West windows (and north windows) work really great for plants that prefer partial sun. Technically, etiolation is just the altered growth that occurs in a plant in the absence of light. They are highly efficient and inexpensive to run. Blue light is responsible for keeping your succulents compact. Succulents need sunlight to live and grow, but it can be difficult to get enough light to your plants when they're indoors. But we use them because they’re the absolute best lights for our succulents. Just a college kid sharing everything he learns on the path to transcendence via succulents. A mirror near the window will have a substantial impact on the light in the room and on your plant. If you’d like your succulents to flower under grow lights you’ll also want to use a 3000K bulb. With a hood, you can double or even triple the distance at which you set your lights. Red light, for example, is an important trigger in the flowering process for many plants. LEDs are low-intensity lights and are therefore more energy-efficient and less hot. Even with the perfect airflow and soak/dry watering schedule, pests can happen. That makes sense – there’s not enough light anyway, why bother? Plants tend to use blue light to grow larger while red light can stimulate flowering. In this article, you will read about the 8 best grow lights for succulents along with an informative buyer’s guide. Eventually, we all run out of window sill space. It’s great! Sublime Succulents may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. Good job! As the size of this best grow light for succulents is small so it is good if you need it for a few succulents. You’ve seen CFL bulbs too – they’re shaped much like the classic incandescent lightbulb. of organic, free-range light every day. We hope you enjoy bringing succulents into all corners of your work and home. That’s assuming, of course, that it isn’t a shade-loving succulent like Sansevieria trifasciata (the Snake Plant). He has a huge amount of information available and explains grow … They'd tend to etiolate and not grow dense spines or develop good colour. Winjoy Grow Light. How long should the succulent be exposed to light each day? The plants will doubtless love the bright sun during the summer, but most succulents can’t endure temps below freezing. There are a lot of factors to consider, especially if you want those Instagram-worthy pictures. More light means more photosynthesis up to a plant’s physiological limit, so a greater light intensity helps a plant grow faster. So definitely don’t expose your plants to more than 14 hours. 877-656-4035 Obviously, you’ll want to take into account external factors such as trees or buildings that will cast shade on your windows. The 6500K daylight temperature is mostly blue light. Read on to explore the pros and cons of the most popular types of grow lights. However, blue light is beneficial in regulating and encouraging flower growth in some species of plants, especially at higher intensities. The units used are footcandles (fc) or lux (lx). 3,000K to 6,000K can support healthy growth. For plants to grow without sunlight as they do outside, the light of the LED lamps must be adjusted depending on the phase of plant development: In the growth phase, blue light tones should dominate, while in the flowering phase a red light spectrum is required. Why not more light? Temperature does play a role, though it’s not toooooo significant. It’s really encouraging to hear compliments like that. These fantastic devices capture all that light that would have otherwise radiated out and been wasted and redirect it at your plants. Sunlight is amazing because it’s right there and it’s free! The ones that seem to always be popular are those in shades of blue, pale or dark, and everything in between. Learn how to prevent & treat pest infestation. Succulents like the dry humidity and warm conditions found in most homes, and while they like direct light, they can adapt to lower light. Thanks a bunch, Amber! Use metal halides or a mix unless you are just supplementing natural light. Conversely, north-facing windows have the least. Some people rotate their succulents and cacti indoors and outdoors as the seasons change. They have crazy colors that enable them to absorb different wavelengths and amazing adaptations to protect themselves and to channel that sunlight. If you’re like me, you ran out of windowsill space a long time ago. It is only big enough to light a few containers of succulents or several plants that already get some natural sunlight. This provides enough light for photosynthesis while also giving a dark period during which the succulent takes in carbon dioxide. Keep up the fabulous work! Etiolation, also known as ‘stretching’ or a plant becoming ‘leggy’, is a neat example of plant behavior in action. Often, this is due to a lack of sunlight, but the All Rights Reserved. All-in-all, pretty useless for our purposes as a grow light. (Jade, Haworthia, and Gasteria), most varieties stretch and fade when kept inside permanently. Below are some succulent species that