for the largest and transitory flower in the garden. The San Pedro Cactus, which produces a succession of flowers for weeks, is our favorite repeat bloomer. The majority of cacti’s blossoms, however, only last for a single day. Pollinators will notice cacti flowers because they are typically quite colorful in a desolate, devoid of color setting. Some species flower at night and are pollinated by bats or moths, while others open during the day to draw bees and butterflies.
Fall
Several of the succulents in our yard consistently bloom in the fall. A handful of our favorites are listed below.
The dark foliage of Cremnosedum ‘Little Gem’ contrasts beautifully with its yellow flowers (see below). Although this cultivar blooms several times a year, the fall months are when it is most colorful. This plant is most pleasurable in container gardening!
Winter
In order to draw hummingbirds and other pollinators to your succulent garden and to give your winter landscape some color, aloe flowers are a crucial plant. These flowers are often referred to as “Torch” flowers because, if you come across them on a gloomy winter day, they appear to practically glow with vitality.
Aloe plicatilis, sometimes known as “Fan Aloe,” blooms from late November to early January, with a few blooms continuing into early spring (see photo below). Sunbirds pollinate their red, tubular blooms, which are nectar-rich.
(Below) The Aloe africana’s magnificent inflorescence stands out against the gloomy winter days. These lovely orange/red tubular flower columns are produced on 5–6 stalks per plant.
(Below) From early winter through early spring, crassula produce consistently beautiful winter blooms. They give a lot of charm to a winter environment with their delicate terminal clusters of star-shaped flowers in white or pink. Below is an illustration of the “Jade Plant,” or Crassula ovata.
Money Maker, a variety of Crassula swaziensis, displaying its golden buds on a stalk of vibrant pink flowers. Pollinators adore these swaying infloresences because they attract them!
Additional Winter Blooms
Senecio rowleyanus ‘String of Pearls’ transports flowers indoors with its delicious cinnamon-clover scent, which is especially potent in a room that receives direct sunlight.
In the winter, Kalanchoe fedtschenkoi blooms with a ring of coral, bell-shaped flowers.
Repeat Bloomers:
Cistanthe grandiflora can bloom multiple times a year by being severely pruned once a year after blossoming, followed by the removal of wasted blooms.
Plectranthus neochilus is well known for its lavender-like blossoms and has a potent aroma. For a longer bloom time, prune spent blooms and lanky growth.
Some of our personal favorite blooms and bloomers are included here! Every succulent blooms once or twice during its lifetime. Make sure your succulents are receiving enough sunlight and frequent fertilization throughout their growing season if you are having trouble getting them to bloom.
How can I tell whether a succulent is in dormancy?
I bring up dormancy as a crucial aspect of succulents since it would be dreadful to just discard a plant because it lost its leaves or to try to withhold or, opposite, offer too much water in the hopes that it may “revive” the plant. We can better understand the demands of our plants if we are aware of the seasonal dormancy of succulents. Knowing when succulents will fall dormant might be challenging, but not impossible, when we purchase them without even knowing their names or genera. Simply keep an eye out for the signs!
One of the first signs of a succulent going into hibernation is that it entirely stops growing. If they have fleshy leaves, as my Senecio does, they will simply turn yellow or brown and fall off the sides of the plant stem or hang limply. Some kinds will see rosettes that shrink. Additionally, you’ll observe that Mesembs from the Titanopsis genus develop a papery covering.
A well-known cactus gardener once advised me to water succulents sparingly in the winter, only once every two weeks, and to stop watering cacti entirely from November to March. This is a sound general rule of thumb, but it requires a bit more nuance since, as we now know, different succulents go dormant at various periods of the year and require various environmental conditions. You might need to water them more regularly during the dormant season if you live in a hotter climate because transpiration will still be taking place during that time.
A plant should never be repotted while it is “sleeping,” as well.
How would you feel, for example, if you were abruptly awakened from a sound sleep and told to relocate? I assume not that much. The same is true of plants, especially succulents. You should be safe to make some planter alterations at the first sign of growth because they would prefer to be replanted when they are growing.
This handy chart, which I put up using information from a variety of sources, such as Highland Succulents, Succulents.us, and a variety of books, will assist you in determining your succulents’ seasonal dormancy if you are familiar with their genera:
Are succulents perennial plants?
The fact that many succulents can survive outside year-round, even in snowy climes, surprises a lot of people. We divide succulents into two categories—”hardy” and “soft”—to make it easier for you to choose the best one for your area.
- Hardy succulents: Tolerate frost and can endure temperatures below zero outside. They are perfect for outdoor gardening all year long. Hardy succulents actually thrive outside more than they do inside.
- Not frost-tolerant are soft types. Before temperatures drop below freezing at night, these types must be brought inside. On the other hand, when the warm, sunny weather returns, they are glad to go outside once more.
the USDA Grow Zone finder (based on minimum winter temperature). You may find a plant’s “Cold Hardiness” on the description of each one in our online catalog. If your zone number is equal to or higher than the plant’s, that variety can endure the entire year outdoors in your environment. The plant will need to be brought indoors before the fall temperatures start to drop if you live in a zone with a lower number than the Cold Hardiness of the plant.
Most of our plants are also sent with name tags that state the lowest temperature they can withstand for easy reference.
Zones 4 and higher are suitable for Sempervivum heuffelii’s growth, however zones 3 and lower are not.
