Succulents are popular indoor plants because they’re low maintenance, easy to care for and they come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and colors so there’s one to suit everyone’s taste.
They’re great for beginner gardeners and people who forget to water their indoor plants.
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Succulents come from dry, hot areas, like the deserts in Africa and Central America where there is very little humidity and they’re able to store water in their leaves to sustain them for long periods without water.
In most areas, succulents only need to be watered once a week.
Indoor succulents grow best in low humidity, so it’s best not to put them in the bathroom, but they’ll grow well in most other rooms with bright, indirect light.
10 POPULAR INDOOR SUCCULENT VARIETIES
1. Aloe Vera (Aloe barbadensis)
Aloe Vera is one of the most popular indoor succulents. It’s a small, low maintenance houseplant with spiky and fleshy green leaves.
The gel inside Aloe Vera is commonly used for sunburn, cuts and skin conditions, so it’s a handy plant to have at home.
Aloe Vera is able to store moisture in its leaves, so it doesn’t need to be watered often.
It’s a good idea to check that the potting mix has dried out before watering.
Aloe Vera is easy to propagate from the baby offshoots, also known as “pups” that grow from the base of the plant.
2. Jade Plant (Crassula ovata)
Jade plants are small succulents with thick green rounded leaves.
Some varieties of Jade have red tips on the leaves and bloom with small, star shaped white flowers.
They’re a low maintenance indoor plant that can live for years in the same pot.
Jade plants like to grow in well-lit areas and prefer to dry out between waterings.
3. Zebra Plant (Haworthiopsis attenuata)
Another popular indoor succulent is the Zebra plant, which gets its name from the white stripes on its leaves.
They’re slow growing and can live for many years in the same pot.
Zebra plants produce bright yellow flowers that last about a week.
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4. Echeveria (Echeveria elegans)
There are many different types of Echeveria, including green, gray, red and purple varieties.
They have plump, fleshy leaves in a rosette pattern.
Echeveria grow well in bright, indirect light.
5. String of Pearls (Senecio rowleyanus)
String of Pearls, also known as Chain of Pearls is the perfect succulent for an indoor hanging basket.
It has small, round green balls along its stems and it can grow to 2 feet (60 cm) long.
String of Pearls can be trimmed regularly to encourage more stems to grow and the cuttings can be used to propagate new plants.
String of Pearls is mildly toxic and should be kept away from children and pets.
It can be placed on top of a bookcase or shelf or in a hanging basket secured to the ceiling.
6. Burro’s Tail (Sedum morganianum)
Burro’s Tail is another popular succulent that is great for hanging baskets.
It has thick stems and leaves that have the appearance of being plaited or woven.
Burro’s Tail is a delicate plant and the leaves will fall off at the slightest touch, so it’s best not to move it around too much. The leaves that fall off can be used to easily propagate more plants.
It can be divided every few years when it gets too large for its pot.
7. Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera truncata)
Christmas Cactus, also known as Zygocactus, is another popular, easy to grow succulent that has beautiful, long lasting pink and purple flowers.
It’s native to the rainforests of Brazil, so it prefers an environment that is more moist and humid than other succulents.
Christmas cactus need about 14 hours of darkness at night for them to bloom. If your plant is exposed to artificial light at night, you may need to cover it. [1]
The plants can also be cut back to encourage more flowers.
8. Panda Plant (Kalanchoe tomentosa)
The Panda Plant, also known as Pussy Ears, is a velvety, green succulent with reddish, brown spots on the tips of the leaves.
It rarely flowers when grown indoors, so it’s mainly grown for its foliage.
Panda plants can grow up to 1 to 2 feet (30 – 60 cm) tall when grown inside.
9. Snake Plant (Sansevieria trifasciata)
Snake plant, also known as Mother-In-Law’s Tongue is a popular upright succulent with long, sword shaped leaves.
It’s a low maintenance houseplant that can tolerate low light conditions, so it’s perfect to place in the corner of a room.
Snake plants are easy to propagate from leaf cuttings or by dividing the clumps.
10. Pincushion Cactus (Mammillaria crinita)
Pincushion cactus gets its name from the white spines that cover the surface, resembling a pincushion.
They’re small, trendy houseplants that grow to 6 inches (15 cm) in height and they’re very prickly, so you’ll need to wear thick gloves when handling them.
Pincushion cactus grows best in gritty, well-drained soil and it can be fed with cactus food in early spring to encourage flowering.
RELATED: 7 Beautiful Spiky Houseplants
Succulents have been steadily growing in popularity lately and it’s no wonder – they’re excellent, low maintenance houseplants.
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Do you have any of these popular indoor succulents at home? Let me know in the comments below.
Are you on Pinterest? I have boards dedicated to Succulents and Indoor Plants that you may enjoy. You can also find me on Facebook.
Aloe Vera (Aloe barbadensis) has been one of my favorites. I hope to get one again soon. So nice!
#4 I think would be my favorite. I cannot wait to buy this succulent!
I just recently became really interested in succulents. I bought one and ready to buy a few more!
I have two zebra plants right now and I am being extra careful in taking care of them. I used to have an Echevaria but it died. Maybe I over-watered it. 🙁 The string of pearls plant is beautiful! I will look for one the next time I visit my favorite plant and garden supply store.
The Snake Plant….I am always fond of it. As well as the Aloe Vera!
Omg I love indoor succulents! They’re easy to grow and they remind me of a Simplistic life!
This is so helpful, thank you! I love looking at plants but I never know where to start.
I love succulents!!!! Aloe Vera can be beautiful but also be used around the house and on sunburns. I need to purchase some snake plants. They are beautiful.
I have almost everything on this list! Succulents are magnificent. They add so much beautiful goodness to your home and they’re very easy to take care of. I’ll have to get the 2 I’m missing from this list haha. Round out my collection! Thank you so much for sharing!
I sure love succulents and I’ll probably be getting one soon. Can they live inside the office? I love the Pincushion Cactus 🙂
Yes, succulents are great for offices. They do well near a window where they can get some natural light.
I love succulents and those are all great plants. Echeveria and Zebra plants are my personal favorites.
This post is so useful. I was looking forward to buy succulent for my room, now I know what I need to buy!
I would love to grow some succulents. This is some great information. Thanks for sharing.