Whether a succulent is a soft or hard succulent determines what temperature it can withstand.
Anything warmer than 32 degrees F will be enjoyable for soft succulents. preferably over 40 degrees.
These plants cannot endure colder than freezing temperatures. Their hefty, thick leaves, which serve as water reservoirs, will freeze and destroy the plant.
Succulents that can withstand the cold can sustain -20 F. The best it can manage is a zone 4 to 5, and let me tell you, that is very impressive.
You must keep in mind that even if they can withstand temperatures below zero, they still like dry soil. That remains constant.
The majority of winters in the contiguous US will not only be dry but also wet and snowy.
THE IMPACT OF TEMPERATURES ON SUCCULENTS
Succulents typically prefer climates with temperatures between 60 and 80 °F. Some people can withstand temperatures as high as 90°F or as low as 40°F. These severe temperatures are occasionally used by gardeners to “stress” their succulents into changing color. Many succulents, especially soft succulents, can often benefit from high temperatures between 80°F and 90°F to keep their beautiful hues. You’ll notice that many hues will start to get more intense when the temps fall (but remain over 40F). The chilly (but not freezing) temperatures over a prolonged period of time intensify these colors. Be mindful that your succulents can suffer from temperatures that are too high or too low. Never recommend a temperature of 40°F or greater than 90°F.
Your succulents may suffer from sunburn in the summer due to the combination of high temperatures and direct sunlight, which can harm both the leaves and the root systems. You should move your succulents to a shaded place during the warmest part of the day or cover them with shade cloth. People who reside in regions with extremely hot climates might think about planting their succulents directly into the ground as opposed to in containers since soil temperatures remain largely stable regardless of fluctuations in the weather. If you want to grow succulents in containers, pick materials like concrete, terracotta, ceramic, or wood that are excellent at protecting plants from rapid temperature changes. Avoid using metal and glass containers.
Keep the temperature above freezing to prevent frost damage to your succulents over the winter. You can do this by covering them with a cloth or bringing them inside. While some tropical species like Euphorbia and Lithops demand temperatures of at least 50-60F, some cold-hardy species, like Sempervivum, can endure frost and love cool temps from 30 to 40F. Check out the Hardiness information on each of our plant product pages, where we provide thorough information on the USDA Hardiness Zone for each plant, to discover precisely whether a certain succulent variety is suitable for the climate in your location.
Do succulents require protection from freezing?
Winter care shouldn’t be necessary if you plant winter-hardy cultivars like Sedum (Sedum sp. ), Hens and Chicks (Sempervivum sp.), Ice Plant (Delosperma sp.), Lewisia (Lewisia sp.), or Yucca (Yucca sp.). As winter comes, you might notice that they start to wither, shrink, or change color, but this is just a typical part of their wintertime cycle. Some types of these plants can tolerate cold temperatures as low as zone 3.
The fatal combination of freezing temperatures and wet, soggy soil from rains and snow melt poses a concern for less hardy types during the winter. If the soil can be kept sufficiently dry, several types may endure colder temperatures. Following are some pointers for taking care of delicate succulents in frigid temperatures:
- Dry the ground as much as you can. Around the end of the fall, stop providing extra water and food.
- Make sure there is enough airflow to avoid the wintertime wetness.
- Place succulent plants in protected spaces. A sunny area under the eaves or on the porch can be a wonderful choice if your winters are rainy.
- Make sure your soil drains well.
- When it’s rainy outside and you see moist soil around your succulents, you should make changes to the environment to ensure the survival of your plant. To improve water drainage, add sand, organic materials that drains efficiently, or a substance like Perma-Till.
- When freezing temperatures are expected, cover fragile plants. You can use frost covers that you buy, bushel baskets, or cloth covers. Just be sure the coverings don’t touch the leaves, and don’t leave them covered for any length of time that isn’t absolutely required. They require sunlight and airflow.
Can succulents recover after a freeze?
Can a frozen plant still be saved? This truly depends on the kind of plant and how long it was exposed to the cold. On all save the most tropical plants, light freezes are typically something that a plant can recover from.
Remove damaged plant material from woody plants in the spring. In the late winter, you can detect which stems are dead by scratching the bark. The tissue is still alive if the substance is green below. They will lose their leaves as a result of the freezing, but they normally re-leaf in the spring. After all threat of frost has passed, maintain the plants’ moisture and apply a mild fertilizer.