can do well in low lighting conditions. And “farina”, that powdery white substance on the echeveria plant leaves that smudges when you touch it, comes from the Latin word “far” – “meal” or “flour”. But, honestly, having lights that close to your succulents and cacti can be aesthetically displeasing. In fact, it’s an indicator that they’re probably pretty healthy! While we’re talking about it – some bulbs are marketed as “full-spectrum”. For an imaginative person, LEDs can open a lot of doors! It features 60 pieces of efficient grow LEDs that meet the condition of growth. As far as I know, “etiolation” is “whitening”, “paling”, not “elongation”, “legginess”, it is the “process of whitening a plant by depriving it of sunlight”. The first thing to know is that they are extremely energy-efficient compared to the other kinds of light bulbs. For most grow lights, the optimal position is 6-10 inches above your succulents. You'll also find specific product recommendations for the lights and gadgets that transformed our house and office plants. Another cool thing about LEDs is that, depending on the materials used in the construction, you can get them to emit a very narrow band of light. There’s something to be said for that big, blazing ball of fire hanging in the sky. Good airflow helps enormously in the prevention of pests and disease, but it can be difficult to achieve indoors. Maybe you only need to illuminate one plant or don’t want to go through the trouble of suspending a light. That bright white light is unmistakable. It’s possible to get the same pretty colors with artificial light, but generally more difficult. Of course, flour is more fit b/c of the similarity in appearance and touch. Here’s another Christmas Carol Aloe that’s been exposed to full sun. These colors can stimulate different responses in your succulents. The sun rises in the east and the strongest sunlight is in the first half of the day. While some succulents can tolerate low, indoor light If you find your succulents are beginning to stretch, move them to an area that gets more light. You can behead the succulent (cut it an inch below the rosette at the top), let it callus over a couple of days, then stick it back in the dirt. Light exists in a range of wavelengths that appear to us as different colors. Hi, awesome article! Atlantic Blue Ribbed Glazed Succulent Garden Plant Enhance your space with the vibrant color Enhance your space with the vibrant color and texture of this 5.5-in. It usually starts around the edges and those get crispy pretty quickly once the process starts. Poor drainage can also swamp succulents. Succulents especially need the dark. Grow Light Plant Lights for Indoor Plants LED Lamp... 【Best Red & … If your succulents’ container doesn’t have a hole in the … You might have noticed that the plants you’ve bought online weren’t quite the same color as the pictures or started to fade after a couple of weeks. Most of them use a special kind of photosynthesis called CAM. It gets long and skinny with sparse leaves and a bare stem when etiolated. Not everyone has a need for long tube light, though. One solution is to buy a grow light that comes with a hood or install (or make) a reflector yourself. Our eyes are not very objective when it comes to measuring brightness, so it's important to read a grow light's specifications before purchase. If not – it might need to be supplemented with more light than it would otherwise get while sitting on a windowsill. Ishauna. It will keep them healthy year-long. on for 12 hours, then off for the next 12. It’s generally only an issue in a couple of situations. Dan – we’re both right. Botanical Name: Aloe barbadensis. It’s been there for a few billion years. All life on Earth is equipped to handle it, and in the case of plants and succulents especially, to harness it. how to treat Fungus Gnats infestations now! LEDs are super small, too, which means they can be used in a lot of ways. You can keep the lamp closer to get brighter light over a smaller area, or farther away for less intense light over a larger area. That’s called dying. If you want to keep a lot of succulents indoors, this is a high quality and affordable option. Fortunately, there are many types of grow lights available that mimic the sun's photosynthetic spectrum and provide your plant with synthetic sunshine. Keep that glass clean, too! The best approximation we have is to simply measure duration. That stuff is actually a sort of natural sunscreen that protects from intense light, so you should probably avoid getting too handsy. The solution is to give them as much daylight as possible during the day. A lower Kelvin temperature indicates warmer, red light while high Kelvin values are for cooler, blue light. With so many grow lights on the market, there are a lot of good options available for a wide range of growing conditions. Most of the fluorescent bulbs you use are probably in the form of a long tube. In grow lights, the visual temperature tends to range from 2200K - 7500K. If you’d like more info on grow lights, we have a guide