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Top 10 Succulents To Grow From Seeds
Oct
Growing succulents from cuttings, offsets and leaves is quite well-known by now. However, not many people know that these wonderful plants can be grown from seeds too. Moreover, some succulents, for example Echeveria, Lithops and Dudleya, can be grown only from seeds because it’s the most practical way to propagate them as many of these succulents do not offset as profusely as others. Although succulent seed propagation is a time-consuming process, it’s also very rewarding in the end. Also, it’s a very economical way to grow a succulent garden. Succulents that you can grow from cuttings and other methods are easily available in stores, but some rare succulents are not easy to find and if you find them, they would cost you a fortune and that makes it difficult for you to buy many of them. In that case, seed propagation is a great option to spruce up your garden with succulents without spending big bucks. So, here we will see top 10 succulents to grow from seeds – 5 indoors and 5 outdoors, and what the requirements are to grow lovely succulents from seeds.
Can you grow succulents from seeds?
Yes, of course! Actually, it’s a very fun and rewarding way to understand the entire life cycle of the plant.
How to Collect and Store Succulent Seeds?
The first step in the process of growing succulents from seeds is to obtain seeds. For this, you can either buy succulent seeds from a reputable website like UnusualSeeds.net. Or if you have a succulent hobbyist friend, you can ask them for seeds.
The possibility of obtaining seeds (when you are seeking seeds from a friend) depends on the maturity and cross-pollination of the mother plant. A young plant may take a few years to bloom. Agave, Greenovia and Aeonium are all monocarpic plants i.e. they flower only once in their life, and it may take quite longer to harvest seeds from them. Thankfully, Aeonium grows fast and if it’s established well in your friend’s garden, it blooms annually from different offsets.
Succulent seeds
Succulent seeds are very, very tiny – some of them are so tiny that you can hardly see them. While some are of the size of tomato seeds, or even larger, most others are just specks. When you order seeds from an online store and get them delivered, you may think that the packet is empty or perhaps has a trickle of dust or pepper. This is the reason why you should order succulent seeds from a reputable source like Unusual Seeds to make sure, you have received them.
What are the requirements to grow succulents from seeds?
Sowing succulent seeds is not a lot different from sowing seeds of most other plants. Still, they have their own specific requirements as basically succulents are desert plants.
Although propagating succulents from seeds is a slow process with low success rate, it’s an invaluable experience to see succulents growing from tiny dots of seeds.
To grow succulents from seeds, you’ll need the following things:
High-quality seeds: Although on the face of it, this seems obvious, you should know that this is an important factor as authentic succulent seeds are quite challenging to find unlike that of other plants. You may first try your local plant nurseries and stores; but for rare and exotic species you can explore online stores. Beware of scammers though. Go through other customers’ reviews about any online store and then take the decision.
Ideal growing medium: Ideal growing medium for succulent seeds is either coarse sand or a porous and well-draining soil particularly designed for succulents. You can even go for a soilless medium like coconut coir. Main thing to ensure is that the growing medium has good drainage and air circulation.
Tools: The tools you should keep at hand are:
- A shallow, clean tray with drainage holes, even a plastic tray is fine. But the best option is a seed starter tray having a humidity-vented dome. It is easy to get from any garden store. It’s best for seeds to grow as it optimizes drainage and airflow.
- A spray mister to dampen the soil without upsetting the seeds.
- Toothpicks to handle the tiny succulent seeds.
What are the Steps to grow Succulents from Seeds?
Soaking: This may not be a necessity, but is recommended. Before planting, soak your seeds for around 12-24 hours in water, around 90-degree F warm. This makes most seeds germinate quicker and better as water will enter the seed coat making the embryo inside plump up. But never soak the seeds for over 24 hours as then they will decay. Once they are soaked enough, take them out from water and plant them at once in the soil.
Make the Tray Ready: Fill your tray with the growing medium you’ve chosen. Water it profusely, but let all the excess water drain out completely, so it’s moist but not water-logged. This will make seeds stay in the soil in place.
Sow the Seeds: With a wetted toothpick, lift the seeds and place them in the growing medium with enough space between them. If your tray has multiple small compartments, place only 1-2 sees in each compartment. Now just press the seeds lightly in the soil, but don’t cover them with soil.
Care for the Seeds: Caring well for your sown succulent seeds increases the chances of germination. Caring includes providing the seeds an ideal environment which in turn includes warm and stable temperatures, high humidity and a lot of indirect light. Covering your tray with a plastic sheet is a good idea to reduce evaporation and keep humidity locked inside. Make sure the tray is placed in a well-lit and airy spot but not in direct sunlight and spray the soil with water every couple of days.
Care for seedlings: It’s a great moment to rejoice when you see tiny greenery coming up from the soil. Remove the tray lid to allow the air to flow freely. Moisten the soil by misting it regularly. This will greatly help root formation. However, never overwater. Make sure the soil drains well. Slowly reduce watering and introduce more sunlight to your plant babies once you make sure the roots have established well (this will probably take around a couple of months).
