Succulents are still one of coolest members of the houseplants, leading the way in the current indoor jungle movement. This has certainly been championed by the likes of Instagrammers and bloggers such as @tribeandus, @houseofplants and @jamies_jungle, as well as big brands like Urban Outfitters and Asos.
This bedside jungle looks great and promotes healthy sleep
Image: @tribeandus
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Highly decorative, eye-catching and low maintenance, there’s a lot of to be said for succulents such as Echeveria, Crassula, Kalanchoe, Aeonium, Aloe, Haworthia and Rhipsalis. They’re all succulents, meaning that they are able to store water in their roots, the stems and the thick leaves, allowing them to effortlessly cope with dry spells. They are particularly popular as they are quite unusual, striking and colourful to the eye. They fit perfectly in with the current trend to give botanicals a role in shaping the style in interiors and bringing the outdoors in to improve our health and well-being.
Most succulents come from the tropics and the subtropics. Originally developed in dry area such as steppes, mountainous regions and semi-deserts in Africa and South and Central America. They are extremely hardy as they can also survive in a warm, arid maritime climate in the wild.
Care tips
- If you store the succulents indoors, you’ll want to place them near the window to ensure they get plenty of light each day. If your succulents aren’t getting enough light you’ll notice they will start to stretch. They spread out their leaves and bend toward the light to get as much exposure as possible.
- Be restrained with the plant food: a little bit once a month is plenty
- Don’t water indoor succulents daily. That’s the quickest way to kill them. apply enough so it runs out drainage holes. Empty the drainage saucer so plants don’t sit in water overnight. About 95% of houseplants need soil to dry out almost completely before watering. Succulents experience strongest growth during spring and summer.
- Glass containers generally aren’t a great long term potting solution for succulents. They do not like to be sitting in soggy soil, so a glass jar or terrarium, which does not have anywhere for water to drain out, is not going to make your succulent happy.
- If you are following healthy practices for your succulents as indoor house plants (proper watering, well draining soil, light, airflow, etc.), bugs are generally not a problem. A common bug new growers encounter are gnats. Generally you’ll only get gnats if your soil stays too wet. Gnats are generally avoidable by using a well draining soil mix and allowing your soil to dry out between watering.
Displays
Preferably display succulents mixed and together to give them a greater impact. Stones, sand, some palms and a couple of toy dinosaurs can create an adventurous setting for succulents that reinforces their Jurassic Park element. If you are looking for a more conservative style, use Mediterranean patio mood with terracotta bowls, Portuguese tiles and a couple of sizeable agaves.
