Do Succulents Need to be by a Window?(2020)

Succulents just like any green plants love being exposed to bright sun for optimum growth. I remember the first time I brought a succulent home a few years back, I had this exact question of where should I place my succulents indoors…I did a lot of research regarding this matter and let’s take a deep dive into this. So,

Do succulents need to be by a window? Succulents thrive best when they receive 4 to 6 hours of indirect sunlight daily. The best place to put indoor succulents is by the windows or just beside them as they are the sole source of sunlight within any room. Succulents dont like the full sun as that can damage the plant parts.

So when placed by a window the succulents will get filtered indirect sunlight which is just ideal for their growth.

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Can you put succulents in the window?

Succulents are highly forgiving plants. They can survive even in darker rooms with very little light. However, as succulents are xerophytes, in order to thrive best they need sufficient amounts of the bright sun. By keeping them just beside the windows you will ensure that they get the maximum amount of sun.

In case your room is airy and remains filled with bright light all day then there is no compulsory need for keeping them by the windows. It is just a basic precautionary action taken to make sure the succulents grow best without any issues.

If you are growing high light loving succulent indoors this is kind of a must step to take as those plants will only grow better under superior exposure to light.
As for the low light succulents, you can experiment with their position in the room.

How much Sunlight do succulents need?

Succulents being photosynthetic xerophytes love sunlight. Most of them can do well 4 hours of the indirect sun however there are many that prefer 4 to 7 hours of sun. Almost all succulents prefer indirect sun than full sun.

So it is ideal to keep them under some kind of shade from where it can still receive just enough sunlight. However, the amount of sun a succulent will need also depends on its age along with its type.
For example, baby ones will require less exposure to the sun than mature ones. Also, make sure that your succulent is receiving sun exposure from all directions, otherwise, its growth will be tilted on one side.
So rotate the pot from time to time to make sure all parts of the succulent are getting sunlight properly.

In general colorful succulents prefer sunlight for longer periods of time. They are the high sunlight friendly succulents. These succulents are bright in colors of pink, red, etc, and need a constant availability of 5 to 7 hours of bright sunlight every single day.

In case their sunlight needs are not fulfilled they will start stretching towards the available light source. In case your windows or balconies dont get enough sun to consider placing them outside under some kind of shade.

Low light friendly succulents are quite adaptive in nature. They can put up with 3 to 4 hours of indirect sun. They are generally not as colorful as the bright light loving succulents and have deeper shades. The fact that they need lesser sun exposure makes them suitable to be used for indoor decoration at a variety of places.

Is morning or afternoon sun better for succulents?

Succulents prefer both indirect morning and afternoon sun. However low light friendly succulents do quite well with only morning sun whereas high light friendly succulents need both the morning sun as well as the afternoon sun.

You can place the succulents accordingly in your home judging by which corner of the house gets what kind of sunlight at what phase of the day. Generally, the eastern direction of your house will get the best soothing touch of the morning sun and the afternoon sun will be at its peak in the south.

Where is the best place to keep succulents?

The best place for keeping succulents is somewhere where it will get enough sunlight. Even low light friendly succulents need 2 to 4 hours of bright indirect sunlight every day. Without which their growth will be stunted, they will lose their vibrancy and will show signs of stretching.

So before keeping your succulents at someplace, just observe how much sun that corner of the house gets on a daily basis. If it gets average sun consider placing low light friendly succulents in those rooms.

Succulents generally grow best when kept near a south or east-facing windows as these places get the most of morning and afternoon sun respectively.

However, this can vary because if your place has high constructions in front of the east or south-facing windows, the succulents won’t get enough sun.
So try placing them in rooms, balconies, or on the window panes that get bright light for at least a few hours every day.

Benefits of keeping succulents on the window

Windows are the place that gets the most sunlight in any room. So They will get the best dose of sunlight by being kept on the window pane.
Placing succulents on the windowpane or in hanging containers makes them look beautiful from outside.
If your windows get sufficient bright light, your succulent can take care of itself by its own here on provided you water it when required. You won’t have to look out for signs of underexposure to the sun.

What facing window is best for succulents? What window should succulents be in?

The south-facing window receives the brightest sunlight of all and that also for the longest period of time. The sun rises in the east and follows a south-oriented axis all day and then sets in the west. So try keeping succulents that love 4 to 7 hours of bright indirect light on your south-facing windows.
The east-facing windows are best for keeping succulents that love low to moderate amounts of sun. They get the first sunrays of the day which are not as scorching as the afternoon sun. Both the south-facing and east-facing windows are ideal for growing all kinds of succulents as most succulents are highly adaptive in nature. As long as they get sufficient bright light they will be just fine.

Also read: 8 Beautiful Indoor Succulents for East Facing Windows

The sunlight that the western windows receive is not that strong even though they get quite a good duration of sunlight daily. Low light-loving succulents can thrive well under these conditions.
The northern windows receive a very low amount of sun so in case you are growing succulents here, make sure those are low light friendly ones of small stature. Place them on the windowpane so that they get the best light possible. Flowering succulents as well as leafy taller ones find it hard to survive here. If you see signs of stretching consider changing the location or using grow lights.

There is no golden rule that you need to only abide by these tips. This is just a rough set of ideas you can abide by for some assistance.

If your southern facing windows remain blocked with high rises then the succulents won’t get proper sun there. So just take a look around your apartment and find the places that get the best sun for the longest possible time and then place your succulents accordingly.

Conclusion

It is no secret that all photosynthetic plants love sunlight. Even though succulents are regarded as low maintenance plants they still need optimal amounts of sun to thrive properly. If you grow your succulents outside or in the balcony then chances are high that they are getting sufficient sun daily.

However, if you are growing them indoors you need to provide them with some extra attention from time to time. They can grow in living rooms, bedrooms, and even in bathrooms as long as they get sufficient light from the windows.

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