More delicate plants won’t be able to endure the freezing damage and will turn into annuals. Perennial plants that have been frozen-damaged may only have little root damage, in which case you can divide the plant and replant the pieces. The ones that recovered from the root area’s cold did not deal a fatal blow.
When it freezes, what should I do with my succulents?
The first step is to relocate them somewhere warm to prevent further exposure to the subzero temperatures.
Next, let them to dry out for many days or even weeks, depending on how badly they were frostbitten. All of the mushy frostbite lesions should be allowed to dry up and scab over. Your succulent will be operating in emergency mode as it attempts to stop additional harm.
Your succulent is more likely to rot and die if you water it too soon after it develops frostbite.
If you can, clip off the frostbitten parts once they have dried out. This may require you to remove significant portions of the plant. Sometimes, you might only be trimming the ends.
For instance, the ends of a fragile Aloe or Agave plant may become dry. In that instance, you may simply trim the leaf so that it resembles a typical Agave or Aloe leaf while also removing the dried-out and crispy portions.
The center of your succulent plant is typically unaffected by frostbite, which typically affects the plant’s outer edges first. In a way, this is the “best case situation” that you would hope for.
It’s likely that the succulent won’t be able to be salvaged if the frostbite extends into the stem. Your succulent is more likely to survive if you cut off and clean out any damaged areas of the plant.
Wait another two to three days before watering once you’ve clipped off the damaged areas. You should allow enough time for these wounds to callus over and heal.
Then, when everything is once more dry, you can begin watering your succulent. To promote healthy root growth, make sure you’re employing the soak and dry technique I recommend.
It’s crucial to understand that the damaged sections of your succulents you’ve plucked won’t regrow. However, if everything goes as planned, the new growth on your succulent should be strong and appear natural.
The succulent will need some time to recover its stunning appearance, but as with most succulent gardening, your persistence will be rewarded. As your succulent grows over the coming weeks and months, it will begin to resemble its former, joyful self once more.
Make sure the succulent is covered from cold, as well as from intense heat or sunlight, when you put it back outside (or in the spot it was growing). You need to gradually reintroduce your succulent to the growing circumstances it was accustomed to before it was in a protected area.
Also problematic is shocking your succulent with abrupt changes in temperature or light.
Prepare succulents for indoor living
Spray your succulents with a surface pesticide before bringing them inside. To ensure that your succulents are pest-free, this preparation should take place at least 3 weeks before their indoor adaption. By doing this, you can stop insects and other pests from spreading to your indoor plants.
After clearing the garbage, weeds, and leaves, look for any indications of an infestation. Change the soil if you notice flies gathering around the succulents. When you bring them inside your home, they will quickly spread to the neighboring plants if you don’t.
Make sure your succulent is in a pot with a drainage hole and well-draining soil. Because outdoor environments frequently have greater ventilation, a proper soil mixture is essential for indoor growing of succulents. Succulents need sufficient air circulation to sustain healthy roots. To improve drainage, you can also add pumice or perlite to the potting medium.
In addition to these actions, gradually cut back on the watering of your succulents. The plants will go into dormancy and be able to endure the harsh winter with the help of less water and a lower temperature.
Bring the succulents inside 
Stop watering your indoor succulents and allow the soil to dry up. Water them lightly during the winter, just enough to prevent dehydration. Ensure that the temperature is consistently between 50 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
Providing enough light for succulents in the winter is another factor to take into account for indoor adaption. If your succulents have been kept outdoors for a while, they may have grown accustomed to regular exposure to intense light. It’s better to replicate their growing environment indoors. A sunny windowsill can provide 6–8 hours of bright light in warm zones 9–11, but in places with little sunlight, you might want to consider obtaining a succulent growth lamp.
Fluorescent lighting will promote healthy, stress-free plant growth, especially for non-dormant succulents.
My succulents are outside, is that okay?
Succulents are drought-tolerant plants because they can retain water in their large, irregularly shaped leaves. Succulents have a broad variety of eye-catching shapes and textures, which provide any landscape aesthetic interest. Can succulents live outside? is an often asked question. The quick response is “yes”! Growing succulents outdoors is an excellent alternative because they do well there and can withstand some neglect. They also do well in sunny areas with warm, dry weather.