Succulents do not grow throughout the winter.
Cacti and succulents are excellent low-maintenance plants that add color to the home even on the gloomiest winter days. They provide aesthetic appeal to any table or windowsill with their unique forms and textures, and with proper care, they’ll last the entire long, cold season.
Cacti and succulents are suitable indoor plants all year round. Plants simply only a little light and sporadic watering during the winter. By the time fall arrives, the majority of cacti and succulents have gone dormant and will no longer grow as the weather and light conditions change.
5 Techniques for Winter Cactus and Succulent Care:
1. Plant your dormant plant in a location where it will flourish to make your cacti or succulents happy. During the winter, succulents require less light and can also tolerate indirect light. Make sure your plant receives at least three to four hours of bright light each day for the best results. Locations are happiest close to windows that face south or east.
2. Sandy, well-drained soil is best for growing succulents. Give your plant the nutrients it requires by using Espoma’s cacti and succulent mix. Make sure containers have drainage holes to allow extra water to drain because succulents can’t tolerate excessively moist soil.
3. Set the thermostat. Few succulents can withstand temperatures that are much colder than 50 to 55 degrees.
4. Succulents require deep watering, although they won’t need as much as they do during active growth. Use little water and only from the top, letting water seep through to the bottom. Keep plants out of water for brief periods of time. Keep water away from the cactus’ body since it can cause decay.
5. Look for vermin. Check your leaves every month for mealy bugs and aphids. If a plant is infected, remove it from the vicinity of other plants and spritz it with a solution of 3 parts rubbing alcohol to 1 part water.
Do succulents grow during the winter?
The type of succulent you have will determine how to care for it in the fall and winter. They are, on the whole, a group that is simple to develop. If you provide them some sand, some water, and sunlight, they will repay you with beautiful shapes, cleaner air, and comforting company. But it helps to know how to handle a variety of these delicate guests and make them feel completely at home, whether you’re welcoming them inside over the winter or prolonging their stay as houseplants!
Know Your Succulents
With over 6,000 distinct varieties of succulents in 60 different plant families, it’s critical to understand which particular succulent you are taking care of. Knowing if your succulents are indoor growers or cold hardy succulents is important when talking about winter. The majority are from distant, scorching desert locations, but we do have a few that can withstand our zone 5 temperature. Some varieties of Sedums and Sempervivums, among others, may weather the harsh winters in the Chicago area, but many traditional succulents, such as Aloe Vera, Jade Plants, Panda Plants, and Christmas Cactus, must be kept warm and sheltered indoors.
Bringing Succulents Indoors
Before it gets below freezing, you must bring all of your sensitive, non-cold-hardy succulents indoors. Check for bugs and get rid of any ants, spiders, or other small creatures you find if you’re keeping them in the same pot. Additionally, remove any debris from the soil’s surface, such as dead leaves and twigs. Over the winter, you should offer your succulents a clean place to dwell and keep them away from any rotting objects.
Fall and Winter Maintenance
Succulents typically grow in dry, arid areas. They can store water for a long time thanks to their hefty, luscious leaves. This distinguishing characteristic lends them their distinct beauty, but properly caring for them still necessitates a few skills.
Repotting: You might want to do this if you’re bringing your succulents indoors. They could possibly use some fresh soil or a smaller container that will fit next to your window. Sandy, well-draining soil will help these desert plants flourish. Choose a particular succulent or cactus mix instead of a potting mixture that maintains moisture. Give them a container with lots of drainage holes, and take special care not to hurt their fragile roots when moving them.
Sunlight: Succulents are native to a variety of locations worldwide. Many originated in dry, fully-lit locations, while others developed in the cover of a jungle canopy. Find out whether your plants like direct or indirect sunlight by speaking with the gardening specialists at our garden centers or researching them online. Check on your guests sometimes to make sure they are not becoming sunburned because glass can sometimes enhance the strength of the sunshine. However, if you notice them slanting toward the window, it can indicate that they aren’t getting enough light.
Water: Many overzealous plant enthusiasts drown their succulents here. They are unaware that maintaining their dryness is just as crucial as moistening them. Between waterings, the top inch of the soil should be absolutely dry. When you do water them, give them a drenching similar to a desert downpour before cutting them off until their next need. Keep in mind that you should water the soil and not the leaves, which could decay. If the foliage is mushy, discolored, or squishy, you’re providing them with too many refreshments.
Navigating Winter Dormancy
Succulents spend a portion of the year inactive, like the majority of plants. This is a component of their coping strategy during a tough or dry season. Some plants hibernate over the winter, including your hardy sedums, agave plants, and pincushion cacti. They need considerably less water at this time. Frequently, watering once every two weeks is adequate.
Since many of them are native to the desert, they really hibernate during the hot, dry summers. Popular varieties of summer-dormant succulents include Kalanchoe, Aloe Vera, Snake Plants, Haworthia, and Jade Plants. It follows that the fall and winter are when they genuinely awaken and grow. In other words, they will only require low-normal watering levels. Discovering your plants’ dormancy schedule will help you take better care of them.
Live succulent plants have the beauty of requiring minimal upkeep for the most part. All they want for is soil with good drainage, sporadic moisture, adequate dry spells, and adequate sunlight. These simple conditions must be fulfilled for these gems to not only survive the fall and winter, but even thrive and grow—or, depending on the species, contentedly rest until the following spring!