Succulents are mostly drought-tolerant. They can survive and thrive under intense heat conditions because the leaves are adapted to store water. But, do succulents like the sun, and do succulents need direct sunlight? Not always. However, it does not necessarily mean that succulents and direct sunlight go hand in hand. The truth is that there are some shade-loving succulents and some full sunlight admirers. Full sun succulents love being outdoors exposed to the direct rays of the sun, but shade-tolerant succulents can be damaged in the direct sun.
This blog will answer the question – “do succulents like direct sunlight?” We will also list out a few succulents that like full sun and a few succulents that like shade.
Can Succulents Be in Full Sun?
Succulents are popular plants known for their drought tolerance and ability to thrive in harsh environments. Many people wonder if succulents can tolerate full sun exposure or if they need some shade. The answer is not so straightforward and depends on the type of succulent.
When exposed to full sun, succulents can get sunburned if not acclimated properly. However, many succulents actually thrive in full sun if given time to adjust. Here’s what you need to know about growing succulents in full sun:
What is Considered Full Sun?
Full sun generally means an area that receives direct sunlight for 6 or more hours per day. This would be an area with no shade such as a south-facing location with no obstruction from trees, buildings, or other plants.
Morning sun is less intense than afternoon sun. So eastern exposure that gets morning sun but afternoon shade is still considered full sun. If a location gets sun for less than 6 hours per day, it’s considered partial sun.
Do Succulents Need Full Sun?
Most succulents prefer full sun and at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. When grown indoors or in shade, succulents can become elongated and leggy as they reach for light. Their colors also fade without adequate sunlight.
However, young or newly propagated succulents may need protection from intense midday sun until established. And certain succulents like Haworthias and Gasterias actually prefer bright, indirect light over full sun.
So while full sun is ideal for most succulents, some accommodation should be made for succulents that need shade and immature plants that need protection.
Best Succulents for Full Sun
Many succulents originate from hot, sunny deserts and are well adapted to full sun conditions. Here are some of the top picks:
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Aeoniums – Known for rosettes of waxy leaves. Prefer at least 6 hours of sun.
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Agaves – Large rosette shapes that can reach 10 ft tall. Love hot, sunny spots.
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Echeverias – Rosette-forming succulents with ruffled, colorful leaves. Require 6+ hours of sun.
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Euphorbias – Cylindrical stems with small leaves. Hardy plants for full sun.
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Sedums – Groundcover succulents that thrive in zones 6-11. Need full sun.
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Sempervivums – Grow in dense rosettes and do best with lots of sunlight.
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Senecios – Spreading succulents ideal for full sun gardens.
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Most cacti – Columnar, spherical, and globular cacti need 8+ hours of hot sunlight.
Acclimating Succulents to Full Sun
Succulents that have been growing indoors or in shade cannot be thrust straight into full sun without adjustment. They need to be hardened off gradually over a period of 1-2 weeks. Here are some tips:
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Start by placing plants in morning sun only, avoiding hot afternoon light. Slowly increase duration over days.
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Introduce to partly shaded outdoor location first before unobstructed sun.
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Use shade cloth to filter intense sunlight until acclimated. Gradually reduce shade cover.
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Mist leaves to cool plants until adjusted to drier, sunnier conditions.
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Watch for signs of sun stress like scorched leaves. Move back to shade if needed.
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Larger, mature succulents adapt better than small or delicate ones.
With proper hardening off, most succulents will transition to full sun exposure. Just go slowly and monitor for sunburn.
Too Much Sun for Succulents
While most succulents appreciate full sun, too much intense sunlight can actually harm them. Signs that a succulent is getting too much sun include:
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Yellow, brown, black, or red sunburned patches on leaves
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Leaves shriveling, curling under, or dropping off
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White speckling or bleaching of leaves
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Stunted, slowed growth
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Wilting despite adequate water and no pests/disease
Providing afternoon shade, filtered sunlight, or indoor breaks can help succulents getting too much sun. Make sure soil stays moist enough for their needs.
Succulents That Don’t Need Full Sun
A few succulent varieties actually prefer partial shade over full blistering sun. These include:
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Haworthias – Small, low-growing rosettes with zebra-like stripes. Need bright, indirect light.
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Gasterias – Thick leaves with bumpy texture. Prefer several hours of sun with afternoon shade.
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Certain aloes – Shadier spots suit some small aloe species.
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Schlumbergeras – Christmas and Thanksgiving cacti need bright shade, no direct sun.
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Certain echeverias – Ruffled types like Echeveria elegans do better with morning sun only.