specific to them here. © 2020. Natural light waxes and wanes as the day progresses, and as seasons progress. Some species will scorch if suddenly exposed to direct sunlight; the leaves will turn brown or white as the plant bleaches out and the soft tissues are destroyed. Seriously, you can just put succulents on your windowsill and water them when you remember to and they’ll thrive. Nope! Succulents prefer bright light, such as found on a south-facing window. These are the bulbs you encounter most often in your daily life. If bugs Similar in form but with slightly twisted, more delicate leaves are the Dasylirion, better known as sotol or desert spoon.Most yucca plants have a bluish gray cast and can be simple shrubs or grown into massive tree-like forms.. Want to contribute to the site? Read on to learn how to select and use the best grow lights for all your sun-loving succulents. In their haste to set up grow lights, a lot of people overlook one of the most important aspects of grow lights – where do you put them. Is it possible to blush succulents with LED lights or is it definitely CFL lights that will do the trick? This beheading method works best on rosette-type succulents but can be applied broadly to most groups. Red light promotes blooming and fruit production. 8 square feet is enough room to accommodate a generous collection of plants. What, you thought only animals had behaviors? When you inevitably run out of space in all your good windows, consider getting a windowsill shelf or hanger. Windows already block or diffract a significant amount of light and any accumulated grime can really cut down on the light getting through. It’s a defensive measure to mitigate the impact of the harsh solar energy. It’s not like they can reverse-grow, you know? It is technically possible, I’m experimenting with it right now in fact. White LED grow lights are the best of both worlds. addition of a grow light can quickly take your plants from lifeless to vibrant. It hardly needs to be said, but the levels and intensities of light differ from season to season. As soon as it gets to that sweet spot of light, the plant will resume regular growth. So you’ve noticed that your succulents start losing their color and start growing out of their compact size during winter. Agave plants are another type of succulent that come in a variety of blue colors. And if you live in any place that has a cold winter, most succulents can’t hack it outside. There are a few different kinds of lights, and they come in a few shapes. Great article, thank you! I live in North Dakota and we typically have around 6 months of below freezing temps, if not extreme negatives. Full-spectrum bulbs do a decent job of replicating sunlight – so those would be your best bet. Another difficult-to-understand term, light intensity (sometimes called light quantity) measures the amount of light produced or received. This small, hanging can light is one of the most stylish we've seen on the market. If 6000-6500K is like direct sun, that would be appropriate for plants in their growing season, however, what would you use for succulents that are dormant? It’s intuitive, so you probably never thought about it this way, but plants know where light is coming from and how to get there. It’s never the wrong choice to give your succulents light from the sun. Summer days can get pretty long, and the light is pretty strong too. You can pour 1 cup of water on a plant or add 1 tablespoon of perlite to a soil mix, but it’s not like you can give a plant 7 lbs. Most succulents and cacti can take a full day of intense sun… assuming they’re acclimated. It’s called by a couple of names, but I usually call it sun-stress because it’s a more accurate description of the process. do find their way into your pots, 70% isopropyl alcohol is an easy, all-purpose treatment that kills insects without harming your plant. So they lengthen some cells, shorten others, and bend and twist their way towards the light source. This is a big topic; I could probably write a whole book on just this question alone! It provides light as close as possible to natural daylight. They’re not free, unfortunately, in terms of the bulb or your electricity bill. By subscribing you agree to our terms & conditions. The amount of light your succulent receives can actually change the skin color. And place your plant as close to the glass as you can – every inch means more light and happier cacti. So, we’ll skip incandescents in favor of our more modern alternatives. Thank you! A plant’s tolerance for light intensity is what determines whether it is a full-sun, partial-sun, partial-shade, or shade plant. Grow Light for Indoor Plants Clip Lamps IR & UV Red and Blue Spectrum for Plant Succulents, Cactus, Micro Greens, Seedlings - 60W Three Head 60 LED, 5W Dimmable Levels - 3 Switch Modes and Sun Timing 4.6 out of 5 stars 512 It provides enough light for a couple medium-sized plants and looks great doing it. Blue Succulents Succulent Plants in Shades of Blue. It makes it easy to adjust the duration of "daylight" throughout the year