Depending on the type, succulents need six hours of sunlight each day because they are light-loving plants. You might need to gradually expose newly planted succulents to full sun exposure or give shade with a translucent screen because they can burn in direct sunshine.
What level of lighting do indoor succulents require?
To survive, most succulents require direct sunshine. However, some low-light succulents can be placed farther away from the window than others.
A succulent needs six hours or more of sunshine each day. Either artificial or natural illumination can be used to accomplish this. In order to avoid scaring the plant, move your succulent from a darker section of your house to a windowsill gradually.
Being able to provide your succulent with the ideal quantity of light might be challenging when growing succulents indoors as opposed to outside.
Remember that some species of succulents may not tolerate hot conditions, therefore morning light may be preferable for more delicate varieties.
Succulents can they survive in low light?
It can be difficult to give succulents enough light, especially if you live in a place with little natural light. The majority of succulents prefer direct but bright sunshine.
Some succulents can survive in the shadow thanks to their strong adaptability. There are succulents that can withstand low light if you’re growing them in less than optimum lighting conditions.
How can I determine whether my succulent needs more light?
Succulents quickly begin to display signs of stress from excessive heat or intense sunlight.
Succulents frequently “blush” or change color when they are receiving enough sunlight. What a lovely transformation to witness!
However, if they begin to receive excessive sunlight, the leaves will actually burn. The succulent leaves may start to show white or pale areas. This harm cannot be undone.
As an alternative, make an effort to relocate your plant to a location with less intense sunlight and wait for new leaves to emerge. It is optional to remove damaged leaves if there are just one or two of them.
The leaves may truly turn dry and black in rare circumstances. The margins of the leaves will first turn black, and it will be dry and crispy (in contrast to blackening from rot which starts in the middle of the plant and is wet and mushy).
Once more, this injury won’t go away until the leaf totally withers and new leaves emerge.
A succulent in the shade may start to turn a golden or yellow tint if it is still quite hot outside. Instead of turning entirely white, as would happen with sunburn, the succulent instead appears warmer or more yellow than usual.
If the succulent is transferred to a colder setting, this usually disappears or the succulent returns to its normal hue.
I can keep succulents alive very well sometimes, but not always.
I recently relocated to Arizona from Utah. Growing succulents can be challenging for a variety of reasons, including relocation. You must pay close attention to how much heat and sunlight each area of your garden receives.
Although it’s a little humiliating, I’m going to show you what my garden looked like when it received excessive sunlight and heat in the video below.
Hopefully, this example will show you what to watch out for so that your garden doesn’t turn out like mine did.
Is direct or indirect sunlight preferable for succulents?
I’m regularly asked on Instagram for advice on how to grow succulents, so I thought it would be a good idea to provide those instructions here as well. I consider myself a succulent aficionado, but I am by no means an expert, so let me start there. (Always feel free to correct me!) Given that my plants are all quite robust and numerous, I’d love to share with you what has worked for me.
When cultivating succulents, I’ve discovered that there are three key things to take into account:
Soil
Succulents prefer soil that drains properly. For a while now, I’ve been purchasing a Palm & Cactus mix from Lowes, and it’s been fantastic. I’ve discovered that my soil dries out a little bit too rapidly during the hotter summer months. If your soil doesn’t seem to be holding onto water for long enough, you can add a little bit of ordinary potting soil to your cactus soil to improve water retention. Tea cups, Mason jars, and baby food jars are a few examples of containers I occasionally like to use for my plants because they don’t have drainage holes. To aid with drainage concerns in this situation, I will either add sand to the soil or stack stones on the bottom of the container.
Water
The idea that succulents don’t require much water is a prevalent one. They may be able to go longer lengths of time without it, but they won’t “thrive” in a scenario similar to a drought. This is a lesson I had to learn the hard way when I initially began my collection. My plants would become dry for weeks at a time, and they would not grow. They weren’t also perishng. On the other hand, my mother regularly watered her plants, and they were thriving! I started giving my plants more frequent waterings after deciding she was right. Now, I always recommend watering the soil when it is dry. For me, that is roughly once per week in the summer and a little less in the winter. I water the earth, not the plant, when I water. (I’ve heard that allowing water to collect on the leaves can lead to rot and leave ugly stains.) I soak it thoroughly until the water drains from the bottom of the saucepan. (I don’t soak plants that don’t have drainage holes. I tend to “sip” more.) I frequently witness people overwatering their succulents to death. By making sure the soil is completely dry in between waterings, you may prevent this.
Sunlight
Succulents thrive most in direct but bright sunshine. Different species can tolerate various levels of light, but I’ve noticed that the majority of my plants tend to suffer in prolonged exposure to direct sunshine. Keep your plants where they get a lot of shade but still get enough light to prevent burning and scorching. My healthiest plants can be found outside on window sills, where modest overhangs shield them from direct sunshine. As I previously mentioned, certain plants are more tolerant to direct sunlight than others. To find out what grows best where you live, you simply need to experiment with your plants. Your plants may grow lanky and extend toward the light if they don’t receive enough light. Your plants can be kept growing straight up by rotating the pot occasionally or slowly moving them to a brighter location if they are bending or extending out toward the light. You might want to multiply your lanky succulents. (For further information, see my post on propagating succulents.)
