Succulent plants are ideal for beginner growers. Firstly, they have the ability to accumulate water in the stems or leaves, which means they can easily “forgive” you for irregular watering. Secondly, the creation of special conditions for succulents is not required. Thirdly, when growing succulents at home, they are very easy to propagate. What plants are succulents and how to cultivate them?
What are succulent plants
Succulents (from Latin succulentus – succulent) are plants with fleshy leaves or stems in which moisture can be stored. Typical succulents are cacti. They mainly grow in areas with an arid climate.
Succulents are able to protect themselves as much as possible from the inconstancy of natural conditions by storing water and regulating their metabolic processes.
If we talk about what kind of succulents are, then these plants can be divided into two groups – stem and leaf.
Stem succulents. Stem succulents store moisture in the thickened stem. Very often it has a ribbed shape. The leaves are mainly small in stem succulents or have degenerated into thorns.
Stem succulents include most of the cacti, as well as many types of milkweed.
Leafy succulents. Leafy succulents store moisture in thick leaves. Leaf succulents include representatives of the genera:
The hobby for indoor plants, which for many people remains for life, usually begins with one or two pots of cacti and several pots of other succulent plants.
Succulent plants are great for children, because they are easy to care for, nothing will happen to them if they are forgotten for a long time or if they are mishandled; they are also very easy to propagate.
There are hundreds of succulent plants in various shapes and sizes.
Many of them have leaves collected in a rosette – this arrangement of leaves contributes to less evaporation of water in the desert, where many succulents come from.
With age, some of these plants turn into “rosette trees”, in which rosettes of leaves are crowned with treelike stems.
Despite the variety of forms, all succulent plants require the same care. For good growth, they need the same conditions to which they are accustomed to in their natural habitat – deserts and semi-deserts, i.e. good drainage, sunlight, fresh air, watering during growth, cool and dry soil during dormancy.
For good development and long life, plants need a period of rest in winter and stay in the fresh air in summer.
How to care for succulent plants at home
For successful cultivation and care of succulents, you need to create at least minimal conditions for these plants.
Temperature. Moderate from spring to autumn; Unlike most other houseplants, succulent plants like night and day temperatures to be quite different.
In winter they are kept in cool conditions, preferably at 10-12 ° C.
Lighting. A windowsill is best suited for placement, as plants require some direct sunlight.
If possible, choose a southern window, in the summer it is shaded from the hot sun.
Watering. From spring to autumn, succulent plants are treated in the same way as other houseplants, watering them as the soil dries. In winter, water is very rare: once every one to two months.
Air humidity. In the process of caring for succulents at home, it is not necessary to spray the leaves. But they absolutely need fresh air – in the summer the room should be ventilated.
Transfer. In the spring, transplant into a pot of several large sizes – but only when it is really necessary. Succulent plants are grown in flat pots.
Breeding. Cuttings root easily. Stem, leafy cuttings or shoots are rooted in spring or summer.
Before planting, cuttings are dried for 1-2 days (large – 1-2 weeks). Watered very carefully, do not cover with either polyethylene or glass.
Another way of reproduction is by seeds, which germinate at 20-25 ° C.