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Burro’s Tail – Long dangling stems prone to scorching in full sun. Give partial shade.
Check the specific needs of your succulents. While most want sun, some appreciate shade.
Growing Succulents Outdoors in Full Sun
When cultivating succulents outdoors, choose the sunniest part of your yard for placement. Avoid shady areas near buildings or under trees. Morning sun is gentler than west-facing afternoon sun.
Make sure the soil drains very well and ammend if needed. Use terra cotta pots with drainage holes for container plants. Water 1-2 times per week in hot weather so soil dries between waterings.
Rotate potted succulents occasionally for even sun exposure. Shelter tender varieties if temperatures exceed 100°F. Established, mature plants withstand heat and sun better than juveniles.
With proper acclimation and care, most succulents will thrive outdoors in full sun. Just pay attention to signs of sun stress and make adjustments to prevent damage. With the right conditions, your succulents will reward you with their vivid colors and vitality.
Sun and Succulents – The Relationship
The relationship between succulents and the sun is fantastic. Succulents and cacti need light to survive and grow happily like all other plants. As a succulent lover, it is natural to wonder if succulents can be in full sun. You would wonder if succulents need a lot of sunshine or just a little shade. The one-word answer to this question is yes. Most of your houseplants like the sun; some prefer shaded sun while some direct sun.
You may have seen that some of your succulent species find it difficult to have healthy growth indoors. Thats because they are missing the light. Many of the succulents start to stretch or even struggle to live indoors. Take the Echeveria species that stop stretching even when placed at a south-facing windowsill.
Best Succulents for Full Sun
- Cotyledons ladismithiensisor Bears Paw – This is one of the ten outstanding succulents that are full sun succulents. Their reddish flowers and thick foliage that look like a bears paws make them a masterpiece. The excellent part about succulents in direct sunlight is their attractive floral appeal—the plant blossoms well with six hours of daily daylight. But, take care not to expose the plant to too much direct sunlight as it can discolor the foliage.
- Kalanchoe tomentosa or Panda plant – These houseplants are also lovingly called donkey ears or chocolate soldiers. The flowers are round with hairy petals. The leaves are hairy, too, with contrasting tips. This is another succulent plant loving direct sunlight. It grows amazingly well in harsh sunlight. People living in colder regions find it challenging to cultivate this plant during the winters. It is best advised to take the plant indoors during the cold season for such succulent lovers.
- Sedum morganianum – It is one of the succulents that do well in full sun. It is also known as donkey ears or donkey tail. This drought plant is the best cactus for full sun. It requires minimal watering and maintenance. This full-of-sap and lush green succulent can tolerate the harshest sunlight yet look attractive and aesthetically inspiring.
- Mother of Pearl – Graptopetalum, or the ghost plant, has ghost-like characteristics. When it is in direct sunlight, the petals of the flowers turn yellow and then bright pink. The heat-resistant succulent is best left on its own to determine the petal color or shape of the petal.
- Vygies – It is mainly used as a ground cover because of their foliage. The vine-like succulent has varying colors at different stages of growth. These plants do not require much care and grow on their own without any thought about can the succulent take full sun or not.
- Agave parryi – It is another drought-resistant full sun succulent growing in rosettes. Be careful as the petals have sharp spines. This low-growing succulent is a beautiful choice if you are short on time because its visual aesthetics will stay for as long as five years with hardly any care.
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What are Direct Sunlight Succulents?
These succulents are referred to as full sun plants that have no issues when exposed to midday sunlight. These plants thrive well without any shade.
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Are succulents full sun plants?
No. Not all succulents are full sun plants. Here are six succulents that prefer direct sunlight.
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Do succulents need sun? Do succulents do well in full sun?
Yes, succulents need sun or light; at least six hours of sunlight every day. However, it mostly depends on the succulent type. Succulents love light and need about six hours of sun per day, depending on the type of succulent. Newly planted succulents can scorch in direct sunlight, so you may need to gradually introduce them to total sun exposure or provide shade with a sheer curtain.
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How do I know that my succulents need sun? Which succulents need full sun?
Understanding your succulents natural behavior will help you know the light needs of your houseplant. If you find your rosette succulent gaining height suddenly, or new leaves have started to appear on the stems, it means that the plant is stretching to reach the light. Or, in other words, it is etiolating. It means that your houseplant is starving of light. Cotyledons, Sedum Coppertone, Agave parryi, and Echeveria agavoides are full sun succulents.
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Can succulents grow in the shade?
