Succulents are cherished for their resilient qualities and beautiful foliage, but many also offer striking blooms that can enhance any indoor or outdoor setting. Whether you seek a long-lasting bloomer, a fragrant specimen, or a low-maintenance option, there is a flowering succulent suited to your preferences.
Before selecting succulents to cultivate, familiarize yourself with their specific care needs. Most varieties thrive in abundant sunlight, so consider investing in supplementary lighting if natural light is insufficient indoors. Outdoors, ensure your succulents receive at least six hours of direct sunlight daily.
Discover 20 enchanting flowering succulents that will bring vibrant hues to your living space or garden, along with practical care tips to promote their vitality.
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Echeveria
Echeverias are among the most sought-after succulents due to their symmetrical rosettes and gentle, pastel leaves. During spring and summer, these plants produce tall stems adorned with delicate bell-shaped flowers in hues of pink, orange, and red. To thrive, Echeverias require bright, indirect light and well-draining soil. Water only when the soil is completely dry to prevent overwatering. A diluted succulent fertilizer in spring can stimulate growth and blooming.
Aloe Vera
Renowned for its healing properties, aloe vera is also a visually striking flowering succulent that blooms with tall, tubular yellow or orange flowers in warmer months. This low-maintenance plant thrives in direct sunlight and only needs watering when the soil dries out completely. Applying a balanced succulent fertilizer in spring promotes robust growth and flowering.
Flaming Katy (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana)
Also known as “Flaming Katy,” Kalanchoe blossfeldiana is an impressive, long-blooming succulent that produces clusters of vibrant flowers in shades of red, pink, orange, or yellow. These blooms can last for weeks, making it a popular choice for brightening homes. Thriving in bright, indirect light, this plant requires watering when the soil is dry. Feeding with a phosphorus-rich fertilizer monthly during the growing season extends blooming.
Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera)
Distinct from most succulents, the Christmas cactus thrives in humid environments and showcases elegant, trailing blooms in pink, red, or white around the festive season. This plant prefers bright, indirect light and slightly moist soil, necessitating more frequent watering compared to other succulents. Regular feeding with a diluted, balanced fertilizer every two weeks from spring to summer enhances blooming.
Jade Plant (Crassula ovata)
Featuring glossy, deep green leaves and an impressive
Desert Rose (Adenium obesum): This eye-catching succulent bears resemblance to a miniature bonsai tree, boasting a thick, swollen base and beautiful trumpet-shaped flowers in hues of pink, red, and white. It flourishes in full sunlight and well-draining soil, needing deep but occasional watering. Feeding it with a high-phosphorus fertilizer every two weeks during the growing season will help stimulate its impressive blooms.
Ice Plant (Delosperma): The ice plant is a rapidly growing succulent that blankets the ground with daisy-like flowers in vibrant shades of purple, pink, and yellow. Thriving in full sun and requiring minimal watering, it is an excellent choice for low-maintenance gardens. A light application of a succulent-specific fertilizer in spring will promote abundant flowering.
Crown of Thorns (Euphorbia milii): Recognized for its long-lasting blooms, this plant produces clusters of small, cup-shaped red or pink flowers year-round under suitable conditions. It prefers bright light and sporadic watering, thriving best when allowed to dry out between waterings. Applying a well-balanced, diluted fertilizer monthly can help sustain its continuous blooming cycle.
Ghost Plant (Graptopetalum paraguayense): This exquisite, silvery-hued flowering succulent forms delicate rosettes and blossoms with star-shaped yellow flowers. Resilient and low-maintenance, it thrives with bright light and occasional watering. A diluted liquid fertilizer in spring and summer will enhance its prolific flowering.
String of Pearls (Senecio rowleyanus): Known for its bead-like leaves, this plant also produces small white flowers with a sweet cinnamon fragrance. Flourishing in bright, indirect light and needing complete dryness between waterings, it benefits from a balanced liquid fertilizer sparingly applied in spring and summer to encourage healthy growth and blooming.
Living Stones (Lithops): These flowering succulents mimic small pebbles but surprise growers with stunning daisy-like flowers in white or yellow during the fall. Requiring full sun and minimal watering, they benefit from a light feeding in spring to promote flowering.
Peanut Cactus (Echinopsis chamaecereus): This small, cylindrical cactus bursts into bloom with vibrant red or orange flowers in spring. Thriving in bright sunlight and preferring deep but infrequent watering, a cactus fertilizer used monthly during the growing season will enhance its blooms.
Zebra Plant (Haworthia fasciata): This striking, small flowering succulent showcases bold, striped leaves and delicate white flowers on tall stems in spring or summer. Flourishing in indirect light and requiring occasional watering, it benefits from a diluted, balanced fertilizer in spring to encourage flowering. With a lifespan of approximately fifty years, it is distinctive for its longevity.
Orchid Cactus (Epiphyllum oxypetalum): This night-blooming cactus boasts breathtaking, fragrant white flowers. Preferring indirect light
To attract pollinators, certain plants require specific care to ensure optimal blooming. The Fairy Castle Cactus, known scientifically as Acanthocereus tetragonus, boasts a whimsical, castle-like growth pattern that can surprise growers with its large white flowers. This unique cactus thrives in full sun and minimal watering, with the occasional use of cactus fertilizer.
Another stunning option is the Mexican Snowball, or Echeveria elegans, which blooms with delicate pink flowers in the spring. This frost-resistant echeveria needs bright light, well-draining soil, and benefits from a balanced succulent fertilizer during its growing months.
For those seeking a charming addition to their space, the Star Cactus (Astrophytum asterias) may be the perfect choice. This spineless cactus produces large, yellow flowers in the summer and thrives in full sun with minimal watering. Monthly application of cactus fertilizer can help this beauty flourish.
If you prefer a succulent with a more cascading growth habit, consider the String of Bananas (Senecio radicans). Similar to the string of pearls plant, this succulent blooms with tiny, fragrant white flowers and thrives in bright, indirect light with occasional watering and light fertilization.
For a fun, low-maintenance succulent option, look no further than the Jelly Bean Plant (Sedum rubrotinctum). This charming succulent features plump, bean-shaped leaves that turn vibrant red in sunlight. In the spring and early summer, it blooms with delicate star-shaped yellow flowers. Thriving in bright, indirect light to full sun, the Jelly Bean Plant prefers well-draining soil and requires only occasional watering. Be sure to let the soil dry out completely between waterings to prevent root rot. Perfect for containers, rock gardens, or sunny windowsills, this adorable flowering succulent is as easy to grow as it is delightful to behold.
