A succulent is a very easy plant to care for, so most people opt for it as a house plant.
In addition to this, succulents live longer than most other plants, and you may not even notice that you’ve had them for years.
Are you curious about the life expectancy of succulents?
In spite of the fact that succulents have a wide variety of species, many of them can live for indefinite periods of time if well cared for.
Granddaddy, the largest and oldest saguaro in the US, has survived in the Saguaro National Monument East for about 300 years!
How Long Do Succulents Live?
Quite simply, it depends on the type of succulent and how it is cared for. Most succulents are perennials, so they can flourish if given the proper care.
The jade plant or money plant, for instance, has a natural lifespan of 70 to 100 years. On the other hand, some cacti live for centuries, such as “Granddaddy,” which lived twice as long as an average saguaro.
Furthermore, most monocarpic succulents can live for between ten and one hundred years.
Having just started gardening 3 years ago, my Hen & Chicks (Supervivum) bloomed but dried out and died.
Many succulents have a short lifespan, but their offshoots and plantlets can be propagated and live anew. This new plant can technically be considered the same plant, but perhaps a different generation.
Lifespan Of Some Common Succulents
- Aloe Vera – 10 to 20 years
- Crassula ovata or Jade plants – 20 to 100 years
- Christmas Cactus – minimum of 30 years
- Living Stones – 40 to 50 years
- Barrel Cactus – 50 to 100 years
- Hen and Chicks – 2 to 4 years
- Agave Americana – 40 to 100 years
How To Make Your Succulent Plant Last Longer
There is no guarantee that succulents will live long or short, but they have a certain lifespan. However, how you handle them still matters.
First you must understand the type of species you are dealing with in order to provide them with proper care. Every species requires a specific set of conditions in order to thrive.
The following tips will help ensure that succulents live a long time if we are thinking about succulents in general.
Choose The Right Pot And Soil
Choose a container or pot with the best drainage system. It does not mean that the pot must be filled with giant holes, but that it must be breathable so that moisture won’t get trapped inside.
Some of my succulents are in terracotta pots, as I may have mentioned before. However, I need to water them more, especially the ones in direct sunlight, since the succulents are very breathable and are prone to drying out.
Pick a container and soil that doesn’t hold water, and you’re good to go!
In terms of soil, you can follow some DIY mixes online according to the type of succulent you have. Alternatively, you can opt for fast-draining cactus mix.
Make sure you don’t overwater your succulents – but don’t take it too easy!
Succulents naturally live in areas with extreme temperatures, and they are fine. In order for the plant to survive in harsh conditions, its roots, stems, and leaves store water.
The fact remains that they need water, but not to the extent you’re depriving them already.
Depending on the kind of succulent, about every two weeks is a reasonable estimate. My succulents are only watered once the soil is nearly completely dry.
When the weather is warmer, especially in the summer, or when the plant is placed outdoors, it is more likely to occur.
The one thing you need to keep in mind with all succulents is to not overwater them. In that case, their roots will rot faster, making reviving them more difficult.
Give Them The Proper Amount Of Light.
Since succulents normally grow in the desert, they need natural light to flourish, but they can also thrive in low light.
Make sure there is the right balance of light and shade. Too much direct sunlight can cause them to dry out and get sunburned.
If your succulents receive at least some sunlight, you can expect them to thrive. When choosing a succulent, it is best to mimic the light conditions of the location where you purchased it.
Feed Your Succulents
The soil can provide succulents with almost all of the nutrients they need, so there is no need to fertilize them. Occasionally, it wouldn’t hurt to give them food, though!
Giving your succulents fertilizer will encourage them to grow fuller and produce fleshy leaves with vibrant colors.
Taking a nutritional supplement may help them grow stronger, even though it isn’t essential.
During the warmer seasons, you should feed your plants with an organic fertilizer that is well balanced. During spring or your succulent’s growing season, you can also fertilize them once a year.
Seasonal Care For You Succulents – Know Your Growing Zone.
Plants should be cared for year-round, regardless of whether they are indoors or outside. You should know your hardiness zones.
A Hardiness Zone Map is available online to help you determine your location’s zone.
This USDA map is available to those living outside of the US. You can also find out the location of your zone on this map.
When the weather is too harsh outside during summer or winter, I usually relocate some of my succulents. Dormancy is important to me too when it comes to succulents.
I cover some of my succulent plants with frost cloth since some of them are sensitive to freezing temperatures.
Meanwhile, since I also have cold hardy succulents, I let them go out since I am confident that they will do just fine throughout the winter.
Not Ready To Say Goodbye? Propagate Them
You would prefer them to live longer, but they have a shorter life span, regardless of how much you do to make them last.
If this is the case, you can always propagate succulents from the current ones that you have.
Using this method, you can multiply succulents from the one that you have currently.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
There are still many recent and interesting articles about Snake Plants..
..as well as other unique information from All Things Gardener..
For further information and other inquiries..
..you can contact us here