Some succulents grow well in shaded areas; for example, they grow well under a tree. Some succulents with green or grey foliage are suited for shade or low-light areas. For instance, Forest cacti is an indoor succulent that likes shade.
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Do succulents need direct sun?
Succulent owners often are in doubt about whether succulents should be in direct sunlight. A lot depends on the climate of the place where you reside. For example, if you live in an area with a cooler climate with cold winters like in Arizona, you need to follow a different routine than succulent lovers in California. Owners should know that full sun succulents in Arizona should be brought inside when the temperature starts to drop during winter when it becomes a low-growing succulent. The succulents need full sun, so they should be taken back outdoors during summer. Also, most houseplants grow actively during warm weather. Thus, being outdoors encourages happy growth.
While, in a place like California, where the weather is much warmer and the winters are not as cold, the houseplants can be left outdoors throughout the year. Full sun succulents in California are happy outdoors, and they should be left out only. There are enough succulents that do well in shade that can be planted indoors.
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Are succulents drought-tolerant?
Yes, most succulents can require minimal water to survive, making them drought-tolerant.
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What are some shade-loving plants?
Some succulents that will grow in the shade are jade plant, hoya, foxtail agave, aloe vera, and woodland stonecrop.
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Which succulents grow in full shade?
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Can succulents grow in partial shade?
Yes, some succulents grow equally well in partial shade. Some houseplants that add glamour to your succulent shade garden are haworthia, kalanchoe, schlumbergera, Rhipsalis, gasteria, sansevieria, and Parodia haselbergii.
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Do succulents need to be in direct sunlight?
Not all succulents love direct sunlight. Some like shade or partial shade. But universally, houseplants love light rather than darkness.
What you should know when growing succulents in full sun #succulent #fullsun #succulentcare
FAQ
Can I put succulents in direct sunlight?
Most succulents do best in bright direct light and need at least 6 hours of natural light per day. But if you only have a shady corner in your home, choose plants like mother-in-law tongue that do well in low light and place them near a south or east-facing window.
Can succulents grow in hot sun?
Don’t let harsh sun and high heat harm your succulents!
Although some tend not to thrive in temps above 80 or 90 degrees F, the majority can handle more than you’re personally comfortable with…as evidenced by greenhouse temperatures that soar into the triple digits on summer days.
Which succulents tolerate full sun?
- Agave isthmensis f. mediopicta alba [large] …
- Echeveria ‘Chroma’ $6.99.
- Sedum ochroleucum ‘Red Wiggle’ $5.99.
- Graptoveria ‘Fred Ives’ $5.99.
- Euphorbia ferox [large] – Pincushion Euphorbia. $10.49. …
- Echeveria setosa var. minor [large] …
- Pachyveria ‘Clavifolia’ – Jeweled Crown. …
- Sedum sediforme ‘Turquoise Tails’
Where is the best place to put succulents?
Place your succulent plants on a north facing wall or in light shade where they get only a couple of hours of morning sun during the hotter months of the year. This will allow plants to thrive and develop good color without getting sunburned or dried out.
Do cacti & succulents need full sun?
When we think of cacti and succulents, we usually think of desert plants that require intense heat and bright sun. However, contrary to this belief, most succulents do not thrive very well under blasting full sun exposure and extremely hot temperatures.
Do succulents need full sun?
Yes, succulents are perfectly suited to the full hot sun. These plants have evolved over thousands of years to survive in extreme conditions, like direct sunlight and arid climates. They can store water and nutrients in their leaves, stems, and roots to make it through long dry spells.
How do I choose a full sun succulent?
When choosing full sun succulents, be sure to pot or plant those with similar watering and temperature needs. If you want to learn about the other end of the spectrum, check out these low light succulents. There are plenty of full sun succulents that need direct sunlight for a majority of the day in order to flourish!
Are succulents a good choice for your garden?
Succulents are the perfect solution if you’re looking for a hardy and beautiful addition to your garden in the full hot sun. With their ability to tolerate intense heat, drought, and low maintenance requirements, these plants create striking landscapes that can bring life and character to any outdoor space.
What succulents grow well in full sun?
Thanks to its hardiness Graptoveria Fred Ives is ideal for full sun gardens. Portulacaria Afra, also known as the Elephant bush or Jade plant is another popular succulent found in gardens and collections all around the world. This shrub like succulent can grow over 2m high and is a fantastic and hardy screen bush.
Can succulents survive a sunburn?
Regardless of whether your succulent endures its sunburn will rely upon the seriousness of the consumption. In the event that your plant has just had a day or two of an excess of sun, it might be okay but keeping for more days will surely make the succulents horrid.