Succulents are popular low-maintenance, sun-loving plants. These plants are generally slow growers, which makes them ideal if you want a plant that doesn’t require as much care and attention as other plants. They are pretty much set and forget with the occasional splash of water.
However, for the impatient ones who can’t wait forever to see any growth in their plant, there are some fast growing succulents available. These are your perfect plant if you want to see faster growth and a more established plant in as little as four months.
Here is a list of 8 popular succulents that grow faster than the average, along with a basic care guide to help you keep your plant in tip-top shape.
The Top Fast-Growing Succulents
Aeonium Sunburst
Aeonium Sunburst is a beautiful flower looking succulent. It branches out into large rosettes. The color of the leaves ranges from green and white to a gorgeous creamy yellow. The Aeonium Sunburst grows well both in inland and in coastal areas.
During the cooler months, this plant grows best in full sunlight. In the warm months, the Aeonium Sunburst requires only partial sunlight, so it’s best to move the plant to the best location depending on the season for optimal growth.
The Aeonium Sunburst should be watered sparingly during the summer and even less in winter. During the winter, you only need to water this plant once per month.
Echeveria Species
If you’re looking for a succulent that will cover an area horizontally as it grows, the Echeveria Species is your ideal succulent. The Echeveria species is known as a rosette succulent, and it can grow at least two-feet wide.
These succulents are native to semi-desert areas and are available in various different types such as the Echeveria ‘Lilac Dream’ or the Echeveria ‘Autumn Flame’.
During the hot months, these plants will need partial shade but full sun is fine for cooler months.
If you’re looking for a deer-resistant plant that doesn’t require fertilization, this succulent is the best choice for you.
Aurora Pink Jelly Bean Sedum
The Aurora Pink Jelly Bean Sedum is a succulent that is brightly colored and doesn’t attract many pests, such as scales and mealybugs. This plant showcases ruby-colored leaves when it receives full sunlight and reveals green leaves when it lacks sunlight.
This is a popular succulent because of its vibrant colours and is a great grower if the conditions are right. This succulent is particularly tolerant to full sun and drought conditions. It will not fare so well if left in wet soil or exposed to frost.
Crassula Species
The Crassula Species requires more care than other succulents but are popular and are known to grow faster than other succulents. This succulent is in the best health when it receives full sunlight and should be watered sparingly. For this particular species, you need to be cautious of root rot. Root rot occurs when you overwater a plant and the roots are left in wet soil for a prolonged period of time.
Inspect your Crassula succulents occasionally for dry topsoil and soggy roots. If you plan on becoming the owner of one of these succulents, make sure you use water-soluble fertilizer at least every 6 months after the regularly scheduled watering.
The Crassula Perforata or String of Buttons is a particularly popular succulent from the Crassula species. String of buttons is a succulent that requires little attention. You don’t have to worry about gnats with this plant, but occasional mealy bugs can occur. These captivating plants can dress up your home and look great when you grow them in a hanging basket.
Haworthia Species
If you’re a fan of Aloe Vera, you are sure to find the Haworthia Species interesting. This succulent species features zebra print leaves that will change color if overwatered. If the leaves start to turn brown, this is an indication you need to adjust your watering schedule.
Overexposure to sunlight can also cause the leaves of the Haworthia Species to become brown and wilt.
Schlumbergera or Christmas Cactus
The Christmas Cactus doesn’t have to be bothered much to thrive and grow beautifully. Originally from the coastal mountains of south-eastern Brazil, the Christmas Cactus loves to grow on trees or rocks in shady, high humidity areas.
A distinctive plant, the Christmas Cactus has segmented stems with bright colored flowers at the end of each stem. They can come in a range of colours from red and pink right through to purple, yellow and even white. And while you can see these plants bloom throughout the year, they most often bloom near Christmas… Hence the name.
Even though the Christmas Cactus doesn’t look like your standard succulent, they require generally the same amount of care as every other succulent… Which is basically not much at all. As long as it has moist soil without sitting in water and bright indirect sunlight, your Christmas Cactus should thrive and produce gorgeous blooms year in and year out.
How to Care for Fast-Growing Succulents
The great thing about succulent plants is that they are relatively easy to grow. They are not high maintenance or overly fussy about their growing conditions… Even the fast growing succulents. But there are a few things to keep in mind to give your succulent optimal growing conditions.
Give your Succulent Enough Sunlight
Make sure your plant gets enough sunlight. The total amount of sunlight a succulent needs depends on the type of plant, but in general, these sun-lovers need 6 hours of sunlight each day.
Newly planted succulents need more care and attention. You should gradually introduce these new plants to sunlight. Direct sunlight causes the succulent to become scorched and damaged. Use a sheer curtain as a shade to prevent the plant from having full sun exposure.
Rotate your Succulents Frequently
While it’s true succulents love attention from the sun, make sure you rotate your plants frequently to ensure the whole plant receives enough sunlight. Pay attention to your plant. These memorizing plants will lean towards the sun. Rotating them helps the plant stand up straight. A leaning plant can also be a sign they need a better position in your home that will give them access to more sunlight. Try moving your plants around to different locations as the may help to promote fast growing succulents.
Water with the Seasons
Like humans, succulents require water to thrive. During their growth period, spring and summer, your succulents will most likely need more water. These plants rest during the fall and winter, so during these seasons, they don’t require as much water.
When watering house plants, avoid killing your plant due to over watering. Always test the soil. If the top 1.25 inches of the topsoil is dry, your plant needs to be watered. It’s essential to let the soil dry in between watering. If in doubt you can buy soil water testers to help gauge how wet or dry the soil is.
Directly Water the Soil
Succulents are different from other plants. If you don’t water them correctly, you can stunt their growth or cause additional damage. If your succulent is in a container with drainage holes, water the plant until water seeps out of the drainage holes. If the container doesn’t have drainage holes, you should use less water and avoid using a spray bottle. Water the soil directly and not the plant.
Keep your Succulents Clean
Like other items in your home, your plants can collect dust over time. Allowing your succulent to collect dust can stunt its growth potential. Use a damp cloth to gently wipe off the spines and leaves of your plant. You can use a soft brush to help with reaching the places that are hard-to-reach.
Use the Right Soil
Succulents require soil that drains well, which means dirt from your backyard or regular potting mix most likely won’t do the trick. Mixed potting soil that contains pumice, sand, or perlite is ideal. You can also use cactus soil for your succulent.
Avoiding Bugs
The only occasional enemy of succulents is gnats. These pests come around due to overwatering the plant, and this means the soil is too wet and doesn’t drain properly. To get rid of these pests, you need to remove the eggs and larvae.
You can get rid of gnats by using 70% isopropyl alcohol or Neem Oil. Mealybugs can also be a problem, but they can be removed using the same method to get rid of gnats.
These fast-growing succulents are very easy to care for and are an ideal plant to brighten your home. Not only do they look good and are easy to maintain, they also help to purify the air in the home, maintain your homes temperature and on the whole help to keep your home a healthy one. These hardy plants are also known to improve your focus, and increase your pain tolerance.
Why not grab a fast growing succulent for your home today and experience the benefits for yourself.