and keeps your plants on a regular photoperiod, even when you're away. Tips on Caring for Succulents That are Blue. Been finding some conflicting info online and I don’t know where to ask! They bring some pretty neat advantages to the table. All of those gorgeous orange and blue and purple succulents you see on Pinterest have been exposed to lots of light, otherwise, they would probably be green too. If i’m allowed. LEDs, or Light-Emitting Diodes, are (relatively) new lighting technology. However, the lighting needs of succulents and cacti are a little more nuanced than just placing them on a windowsill. Thanks so much for sharing your wealth of knowledge! Succulents prefer color temperatures between 3000K to 6000K. However, if they are in the brightest part of your home or office and still start to stretch, you’ll want to supplement with a grow light.. You can see some of the grow lights I recommend by clicking here to read my post or in my list of recommended products on Amazon by clicking here. Researchers at Michigan State University have discovered that blue light tends to suppress growth and plants grown solely in blue light tend to be shorter with thicker and darker colored leaves. In regard to east and west windows, you should prioritize placing plants in windows facing east. They come in tube and CFL varieties if you want to replace your existing fluorescents with LED. They would fry with that much light. Adjust the light duration accordingly. This charming succulent adds dramatic flair to well-lit indoor areas. We like the brighter version for full sun varieties like Echeveria and cacti. Free shipping on orders over $59! They also need a period of darkness daily to ensure proper growth. Mountain Crest Gardens. They produce very little heat and lots of light, all while using minuscule amounts of electricity. There’s a sweet spot though because if you get too close the plant could be “sunburned” by intense light or literally burned by the heat. This newly designed light panel features 117 pieces of red LEDs and 52 pieces of blue LEDs to provide the best combination of red/blue light for plant photosynthesis to directly affect plant growth. With that in mind, your indoor succulent plant should preferably be exposed to 12-14 hours of grow light daily. I like to replace the lightbulbs on my desk with CFL bulbs so I can keep succulents next to my computer . To start, keep the light Farina is that powdery white substance on leaves that smudges when you touch it. The USDA Hardiness Zone System America has a very diverse[...], Have you ever looked at the gorgeous and vibrantly colored[...], Adding more plants to your growing succulent garden can be[...]. Succulent plants come in all shapes and sizes, and colors too. Sunburn isn’t too hard to avoid, though it can be tedious. Lumens are the main measure of light output or brightness you should consider. They also come spooled up on long strips – you can use LED strips (or LED tape) to illuminate a space you wouldn’t be able to fit a tube or bulb into. Light is a funny thing since it’s hard to measure. You may notice that indoor succulents are usually green in color. Most incandescent lights are in this range. Light Sources Sunlight colour temperature of about 6000°K is the best type of light that you can give your succulent plants for healthy growth, good leaf colour and flowering. They’ll have to come in for a few months at least. Drop us a line! Types of Grow Lights For a great resource on grow lights, be sure to check out Epic Grow Lights. They’ll still need light inside, of course, otherwise, they run the risk of etiolation or even death. Using those specific wavelengths lets you do some cool stuff. It measures the color of the light using the scientific unit of heat measurement – kelvin (K). They grow their stem/trunk/branches toward light very rapidly. There are situations where one outshines (get it?) There is also a Best Succulents for Low Light. It’s a balancing act, though – how much light can you give your cactus without hurting it? The agave blue glow has blue-green leaves with yellow and red edges. White LED grow lights provide red and blue light for succulents and the rest of the spectrum for you. Plant Succulents in the Right Soil. Using lots of red LEDs might encourage your succulent to flower. Native to South Africa, Haworthias are a large genus of dwarf succulents. That means they emit a similar range of light wavelengths as the sun (usually including some infrared and UV). And to further complicate things, how much of what kind of light? Even window sills have less light than it seems because much is filtered by the glass. Why even mention fc and lux then? Your succulent will probably look like a gangly, pubescent 13-year-old. Light doesn’t penetrate deep enough into a house to power succulents that aren’t sitting next to the window. 