5 Reasons Succulents Are The Best Plants For Beginners

• They are forgiving – It is completely fine to fall in love with that beautiful echeveria, bring it home, then lose interest now. When I started, I would buy a plant, pot them in a nice container, and water them. After a few days, I’d sort of lose interest. This plant isn’t “new” or as exciting anymore. That doesn’t mean I’m a bad plant parent. I think realizing that is just human nature helps. Succulents are used to infrequent waterings in the wild so they are built to withstand long droughts. They store water in their leaves which is why you’ll notice them plump for a few days after a watering. I’ve gone more than two weeks without watering my plants before I noticed any damage by drought.
• They are long-lasting – When I started my fascination with plants, I began by growing roses. This is one of the most popular flowers. However, I quickly learned that this plant needed a lot of care and attention. Between work and family life, I would sometimes miss a watering and my plant would burn in the sun. Also, their flowering was sporadic and short lived. This is not the case with succulents which you can always enjoy as they do not have seasons. Depending on their species and climate at your place on the globe, some succulents go dormant or stop growing.
• They help increase focus – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 11 percent of American children have ADHD. Many adults and children also have issues with attention. But as Richard Louv describes in his 2005 book Last Child in the Woods, which introduced the concept of Nature Deficit Disorder, regular exposure to nature – even in the form of houseplants and succulents – can help children to focus better.
• They are affordable and easy to propagate – Succulents are relatively cheap compared to some hybrid roses. I started purchasing expensive David Austin roses, which for the price of one I have bought dozens of succulents. With low investment, you can test the waters and see how you’d do as a plant parent. If you find that gardening is not for you, gift the plant to a friend who might enjoy it more.
• They are therapeutic – I am not kidding, it can be exciting to see new growth on your little plant. After forgetting about it for a week, finding new growth shows you how resilient this plant is. It helps me decompress when I can check on my plants and have something to take care of. Once a month (or whenever I remember/have time), I put on my AirPods and do some maintenance on my plants. This is when I check for pests and remove dead/dried up leaves. This is my “me time” and I’ve found it to be very therapeutic.

I hope these 5 reasons succulents are the best plants for beginners push you to start your own journey. There is a huge community of succulent enthusiasts on almost every platform which is great to be a part of. The community will also help you along your journey.

Let me know in the comments if you decide to start and which plant you go with. Also, check out my other informative posts on succulents & cacti care. Let me know if there is anything you would like to learn more about.