Succulents Need Sunlight is a useful plant for the garden or backyard due to its fleshy, thick portions that are made to hold water. They are perfect for first-time gardeners due to their low maintenance requirements. Do these sun-loving flowers require the golden rays of sunshine to thrive when cultivated indoors?
Are you considering planting your succulents in the sun, but you’re not sure if they’ll receive enough light? While most succulents can withstand some sun, what happens if they receive too much of it? Check out this article to see what happens to your succulents if they receive too much sunlight.
Do Succulents Need Sunlight
Yes, succulents enjoy the sun. Depending on the type you are cultivating, they need between four and six hours of sunlight per day to grow healthily. In actuality, light is a necessary component for all plants to successfully perform photosynthesis.
When possible, provide your succulents with natural sunlight. On the other hand, if you have additional lighting sources, like grow lights designed specifically for indoor plants, then sunlight is not necessary.
The Reasons Why Succulents Require Light
Succulents require sunshine for much more than just basic development; it is essential to their health and vitality.
Firstly, Succulents require sunlight to stay colourful. Excessive direct sunlight causes a condition known as “sun-stressing” in succulent plants.
Succulents adjust by changing their pigmentation, in contrast to other plants that might reduce their exposure to the sun. As a result, succulents can display breath-taking lavender, turquoise, tangerine, and even rainbow-like opalescence.
Secondly, Sunlight plays more than just a light role; it also has a heat component that helps dry up the soil. Because they prefer dry environments, succulents require well-drained soil that doesn’t hold moisture for long.
Sunlight gives the extra heat required to accelerate the evaporation of surplus water, keeping the soil surrounding the succulent’s roots dry. This is especially crucial because overwatering can lead to root rot and other problems for succulents.
How Much Sunlight Do Succulents Need
Succulents require four to six hours of sunlight, as we previously discussed; however, different varieties may show preferences for different amounts of light—some gentle, some strong.
Certain succulents have evolved to survive in locations with dense vegetation or low-lying terrain where taller plants provide shade from the sun.
These cultivars are renowned for their ability to tolerate and even thrive in lower light levels, which makes them perfect for interior areas or shady gardens. These low-light-tolerant succulents include, for example:
- Snake Plants
- Rhipsalis
- Gasteria
- Schlumbergera
- Aloe
- Epiphyllum
However, certain succulents have evolved to thrive in environments with high levels of light and heat, such as deserts and rocky outcrops.
Many of these kinds need six hours or more of direct sunlight per day to stay healthy, retain their colour, and preserve their structural integrity. They therefore thrive in full sun exposure. Cacti that enjoy the sun include:
- Paddle Plant
- Fred Ives
- Blue Chalksticks
- Coppertone Stonecrop
- Pink Ice Plant
- Agave Plants
- Cactuses
- Lipstick Echeveria
Signs of Excessive & Insufficient Sun
If you’re not sure how much sunshine your succulents are getting, there are a few indicators that they might be receiving too much or not enough. You can ensure that your plant flourishes by taking appropriate action as soon as you recognize these indicators.
Signs Succulents Are Having Insufficient Sunlight
Fading Colours: Bright reds, purples, and oranges to rich greens and blues are just a few of the vivid colours that succulents are known for. The plant may return to a more consistent shade of green if these colours fade or become dull due to a lack of sunlight.
Weak or Thin Leaves: Low levels of sunlight can cause leaves to deteriorate and become thinner, in addition to hurting the stem and general growth. The leaves can be more susceptible to injury and illness since they lack the firmness and plumpness typical of succulents that receive adequate hydration.
Stretched-out Stems: Etiolation, in which the succulent’s stems artificially lengthen as they extend towards the closest light source, is one of the most noticeable indications of inadequate sunshine. This causes the plant to lose its dense, robust structure and look gaunt.
Leaning: This is a small trick. When a succulent leans to one side, it usually means it’s not getting enough light where it is and is trying to develop towards a light source.
Sparse Growth: Succulents grow densely and healthily when they receive enough sunlight. When light levels are too low, there might not be much new development, and the leaves might appear thinner and more scattered.
Signs Succulents Are Having Excessive Sunlight
Leaf Curling and Wilting: Succulent leaves may curl inward or wilt to lessen the amount of surface area exposed to intense sunlight. Similar to how cannabis leaves curl, this is a protective tactic to reduce sun damage and moisture loss.
Sunburn Symptoms: The leaves of sunburned succulents usually have discoloured areas on them. These patches have brown, white, or yellowish markings that mimic burned or bleached areas. If the excessive sun exposure persists, they may start small but eventually grow to cover a significant area of the leaf surface.
Dry, Brittle Texture: Succulents that receive excessive sunshine can become dry and brittle in texture. When gently handling your succulents, keep this in mind.
Succulent Grow Lights: The Best Substitute for Sunlight
Grow lights are a great substitute for succulent fans who might not have the luxury of sufficient natural sunshine or who want to supplement their plants’ light intake during shorter days. Fluorescent and LED grow lights are the best choices out of all the available options.
Succulents that enjoy indirect sunlight might benefit greatly from fluorescent lights because they emit a gentler light than other grow lights. However, the broad spectrum of light that LED grow lights can provide includes the precise wavelengths that succulents require for photosynthesis. This kind of customization enables targeted growth support from seedlings to maturity.
Conclusion
It’s important to take action if your succulents are getting too much sunlight. It’s essential to move your plants or provide shade if you want to preserve and safeguard your succulents.
Remember that temperature and soil moisture affect how quickly sunburn develops. The degree of sunburn will determine whether your plant recovers after being relocated. In more extreme circumstances, the plant will probably die quickly.