Succulents are native to places like Califorina and Mexico, so they are used to a LOT of sun. So, if you want your plant to look it's best, give it as much light as possible. I would recommend placing your arrangement somewhere near an east or south facing window. Your plant will survive with less light, but you might notice some discoloration or stretching.
Does the Plant Only survive in a Certain Temperature Range? - Mackenzie N.
This depends of the plant, but yes. Most succulents need to be in temperatures above freezing to thrive, but there are a few cold-hardy ones that will even survive a Michigan winter! One example of a cold-hardy succulent is hens and chicks.
When/ how often am I supposed to be watering my plants?
WHat Exactly is an Air plant? Does it need water? - Sarah s.
Air plants get their name from what makes them unique: they don't have roots! Because of this, I understand your question. The answer is yes, just like all other plants, air plants need water. But if they don't have roots, how do they get it? Here is where it gets interesting: they absorb the water they need through their leaves. So, when you water, don't pour water near it's base like you would a normal plant. Instead, mist it with a spray bottle or soak it for about 30 min.
Does my plant need to be in direct sunlight? - Emma R.
If you are talking about succulents, most of the time the answer is yes. There are, however, a few times you don't want your succulents in direct sunlight. 1. You notice signs of sunburn (burnt-looking brown or black patches the leaves). 2. You plant looks shriveled, even if you are watering it often. It could be that the heat of the sun it drying up your plant's soil. 3. You have shade-loving succulent. These plants are usually dark green, and turn an ugly brown-orange when they get too much sun. If you notice any of these things, just move your plant to a spot with a little shade. If this doesn't help, feel free to submit another question with a picture and I'll get back to you!
Why are the tips of my plant turning brown? elizabeth w.
My first thought would be sunburn. If your plant was outside on a really bright day, it might have gotten too much sun, singeing the edges of the leaves. This can often happen if the succulent is watered, and then put in direct sunlight. If water droplets are sitting on the plant's leaves, they can create a kind of magnifying glass, burning those areas of the plant. If the inside of your succulent still looks healthy, it should recover. If not, you may have a different problem. If that is the case, please send me a picture if you can.
Can succulents thrive using only grow lights and no actual sunlight? - Lola g.
Yes... but it is difficult. There are a lot of factors. First of all, the kind of grow light makes a big difference. Most grow lights, like the ones I use, are designed to help your succulents get enough light during times that they wouldn't be able to on their own, such as Michigan in the winter. Those kinds of lights probably wouldn't be strong enough to sustain a plant all by themselves. However, there are some kinds of grow lights that can. These sometimes come in the form of small lamps and can be a great solution if you want to keep one or two arrangements thriving in a dark room or windowless office. Also, VERY IMPORTANT: Not all lights are grow lights. You can't place a plant underneath a regular living room lamp and expect it to thrive. Grow lights are specifically created so that the wavelengths of light that they give off are ones the plants can use. So, make sure that the light you are using is a grow light. If you'd like more information about grow lights, you can check out this blog!
We have an old (30-40 years?) crown of thorns plant, and it is just barely holding out. We put it into new soil and a bigger pot, it sits in the sun all day, and we water it about once a week, but it is turning brown and shriveling up. Any suggestions? - KAty W
Sorry to hear about your crown of thorns! It's very impressive that it's that it's already lived that long, so I think that it will pull through. I'm wondering if the brown that you are seeing could be sunburn. Did you recently move your plant outside after keeping it in for the winter? Crown of thorns, and succulents in general, are sun-loving plants, but they can need some time to adjust. If you think this could be it, I would suggest putting you plant in a less sunny spot for a while, and gradually giving it more and more time in the sun. My other thought is that it could be dehydrated. Once a week sounds like a good watering schedule, but the extra sunlight could be drying the soil up quicker than normal. So, make sure that you are fully soaking the soil (if it has a drainage hole giving it enough so that water comes out the bottom), and that you don't miss a week when watering.
Want more information about plant care? Check out the blog!