Succulents are beginner-friendly plants that love the sun. Light can make or break your succulent, but finding the right location can be tricky. When succulents are grown in low light, they tend to get pale and thin, but what happens if they are exposed to too much sunlight?
It's crazy to think that a tropical or desert plant can get stressed by excessive sunlight, but it can happen. When succulents receive too much direct light, it can cause damage to the leaves which may not be irreversible.
This article explains what happens to succulents when they receive too much sunlight, and how to fix it.
When you place a succulent in too bright of light, the plant can become discolored and over time will die. This discoloration is commonly referred to as sunburn or sunscald. These burnt patches can be brown, black, or red in color. If caught soon enough, the plant will regrow and shed the damaged tissue. The key takeaway is if your succulent is showing signs of sunburn, you need to act quickly.
There are hundreds of different succulents and depending on your variety, they will require different intensities of light. There are varieties that can tolerate lower light such as haworthia or kalanchoe. Others may require bright, direct sunlight like hens and chicks or echeveria.
Succulents are noted for being low-maintenance. You can place them on bookshelves, well-lit bathrooms, and sunny window sills. But when you place your succulent in a location that is too bright, problems can arise.
The leaves can become quickly damaged by the sun. Luckily, if sunburn is caught quickly, the succulent's chances of survival are fairly high.
No matter what succulent you grow, you need to provide proper care to prevent damage or death. Every succulent has different care requirements, so understanding the ideal conditions for your succulent will set you up for success. Here are some factors to consider:
Understanding the difference in sunlight will help determine the proper location for your succulents. Whether you grow them indoors or outdoors, you must find a proper location to prevent problems. Two common terms used to describe light for plants are direct and indirect.
