Succulents and cacti are a popular type of houseplant due to their low maintenance. They are loved all over the world and come in many different shapes, colors, and varieties. How fast a succulent grows will depend on the type of succulent you have, its living conditions and of course, what you consider to be a fast-growing succulent.
In this article I will answer everything you need to know on succulent growth including; how fast do succulents grow? How big do succulents get? What are the fastest growing succulents?, Do succulents grow tall? And how to make succulents grow faster.
If you are asking yourself the question ‘how fast do succulents grow?’, then it is important to first understand that there are a huge amount of succulent species. The variety of succulents are diverse in their own ways. Some are considered to be fast-growing and you will notice growth within a few weeks, whilst others are renowned for being slow growers and it will take years to notice any type of growth.
That being said, when compared to other houseplants, succulents are in general slow growers – even the fastest growing succulents!
So, how fast do succulents grow? As mentioned above, growth rate will depend on species but it also depends on the environment, season, and whether you have a potted indoor succulent or an outdoor succulent. The Echeveria is a fast-growing succulent and can grow up to 6-8 inches in a year. Whereas Haworthias may take a couple of years to grow even a few inches.
General care can also affect growth so you have to ensure that you are not overwatering or underwatering your plant. Succulents also enjoy a lot of sunlight as well and thrive in warmer climates. Fertilizer can be good to help boost growth and you can use home remedies such as coffee grounds on succulents.
Do succulents go dormant?
Yes. Succulent dormancy is a thing. There are winter dormant succulents, as well as summer dormant succulents. During this time period, the plant will grow a lot slower and won’t need watering as much.
You will find that most succulent types are winter dormant succulents and will begin growing once the temperature rises.
However, there are a few succulent types that are summer dormant succulents such as Sansevieria, Sedum, and Aloe. View source here.
Fastest growing succulents
So we have a rough idea of how fast succulents grow but of course, it all depends on the type! If you are keen to see results in your indoor or outdoor succulents then you will want to choose a fast growing succulent.
Below is a list of 6 fast growing succulents – where you will notice a significant increase in size over the course of a 4 month period. This excludes dormant periods.
Kalanchoe
Kalanchoe are a variety of succulent that are extremely fast growers. They can go from cuttings to rooted plants within a matter of weeks and are a great plant to propagate if you are looking for quick results. They require little effort on your part and a standard 2-inch plant can be propagated into a dozen new plants.
The fastest growing kalanchoe succulent types are:
Kalanchoe diagremontana
Kalanchoe tubiflora
Kalanchoe pinnata
Kalanchoe tormentosa
This succulent type is considered to be an invasive plant due to its fast growing nature and ability to propagate at an increasingly fast rate. Be warned, the kalanchoe will take up a lot of room in your garden bed at a very fast rate! However, this is a beautiful succulent and looks wonderful in any home.
Aloe
Aloe has many different varieties and among them is of course the Aloe vera plant. Known for its healing abilities, the aloe plant is a popular choice among homeowners. When taken care of properly and in the correct environment, an aloe plant can grow from 2 inches to 6 inches within a year.
The fastest growing aloe succulent types are:
Aloe vera
Aloe arborescens
Aloe barbademsis
This succulent type thrives in hot climates and it is the aloe vera plant that we all know and love. It is produced commercially all over the world for its health benefits and is one of the most studied plants in medicine.
Sedum
As with most succulent types, sedum has hundreds of different varieties but the one thing they have in common is that they are fast growing succulents. Uniquely, they can hybridize with each other, creating countless beautiful types. A single 2-inch plant can cover 1 foot of area in just a year!
The fastest growing sedum succulent types are:
Sedum spurium
Sedum cauticola
Sedum acre
Sedum spathulifolium
These fast growing succulents are known for producing leaves in the hundreds! They are very low maintenance and can live off next to no care (although this doesn’t mean they should be neglected!). If you are looking to cover a wide area of garden quickly, then the sedum succulent is for you.
Crassula
When kept outdoors, the crassula plant is a very fast grower and can almost double in size within a year! This is because they thrive in an outdoor area. When kept indoors like the common jade plant, growth will tend to be a lot slower.
The fastest growing crassula succulent types are:
Crassula argentea hummel
Crassula undulata
Crassula tetragona
Crassula ovata variegata
As mentioned above, the crassula succulent grows fastest when outdoors and the temperature has a big role to play in this. This succulent type enjoys a temperature of 65-86F (18-30C) and is best kept in warmer climates.
Senecio serpens
Also known as the blue chalksticks succulent due to their appearance, these beautiful succulents grow in small bushes and in the right conditions, will grow up to 3 feet. The reason these are fast growing succulents is because like the kalanchoe plant, can propagate at alarmingly fast rates.
Senecio serpens is from the curio succulent family and is the fastest growing of this species. Other fast growing succulents from the curio family are:
Curio acaulis
Senecio articulatas
Curio crassulifolius
Senecio ficoides
The blue chalksticks succulent can be poisonous to pets and small children so should be carefully considered. However, this plant can propagate very quick;y and if you are looking for a strikingly beautiful succulent to cover your garden in as little as two months, then the senecio serpens is a great choice.
Echeveria
By far, the most popular type of succulent is the echeveria family. This fast growing succulent species thrive best in the spring and summer. One 2 inch plant can grow up to 6-8 inches in one year – provided optimal living conditions are met.
The fastest growing echeveria succulent types are:
Echeveria prolifica
Echeveria apus
Echeveria blue atoll
Echeveria orion
These wonderful fast growing succulents come in a wide range of beautiful colors and look gorgeous in any garden. Echeverias will bloom in the summer and a pro tip in forcing the plant to grow faster is to cut the bloom off. The energy it would have taken to push the bloom out will instead be used to promote growth! Echeveria also look great in a glass container! Read more on the best succulents for terrariums or learn about the 4 best tips for succulent terrarium care.