Succulents can be grown in the ground, in pots, or hidden in unexpected planting locations. Take the uncertainty out of caring for these wonderful conversation pieces with stunning foliage by reading our suggestions for growing succulents outside.
Can succulents bounce back after a cold shock?
Cold fronts occasionally pass through, dropping temperatures toward freezing, even in regions with moderate winters. Most African succulent plants are vulnerable to cold. For instance, the University of Florida IFAS Extension notes that aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis) grows in USDA zones 9 through 11 while jade plant (Crassula argentea) grows in the frost-free regions of USDA zones 10 and 11. First to be harmed are delicate new growth or the thinnest plant portions, which typically seem fragile and discolored.
Even if your succulents freeze, all is not lost. If you suspect your succulent has frozen, Gardening Know How advises waiting a few weeks before evaluating and treating frost damage. The frozen plant should be recoverable if there is any fresh growth. Use a sharp knife dipped in rubbing alcohol to chop away the damaged areas of the plant, eliminating any tissue that appears squishy or has brown in it. This will help the plant to recover. Between cuts, clean the knife. Place container plants out of the direct light in a dry location. Resuming routine plant care after the wounds have healed
How can frozen succulents be revived?
You won’t know the full amount of the damage for a week or two. If you see any new growth at the base, the succulent may be able to be revived. Cut off the unhealthy areas of the frostbitten succulent with a knife after disinfecting it with alcohol. Bacteria could contaminate your plant if the blade is not cleaned.
What does succulent frostbite look like?
Frostbite causes the succulent leaves to look wilted and crunchy, which shows that your succulents are deteriorating over time. Can a frozen succulent be revived?
How do you bring indoor succulents for the winter?
The moment has come to bring your delicate summer succulents indoors for the winter, whether you reside in Chicago, Detroit, or Denver. They thrive on a glass sun porch or window with a south-facing view. You won’t have to spend any money replanting your pots if you take good care of them because they’ll return outside the following year.
With the following advice in mind, get your plants ready to move indoors:
Divide. If you move your tightly packed color pots indoors, moisture may collect at the soil surface where it cannot quickly evaporate, which could lead to rot. By separating the pots of various colors into numerous smaller, separate plants, make sure each plant gets the most out of its winter break. The plants and roots should be carefully picked apart to separate each one while causing the least amount of damage by sliding the enormous root ball out of the container onto a piece of newspaper.
Repot. After dividing, place each succulent piece in a separate pot. Choose red clay flower pots with a large drain hole that are low and wide. Wider containers give you a more accurate idea of the soil’s moisture content. Avoid deep pots since they retain moisture that leads to rot deep inside. To guarantee proper drainage, exclusively use cactus- and succulent-specific potting soil.
Furnace. Be mindful that the dry weather and your heater can stress out succulents that are in their winter state. The people from the Cape of Good Hope, where the climate is very similar to San Diego’s, are the ones that suffer the most. Avoid placing your succulents close to furnace registers when growing indoors to prevent premature dehydration.
top-down water. Succulents that overwintered indoors aren’t inactive despite the short days, so they could occasionally need a water. Watch for the first indication of tissue softening or wrinkling, both of which point to moisture loss. Check the drain hole to make sure it is free of obstructions and dry before watering. Instead of covering the top of the pot with water, place it in a dish with an inch of water. Wait until the dry potting soil has absorbed enough moisture to exhibit surface wetness via the drain hole. After that, drain the pot in the sink for a few hours after removing it from the water. This bottom-up approach prevents standing water from getting to the plant’s crown, which is most prone to rot.
Keep them tidy. Winter dust can be extremely difficult to remove without causing skin damage, so avoid letting it accumulate in the cracks of these plants. Use a gentle, clean artist’s paintbrush to dust succulents, making sure to get into all the nooks and crannies. Mist them with distilled water to improve the overall color once they are free of dust. Any plant portions that are dead, dying, or damaged and could lead to future issues should be cut away using scissors.
Where you reside, how warm your home is, and how much light you provide them will all affect how quickly succulents grow throughout the winter. You may bet on enjoying them during this cooler season as long as they are not exposed to freezing weather.
The size of these succulents in their individual pots will increase significantly when the growing season arrives the following year. Grow them separately or in groups in pots of vibrant colors to recreate the attractiveness of a coastal garden without having to buy a whole new batch of plants the following year.