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Houseplants have long been a mainstay of home decoration, and succulent plants have become one of the most popular and recognizable types in recent years. Here are a few succulents we'd recommend.

Buying Guide for Succulent Plants Our Picks for the Best Succulent Plants Final Thoughts

Meghan Herlihy is a full-time writer for LifeSavvy and has written across a wide variety of topics, genres, and formats, including radio talk shows, local sports journalism, and creative original fiction. She received her bachelor's degree in communications from Ithaca College and a master's in writing from Johns Hopkins University. When she's not writing, you're most likely to find her reading a book, petting every dog within eyesight, and indulging in her love of travel. Read more...

Ellie Miller is a full-time copy editor and occasional writer for LifeSavvy’s reviews articles. With years of experience in substantive and copy editing, proofreading, and publishing, she has edited thousands of online articles, as well as memoirs, scientific essays, book chapters, and workplace training documents. She hopes you’ll find some new favorite products here on LifeSavvy like she has. Read more...

Succulents are a group of plants that have water storage tissues; most species are native to dry, warm climates, and this particular feature helps them endure periods of scarce rainfall and droughts. As a result, most varieties have thick, fleshy leaves as their defining characteristic. Succulents come in a wide range of different species, colors, and forms, some with blooms and some without. If you want to add a touch of greenery to your living space, you can’t go wrong with a lovely succulent plant.

One of the main draws of succulents is that they’re incredibly hardy and easy to care for. Since they can keep water and nutrients stored for long periods of time, succulents require pretty minimal watering—most varieties only need to be watered once a week, sometimes as little as once a month. If their roots sit in water for too long, they’ll begin to rot. Thus succulent plants are a great option for people who travel a lot, have hectic, busy schedules, or are inexperienced with taking care of and growing plants.

Succulents also tend to be relatively small plants. People who live in dorms, studio apartments, or small condos may not have the room or shelf space to spare for big and/or numerous houseplants. While larger succulents are available, some only reach a few inches high when fully grown and thus need pots that are only a few inches wide. This makes succulents great for smaller living spaces, desks, or windowsills. Alternatively, if you have enough space, some people like to arrange several or multiple different succulents in the same large planter or pot as an elaborate and unique centerpiece. The wide variety of shapes, colors, and, in some cases, blooms of different succulents make them a great decorative option in terrariums, lanterns, baskets, wall-mounted shelves, and more.

What should you look for in succulent plants?

What’s the difference between succulents and cacti?

There are a lot of similarities between the two since cacti are also hardy, warm-weather plants that can store water and nutrients for extended periods of time and are low-maintenance houseplants. “Cactus” is an actual botanical plant sub-category, while “succulent” is a broader, unofficial term that covers multiple different species and families of plants. Many people place cacti under the succulent umbrella since they are fleshy plants that retain water, but you can’t use the two terms interchangeably. All cacti may qualify as succulents, but not all succulents are cacti.

These adorable, assorted succulents are handpicked and come pre-potted.

Pros: You won’t have to go out and spend extra money on new pots or planters for these succulents; each plant arrives already planted inside its own perfectly sized flowerpot. (Though feel free to move them into a bigger vase or glass terrarium if desired.) Soil is included as well, so you don’t have to provide your own or worry about fertilizing them. The plants and pots are nice and small, only about 2 inches wide apiece, so they won’t take up excess room and will fit into tight spaces. And while this is listed as a set of five succulents, you should actually receive six with your purchase; the company sends an extra just in case one gets damaged during shipping. So you may wind up with a bonus plant for no additional cost.

Cons: As is sometimes the case when buying sets of succulents, you don’t get to pick the species or type you’ll receive. The selection is random, based on what the company has on hand.

Bottom Line: These classic little succulents will brighten up your living space, office, or wherever else you display them. You can keep them in the pots they come in, repot them into the container of your choice, and even keep them outside to soak up extra sun during the warmer months if you so desire.

This 10-pack of budget-friendly succulents come as an assorted pack.

Pros: It’s hard to beat the price of these assorted succulents. The company offers a wide variety of different types of succulents, with over 50 different varieties in their nursery. And unlike some succulent assortments, there shouldn’t be any repeats. They’re also incredibly easy to plant; they come clean-cut, and most of the varieties don’t have roots or a stem, so all you have to do is stick the plant directly on top of the soil, push down gently, and you’re good to go.

Cons: This is another set of succulents where you don’t get to pick which species or types you receive, and the selection is random. While you don’t have to worry about repeats, the company does rotate different succulents in and out on a weekly basis, so you don’t know what you’re getting. And none of these succulents come pre-potted, so you’ll have to provide your own.

Bottom Line: These succulents are the perfect choice for those who want a better bang for their buck or want a true variety of plants to decorate their office or living space. Even though you never know which 10 succulents you’ll receive, you know that each plant will be unique from its companions.

Whether you only want a few succulents for your home or a 100 or more for wedding decorations, this collection has you covered.

Pros: Most succulent packs limit you to only a handful of different quantity choices, but not these. They’re available in 13 different quantities, the smallest being a set of 4 and the largest being a whopping 256-pack, perfect for large events. Each succulent comes pre-potted, and a care booklet for your new plants is included with your purchase, so you won’t have to research individual varieties to figure out how to best care for different species.

Cons: The plants may need some touching up upon arrival; it may take some brushing off, exposure to sunlight, and water before these succulents perk back up. And while you do receive an assorted set of succulents, every plant in the set will be a rosette-shaped succulent. If you want varieties with blossoms, hanging leaves, or longer stems, you’ll have to look elsewhere.

Bottom Line: Whether you just want a couple of succulents to liven up your desk or need several dozen for wedding favors or decorations, this pack of succulent plants has you covered. Unlike most similar products, you can order up to several hundred at a time if need be, but there are still plenty of smaller sets as well.

This pretty little succulent is a unique addition to your home.

Pros: If you’re looking to buy one individual succulent instead of a pack, this succulent plant is well worth a look. You get a single Haworthia cuspidata succulent, a lovely star-like plant that grows up to 4 inches wide and comes in several glassy, translucent shades of green. As a bonus, this particular species has the potential to grow one or more buds of white flowers.

Cons: As lovely as the Haworthia cuspidata is, there aren’t any alternate species available to choose from. You’ll also have to provide your own pot for this succulent, and you may have to repot it to a bigger one if it ends up growing and flowering.

Bottom Line: Not everyone needs a full set or even several succulents. Sometimes you just want one new plant to add to your collection. You can’t go wrong with this pretty, multi-toned plant.

These mini succulents provide a decorative touch without taking up too much space.

Pros: If you have truly limited space at your desk or in your home for decorative touches, these succulents offer a solution. Even by indoor succulent standards, they’re very small. The plants themselves are less than 2 inches tall and no more than 2 inches wide. The pots have a drainage hole at the bottom to ensure your succulents aren’t sitting in water for extended periods of time, which is detrimental to their health. Alternatively, they’re easy to repot or even plant outdoors; they can survive outside in most USDA hardy zones (3-11).

Cons: While the miniature size of these succulents will be an advantage for some, they may be a bit too small for others.

Bottom Line: These succulents are especially pocket-sized, perfect for people who have smaller desks, windowsills, or minimal display space but still want some greenery in their home. They also make pretty and unique party favors for bridal or baby showers.

Succulents are a great way to bring a touch of greenery and/or color into your living space, even if you don’t have the largest home or a lot of extra room to spare. They’re tough, unfussy little plants that can thrive with minimal attention in pretty much any indoor environment.

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