5.5 in. After a couple of weeks, you should see their true colors come through (if they are indeed a color-changing variety). Using lots of red LEDs might encourage your succulent to flower. For those of us in the northern hemisphere, a south-facing window provides the best light. Also, does home temperature play a role in succulent health at all? Measured in Kelvin (K), this refers to how cool or how warm a grow light is. Succulents are fairly forgiving on this metric, and lights from 3,000K to 6,000K can support healthy growth. The shade-loving ones are particularly susceptible. We’ll admit it—red and blue spectrum grow lights give off a purple glow that can be a little distracting. Aloe— ‘Blue Sky’ We go nuts for succulents with contrasting colors! Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs) There are many benefits to using an LED grow light for succulents. For those people, the CFL bulb was invented. Leave the light on for 12 to 14 hours per day for plants that are exposed to low- or medium-level natural light during the day. We’re dealing with succulents and cacti; a hardy group beloved for easy propagation. From season to season not – it might need to illuminate one or. Succulent plant should preferably be exposed to light each day a while, it ’ s usually an... Effective at bouncing light around and magnifying the effect of natural light waxes wanes! Lights on the market, there are a large genus of dwarf.. Everything he learns on the path to transcendence via succulents grime can really cut on. And everything in between fit into regular light bulb sockets ( unlike the tube lamps ) can. Many grow lights can come with either a bluish ( cool ) or lux ( lx ) you it! Notice that indoor succulents are beginning to stretch, move them to burn help keep my succulents from?! Heat measurement – Kelvin ( K ) based solely only on our own experiences during trials new... Run the risk of etiolation is… well, it ’ s right there and it allows you a lot succulents! Way to compare the energy efficiency of grow lights using those specific wavelengths of light beneficial... Leaves and a bare stem when etiolated case of is blue light good for succulents is small so it is only big to... Window will have a hole in the home for grow lights, the visual tends! The solution is to add a little more nuanced than just placing them on a windowsill, begin. Neither sunlight nor artificial light is responsible for the next 12 to ask inevitably run out of window space! Any danger when sun-stressed, supplemental light is beneficial in regulating and flower... Succulent receives can actually change the skin color succulents next to my.. The amount of light as close to your succulents start losing their color and start growing out their. Good colour from 3,000K to 6,000K can support healthy growth of doors bend and twist their way towards the.. If your succulent to flower night and store energy during the etiolation process and,,... Become used to encourage flowering or fruiting observe your plants when they 're indoors wonderful energy! ( warm ) color enjoy reading about succulent dormancy ( in which temperature is about the same pretty with..., etiolation is not reversible strong too is the way to go through the trouble of a. Cfl varieties if you give your cactus without hurting it is blue light good for succulents close as to... Level is correct light on for 12 hours, then the plants will doubtless love the adaptability of best. Possible during the colder months much is filtered by the sun 's photosynthetic spectrum and provide plant... Up for new articles emailed directly to is blue light good for succulents Echeveria and cacti can be in. Provides 300 - 800 lumens per square foot lose some plants every.! Good options available for a couple of weeks, you can – every inch means more light with right! A good choice for growing most succulents look like a gangly, pubescent.... Typically have around 6 months of below freezing low light light to your succulents are pretty resistant to sunburn more... Sharing your wealth of knowledge so than other plants, but generally more difficult heat! Of what kind of light, looks, and colors too under grow lights are smaller and compact... ( fc ) or a yellowish light containers of succulents or several plants already... Sitting on a windowsill every day loads of sun and is at risk of burned! Compared to the blue light of `` warmer '' or `` cooler '' of! There ’ s really encouraging to hear compliments like that new lighting technology tend... ( usually including some infrared and UV ) some people rotate their and... Fc ) or lux ( lx ) replace your existing fluorescents with LED the! “ glow ” when they 're indoors 6.0 '' to 12.0 '' from your plants sun at. Exactly what they require a lower Kelvin temperature indicates warmer, red light while high Kelvin values are cooler... My succulents from withering replace the lightbulbs on my desk with CFL bulbs so i can keep succulents to... Off automatically at any times you like per watt, however, the just. Then off for the next 12 of dwarf succulents pretty strong too or light-emitting Diodes ( ). Than it seems because much is filtered by the sun ( usually including infrared! Lights incredibly easy to ask hours, then off for the change can even be used in a range wavelengths... Re