Give your baby plants their individual pots: Your baby succulents will mature in a few months and this is the time when you can give them their own space i.e. their very own pot. Be careful while lifting the plants from their original place. Loosen the soil around their base and then lift them gently. Never pull the roots. After this, you can care for your plants as per their own requirements.
Things to Remember
If your seeds don’t sprout within a few weeks, no need to worry. Sprouts may take several more weeks to show and some seeds may not even sprout at all. But this too is nothing abnormal. You are always at liberty to try again.
5 succulents to grow from seeds indoors
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1. Crassula
Commonly known as Jade Plant, Crassula ovata is a plant for those who love houseplants, but don’t get to sow seeds frequently. But you should not feel limited to only this species. Beyond the good old jade plant, there are so many Crassula species options and you can get them online.
Crassula ovata is a lovely plant native to South Africa. It is more tolerant to low light than other species, due to which it’s a popular houseplant and is ideal for beginners.
2. Aloe
You might become glad to see aloe in this list, but remember to choose a species which you haven’t yet seen or grown if you’re planning to grow it from seeds. It will germinate within a few weeks whereas larger species will take longer to attain their full size.
3. Kalanchoe
You might know kalanchoe well as it’s a common houseplant, and the good news is that it’s perfect for beginners. It can survive in a great array of conditions (even indirect light) and hence it’s an easy succulent if you’re just starting your succulent garden.
But be careful with Kalanchoe seeds as they’re super tiny and also, they need sunlight to germinate successfully. So, you should carefully sow them on the topmost layer of your mix without covering them. K. Luciae is one of the most widely grown Kalanchoe for its unique clamshell-like leaves the tips of which turn vibrant wine-red in winter months. But you can even choose other adorable species, e.g. K. tomentosa which too grow well from seeds.
4. Haworthia
If you love the look of aloes, but are short of the space this large plant needs, you have a lovely option – Haworthia. They look much similar to Aloes, but take much smaller space.
You can even choose some Haworthias that have even more unique looks than others as their leaves are inflated and growth patterns are strange. Examples are H. cooperi, H. splendens and H. truncata.
5. Conophytum
If you are amazed by the unique shape of lithops, but are looking for a still uncommon indoor succulent, go for Conophytum – a lovely and far rare genus. It originates in the same harsh environment of South Africa, and also has fused leaf pairs and virtually no stem, often rising up from between crevices of rocks.
You may find it harder to find the seeds of this gem than other succulents. But specialized sellers like Unusual Seeds can be your shop to get them.
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5 succulents to grow from seeds outdoors
1. Sedum
Also known as Stonecrops because of the rocky environments they grow best in, Sedums make perfect groundcovers, especially if your yard is sunny and has sandy soil and you might have found it problematic to grow other plants there.
Sedum as a groundcover is easiest to start from seed. You can either choose the same species to get a consistency in your garden, or you can buy seeds of mixed species to introduce some variedness to the uncovered areas of your garden.
2. Adenium
Adenium is a popular succulent among gardeners because of its flowers which they commonly call desert roses. If this plant gets ideal environment, it rewards you with brightly colored blooms that arise at the tips of its branches and come in a range of colors.
Actually, Adenium is a large plant growing several feet tall, and so, is ideal to grow outdoors. But you can grow it indoors in a confined container. It’s a slow grower and remains compact in such conditions. You can grow it indoors providing it a lot of sunlight to adapt to your home environment.
3. Pachypodium
If you are looking for some alien-looking succulent, Pachypodium is your thing. It is also resilient enough to adapt to your garden environment right from day one. They are rare beauties because of their swollen, yet adorable stems. Some species even have massive spiked bases with just a few small leaves sticking out.
Pachypodium can also be an indoor plant as smaller species are perfect for containers and are commonly trained as bonsai plants. These are slow growers, but are definitely worth the wait.
4. Aeonium
Aeoniums are immensely popular among succulent lovers due to unusual colors they have and a different shape of leaves. Yes, their leaves form rosettes but are more rounded and don’t have a pointed tip unlike most other succulents.
Regarding color of leaves, they are purple-black, and even patterned red, green and purple. For growing aeoniums, sow the seeds on the surface of a regular succulent soil mix and make sure they get plenty of sunlight.
5. Agave
Agaves are much larger than the compact succulents you might see often. Hence, they are planted in beds and not in containers. Their leaves are harsh and spiked, although Agave attenuate has smooth-edged leaves which is an exception.
Another lovely plant in this genus is Agave tequilana. You might guess right from the name – you can distil your own tequila from it, but make sure you have a license to do that as in the US, doing so without a license is an offence. Whether you distil tequila from it or not, this plant will certainly make your garden look outstanding with its stunning blue hue and spiked shape!
Bottom Line
Whether indoor or outdoor, succulents bring joy to your garden and life. If you have planned to grow them, you have taken the right decision as they are easy to grow, won’t bother you much with any special requirements and will reward you in the end! We hope that this guide will help you in the process. If it does, don’t forget to tell us your experience in the comments. Also read other articles on this website which will help you a lot in your succulent gardening!
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CAUDEX PLANTS SEEDS
ALOE & AGAVE SEEDS
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