Do succulents grow tall?
We have discussed how fast do succulents grow and also the types of fastest growing succulents. We know that when a succulent grows at a fast rate, the area of your garden covered can be large.
But do succulents grow tall? Some succulents like the snake plant do indeed grow tall and look magnificent! But other types such as echeveria shouldn’t be growing upwards. If you notice that your succulent looks stretched out then it could be down to succulent etiolation.
An etiolated succulent will appear pale in color and the growth pattern will look abnormal. You will notice a long, leggy, stretched out look to your plant. This is due to insignificant sunlight and is a common problem for indoor succulents such as sedum, crassula, sedeveria and graptosedum.
Ok, so we are now onto the second part of our article! You have learned how fast do succulents grow but what about making succulents grow faster?
If you are at home and are disappointed with the growth rate of your plant then there are a few things you can do to promote growth. These are more or less general care tips for succulents but a healthy, happy plant will obviously thrive.
Below are the most important things to think about when trying to get your succulent to grow faster:
Water properly
Succulents are tricky in the sense that you absolutely do not want to overwater but at the same time underwatering isn’t great for them either. Of course, an underwatered succulent is better than an overwatered one (overwatering will cause diseases and pests such as fungus gnats, mealybugs, and spider mites), but it is best to find a healthy balance.
As we all know, succulents absorb water and can go for long periods of time without drinking anything. However, not watering enough is a sure way to stunt its growth and if you want to make succulents grow faster then you need to be giving them sufficient amounts of water.
As a rule of thumb, you should let the soil of your succulent dry out completely before rewatering. When you do water you will want to give your plant a thorough soak.
As there are so many succulent types that have different living conditions, it is hard to advise how often you should water a succulent. On average I find that in the summer months you should be watering a succulent plant around every 10 days.
Soil type
Another way to make your succulents grow faster is by ensuring you are using the correct soil type. Succulents enjoy a fast drying, airy soil with a mix of organic and inorganic matter.
If you are wanting to DIY your own potting mix then a blend of peat moss, bark and granite will work wonders.
However, most local garden centers will have their own blend of soil mix for succulents that works fantastically. Just look out for the ingredients and be sure that it is a fast-drying soil. This will help keep your succulent healthy, therefore making it grow faster.
Environment
As I have mentioned a few times above, the environment is a huge factor in succulent growth. Typically, succulents are great at adapting, which is why they are popular around the globe. But to promote fast growth you want optimal living conditions.
We have spoken about a fast-drying soil which is a key living condition for succulents. But they also enjoy warm climates. They do best in a sunny spot outdoors. If you have an indoor plant, then it should be placed in a south-facing window.
If you live in a location when the temperature drops in the winter, then I would always advise planting your succulents in containers. This way you can bring them indoors during the winter months and keep them in a warm climate.
A succulent that is kept out in the cold or in wet, heavy soil will struggle to grow.
How big do succulents get?
So, we have discussed how fast succulents grow, but how big do succulents get? Due to a large number of different types and varieties of the species, it is a difficult question to answer.
Some succulent types will stay relatively small and only reach the maximum size of 6 inches, whilst other varieties can grow as tall and wide as 12 feet!
Here are some popular succulent types and information on how big they can get:
Sansevieria trifasciata (Snake Plant)
A very common houseplant across the world due to its low maintenance, the snake plant comes in beautiful shades of greens and yellows. Renowned for its snake-like leaves, this succulent is native to Western Africa and is also known as Mother-in-law’s Tongue.
Being one of the largest succulents, a sansevieria can grow up to 12 feet high and will thrive with minimal care – so be sure to keep a lot of space free in your home for this gorgeous plant!
Popular for many reasons, the snake plant releases most of its Oxygen at night and can remove toxins from the air.
Echeveria
One of the most popular succulents across the world, the echeveria is a beautiful plant that comes in many different colors and is renowned for its rose-like shape. This plant can grow up to 12 inches.
There are over 150 varieties of echeveria that are native to Central America, Mexico and South America. Typically, this succulent is a slow grower and won’t grow over 12 inches.
The echeveria is sensitive to watering so overwatering will kill the plant for sure. You need to find a healthy balance and ensure you are taking proper care of your succulent to promote maximum growth.
Crassula Ovata (Jade Plant)
The jade plant is a popular type of succulent that can grow up to 6 feet. Also known as the money plant and lucky plant, these are a popular housewarming gift and are one of the best succulents for offices. Native to South Africa, the jade plant is now a common houseplant across the globe.
The jade plant is similar to the snake plant in the sense that it is very easy to care for and can go long periods of time without water. In fact, the most common reason for a dying jade plant is overwatering!
You can find out more information on different succulent types and how big they grow from Planted Shack.
How fast do succulents grow? A quick conclusion
I hope you have enjoyed reading this article and now know the answer to your question: how fast do succulents grow?. We have discussed how quickly succulents grow along with succulent dormancy.
I have also given you my best knowledge on the fastest growing succulents which are; kalanchoe, aloe, sedum, crassula, senecio serpens and echeveria.
I touched upon tall stretched succulents and for the second part of the article, I gave advice on how to make succulents grow faster including watering, best soil types and environment.
There was also an overview on how big do succulents get and I gave details on three popular succulent types; sansevieria trifasciata, echeveria and crassula ovata.
I hope you have learned everything you were hoping too! If you have any questions then feel free to comment below and I will do my best to get back to you.
