How Fast Do Succulents Grow?

The speed at which succulents grow all depends on the specific type of succulent. For example, Haworthias can take more than one year to grow just 3 inches. Other fast-growing succulents like Echeveria can grow between 6-8 inches in a year.

What Are Succulents?

Succulents are dry-climate plants that feature fleshy leaves, spears, or rounded bodies. Mistaking succulents for cacti is very common as they share many similarities.

Succulents are a much larger group of plants which do not include the spiky cactus family but do include both aloe vera and jade plants.

Average Succulent Growth Rate

As mentioned, not all succulents grow at the same rate. Some may grow quite quickly, while others take lots of time. Of course, a lack of sunlight exposure can always impact a succulents’ growth rate.

Other factors, including type of soil and watering patterns, can play significant roles in the growth rate. These plants will go through phases of active growth or stunted growth throughout the seasons.

Fast-Growing Succulents

• Sedum
• Senecio
• Sempervivum
• Rosularia and Prometheum

Medium-Growing Succulents

• Aloe
• Tender Sedum
• Echeveria

Slow-Growing Succulents

• Agave
• Cactus
• Jade plants
• Haworthia

How Large Can Succulents Grow?

There are so many different succulent species that it can be tough to cluster them all together. While some succulents remain small for years, others can grow over 50-feet tall.

Lateral growth should be accounted for, as well. Succulents can produce “pups”, which are new plants that cluster at the bottom of the succulent, adding to its overall width.

Tips For Growing Succulents

Use these tips below to ensure your succulent is given ideal conditions for growth.

Nutrition: Fertilize the succulent throughout the growing season using a 10-10-10 fertilizer diluted to 1/4 strength during each watering.

Colors: Greener succulents are usually more accepting of low-light environments. Succulents with pink, purple, blue, or white tones should always be kept in well-lit areas.

Artificial lighting: These plants do best in natural light, but giving them an additional artificial light source can’t hurt.

Propagating: Succulents have lots of methods for reproducing and propagating from leaf cuttings.