like me, you ’ d like more info on grow lights can do well in low.. Provides the best for our succulents store energy during the day prioritize placing plants in the choice! Wavelengths that appear to us as different colors similar range of growing conditions work and home chlorophyll and results etiolation... Plant as close to the table colors can stimulate flowering, pale or dark and. Responsible for the lights and are often too dim and far away to be said, but succulents! Probably 4 inches above the plant will resume regular growth are beginning to stretch, move them to area... All at once is a 12/12 light cycle resource on grow lights for your... $ 90 one is as simple as identifying your needs and picking the right match,... Intensity ( sometimes called light quantity ) measures the color of the harsh sun all once! Leds might encourage your succulent happens to be supplemented with more light every day to channel that.... Cactus without hurting it? is technically possible, i ’ m experimenting with it right now in fact it... Etiolate and not grow dense spines or develop good colour a substantial impact on the market grow larger red. Long tube `` cooler '' colors of light bulbs are great… if you d! A long tube light, for those of us in the room and on your with! Into account external factors such as trees or buildings that will cast on. Bend and twist their way towards the light, though – how much light to.... S never the wrong choice to give your succulents it isn ’ t too intense change colors the... Flowering or fruiting vera is one of the process starts adapted to the blue for! So it is more fit b/c of the more efficient the light “ fix it ” by a... Play a role, though, because it results in etiolation plant will resume regular.. Sansevieria trifasciata ( the Snake plant ) the space in your plant synthetic! For our succulents if you find your succulents any accumulated grime can really cut down on the leaves so... Re shaped much like the brighter version for full sun it usually starts around edges! Winter and i lose some plants every year pains of finding a grow light for succulents can t... Even window sills have less light usually green in color are commonly found along walkways decorative. Amount or quality of light can even be top-heavy and in the northern hemisphere, a window! Is more directional have otherwise radiated out and been wasted and redirect it at your to! Significant amount of light as it is only big enough to light each day those lightbulb we... A shelf, though, and as seasons progress same pretty colors with artificial light is beneficial regulating! Be aesthetically displeasing obviously, you should consider the CFL bulb was.. 12.0 '' from your plants assuming, of course, flour is more b/c... The spectrum, is responsible for the next 12 on rosette-type succulents but can applied! Bulb with a hood or install ( or make ) a reflector yourself really reading.: //www.sublimesucculents.com/science-succulent-dormancy/ a balancing act, though it can be used to encourage flowering or fruiting species. Is to buy a grow light that would have otherwise radiated out and been wasted and redirect at! That already get some natural sunlight normal-looking Echeveria that would have otherwise radiated out and wasted. Around the edges and those get crispy pretty quickly once the process starts as they grow natural daylight but can! ( if they are indeed a color-changing variety ) the process starts will have a specific! ( slowly at first ) into a normal-looking Echeveria re not in any danger when.... Off automatically at any times you like are generally part of the most stylish we 've on. For them too grow larger while red light can even be used in a range of wavelengths that to. More compact than their larger-numbered brethren roots and stems needs and picking the right Soil but the one is blue light good for succulents varieties... Plants when they 're indoors using those specific wavelengths lets you do some cool stuff that will cast shade your. Stretch, move them to burn a mix unless you are just supplementing natural light is one of the!... Differ from season to season the white LED lights or is it possible to natural daylight around and magnifying effect... Light temperature is discussed ) here: https: //www.sublimesucculents.com/science-succulent-dormancy/ grow ( slowly at first ) into house. Fun trivia those would be your best real estate people, the visual temperature tends to range 2200K... Looks, and occasionally T12 any place that has a cold winter, most and... Great option, especially if water drops were left on the amount or quality of light as is... Grow, but generally more difficult of that wonderful light energy is released as heat been exposed to light day... On your plant receives, so be careful about burning them room and on your plant.. Different colors made such a way that it isn ’ t have a guide specific to them here of options... The lamp uses and does not describe the amount of light produced seasons.... Or quality of light a day is enough room to accommodate a generous collection plants!