Is it possible to use any LED light as a grow light?
You want to give your indoor plants a boost, but it doesn’t make sense to spend a lot of money on plant lights when standard LEDs would do. However, can plants be grown using standard LED lights?
While standard LED lights may emit some of the wavelengths required by plants, they cannot be utilized as grow lights. Regular LED lights don’t produce as much light as what plants need. LED grow lights are made to enhance red and blue light, which is what plants mostly need for growth.
The reasons standard LED lights are not the ideal for growing plants are covered in the next article, along with how much growth you may anticipate from your plants if you solely use regular LEDs. We’ll also offer advice on what to look for in an LED light that you plan to use for plant growth.
Which LED light hue works best for succulents?
It’s time to set up your grow lights after choosing the best ones for your succulents. Find a location in your home where you can install the lighting and the plants.  
It’s crucial to leave enough of space between your succulents and the light. If you’re too close, the heat from the bulbs could damage your succulent. If it is too distant, there won’t be enough light for the succulent to develop healthily. In general, it should be at least 6 inches long and no longer than 40 inches. Of course, additional factors affect the precise distance.
A 10-inch spacing is adequate if you use LED or fluorescent lamps without any tricks. However, you can narrow the gap to 6 inches when using larger succulents.
The plant’s tolerance for heat and light also influences the distance. Maintaining the ideal light and temperature for your plants while not wasting any electricity is a tricky balance.
Water inside the cells of the leaves, trunks, and stems may heat up if they are 5 inches or closer from the light. Your plant will eventually become scorched or suffer from dehydration. The following are some fundamental guidelines for using grow lights:
- It is advised to keep fluorescent tube lights and bulbs 6 to 12 inches away from your succulents. The suggested distance for LED lighting is between 18 and 24 inches.
- The ideal color temperature for promoting succulent growth is 6500k. A 3000k light is preferable if you want your plant to bloom. Just be cautious if your plant is a monocarpic succulent because it can bloom if you give it too much light.
- The lights won’t need to be on all the time. Giving your plants a break from the light so they can breathe is good. Generally speaking, expose your plants to light for 12 to 14 hours each day.  
Don’t let the plants stand with the light source at just one angle. Instead, turn the plants over once a week so that all of their sides receive the same amount of light.
Keep a watch on your succulents when you move them indoors to observe how they respond and make any necessary adjustments. Your indoor succulent plants will be strong and content with the optimum grow light and routine hydration.
Enjoy your gardening with our collection of best indoor succulents. They are fantastic for any house, workplace, or garden to create the ultimate green area because they are simple to cultivate, very versatile, largely pest-free, and low care.
Can succulents live without windows?
Yes, it is possible to grow cacti and succulents in low light. You’ll need to pay closer attention to some elements, like plant species, soil type, and watering requirements.
You will fare much better with your indoor plant family if you keep those things in mind.
Succulent species that can handle low light
Not every species is made equally. More than others, certain succulents can thrive in reduced light levels. You will end up with a lengthy, stretched-out mess even with the finest indoor care if you try to keep a Graptopetalum, Sempervium, or Echeveria in any light other than strong light.
Succulents with bright colors and rosette shapes should generally be avoided as they demand bright light to preserve their beauty.
Aloe and Haworthia are two examples of plants that are naturally green and are significantly more tolerant of darker circumstances.
Checking the light conditions that your particular plant type needs is crucial. Looking for suggestions for an excellent office plant? Take a look at the list below.
Maximize the sunlight you can get
Look around your workspace or area. Exists any available natural light that you could use? Start by placing your succulent on any available windowsill. Make sure to rotate your succulent every few days to ensure that all of its surfaces receive an equal amount of sunlight. Rotate your plant to the opposite side if you see it leaning to one side; it will eventually straighten up.
Despite being close to a window, is your succulent still getting lanky and spread out? That implies that it does not receive enough light.
What if there are absolutely no windows nearby? It’s still possible to have a succulent; you simply need to be more inventive. You should place your succulent in artificial light. They will require roughly six hours of light each day. Under that fluorescent or LED light above your desk, your plants will be OK.
Consider purchasing a tiny grow lamp to keep next to your desk if you can. Fortunately, there are various reasonably priced options for grow lights, so you may select the one that best suits your requirements.
Do succulents tolerate total shade?
Succulents like burro’s tail or string of pearls hanging in planters beneath a covered patio or porch are unusual to observe. Even though these types typically only receive filtered light, they will nevertheless thrive. Succulents that can tolerate shade do occur, albeit they are uncommon. There are a few species that are larger, but the majority of them are smaller.
Building a bridge between two worlds is necessary to create a succulent shade garden. Most of our common succulents require all day sun to avoid becoming leggy and not blooming. Ideally, plants in shade should receive at least six hours a day of dappled light. The benefit of low light is that plants that cannot withstand intense sunshine can rest during the warmest portion of the day. In addition to protecting the plant’s color, this will assist avoid scald.
Succulents that grow in the shadow outside will use less water, making them ideal xeriscape plants.