The Water Needs of Succulents

Water Storage

• The stems, leaves and roots of succulent plants appear more thick and bloated than other plants. The thickness of a succulent's body parts helps these plants store water. In the wild, water storage enables succulent plants to survive in hot climates and gives the plants a high drought tolerance. Many succulent plants, especially cacti, are native to desert regions throughout the American Southwest. Gardeners also grow succulents in tropical climates, where rainfall is more abundant than desert regions. In tropical climates, succulent plants grow better in pots, which helps drain out excessive water from the soil.

Disease

• Overwatering causes significant damage to succulent plants if it happens over a long period of time. Leaves of one succulent plant, the jade plant, suffer from spotting if water remains on the leaf. When watering jade plants, gardeners only place water in the soil surrounding the plants. Aloe rust occurs on aloe plants and is identified by brown spotting on the plants' leaves. This disease is the result of allowing water to rest on the aloe's leaves for too long. Overwatering also causes stem rot and sooty mold on succulent plants.

Indoors

• Gardeners may bring their smaller succulent plants indoors during the wintertime to avoid harsh, cold temperatures. Succulent plants grow well indoors if they have access to proper lighting; the lighting's intensity is a substitute for sunlight. However, the humidity levels in a building are less than outdoor humidity. As a result, succulent plants lose water from leaf tissues at a rapid rate due to the dryness of the building's air. Gardeners must keep an eye on the dryness of the succulent plant's soil to make sure their plant has enough water. A humidifier machine helps succulent plants retain water if the machine is within several feet of the plant.

Winter

• In the winter, succulent plants do not receive as much sunlight as in the summer months. As a result, gardeners only need to water succulent plants enough to prevent wilting. The only time a succulent plant needs more water is if its soil is completely dry. Soils dry less frequently in the winter than the summer. However, watering succulent plants in the winter is not different from summer watering in terms of thoroughness. If they have planted in a pot, gardeners must make sure the water drains through the pot's base to avoid overwatering their plants.