Are you thinking about getting a succulent but thinking twice? Owning a succulent is an excellent choice! We’re not gonna tell you what kind of plant you should get. But we would recommend a succulent.
Let’s take a look at some of the reasons why you might want to get your hands on one of these.
Looking after any plant is beneficial to the air, humidity, mental health and responsibility experience.
Succulents are super easy to take care of. They’re adaptable, require little watering, and don’t need a lot of fertilizer.
They also (sometimes) have medical benefits, improve the air quality, come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and are easy to multiply.
Table of Contents
Benefits of owning a plant
Learn Responsibility
In this life, we all need to be responsible. Sometimes, that’s just for ourselves, and sometimes, it’s for other people. But I’m afraid we can’t spend the rest of our lives having our parents do everything for us. In the real world, we have to cook, clean, and take care of ourselves.
Sometimes, jumping right into this responsibility can be scary and even a little confusing. But having a plant will give you a lesson on how to take care of your responsibilities. You will need to water your plant, feed it sometimes, make sure it gets enough sun. If you can’t even look after a plant, how do you plan on looking after yourself?
Oxygen
Most of us will be aware that plants turn carbon dioxide into oxygen. It’s the kind of thing you would have learnt in school. But I’m afraid as human beings, we do nothing but expel carbon.
When we’re in a room, particularly with the windows closed, this carbon just lingers about in the air. But when you have a plant in the room, some of that carbon gets turned into oxygen, and you can finally breathe easily.
Getting a plant can be great if you’re struggling to get to sleep.
Mental Health
Our physical health is essential, but our mental health matters just as much. This whole “living in houses” thing is very new to us- evolutionarily speaking. Being taken away from our natural environment has caused us to live longer and do things we couldn’t have done otherwise.
But it can also impact our mental wellbeing. This is why spending time in nature can be so therapeutic. For those who live in big cities, getting away from urban life is easier said than done. But just having plants in your house can subconsciously trick you into thinking you’ve gone back to nature.
Humidity
Are you finding yourself often with a sore throat? Cold? Dry Cough? Itchy Skin?
It could be that your home is experiencing a lack of moisture. Often, this is an attempt to keep water out to prevent mould from growing. However, it can go too far and take some of the much-needed moisture out of the air.
Your plants release some of their excess moisture into the air, enabling you to breathe free and not get sick. Just be careful you don’t turn your bedroom into a sauna.
Benefits of succulents being easy
Adaptable
Succulents tend to be adaptable to new environments.
Have you ever seen those memes comparing dandelions to house plants? The ones that mock houseplants for being weak when a dandelion can survive in concrete?
This isn’t to say that dandelions are tough, but just that they have adapted to particular environments that houseplants haven’t.
The great thing about succulents is that if you take them out of their natural environment, they will quickly make the changes necessary to survive. This is why they are popular all over the world, no matter the country.
Don’t need much watering
There are some plants that you need to water every day. If you go away on holiday, you will need to ask a friend to pop around and water the plants. But succulents are known for not needing that much water.
Because of their ability to store excess water in their leaves, you can leave them for several weeks, even months, before they will need another water. This could be ideal for people on a busy schedule who are more likely than others to forget to water their plants.
Usually, every 2-10 weeks will be fine.
Don’t need much fertilizer
All houseplants need some form of fertilizer sometimes. In the wild, they get fertilized when other plants die and leak their nutrients into the soil. Inside, they will need a helping hand.
Most plants will need to be fertilized with a shop bought fertilizer. But, while some plants need to be fertilized every week, succulents only need to be fertilized a few times a month. This will save you money that other plant parents need to spend and is also perfect for people who tend to forget about feeding their plants.
They also don’t tend to be too fussy about what kind of fertilizer they have.
Can bounce back from the brink of death
When you are a new plant parent, it’s almost a right of passage for you to make your plant sick. When your plant gets sick, you learn from your mistakes and make sure not to do the same thing again in the future.
Some plants die when they get sick once. But succulents tend to be able to bounce back relatively well, and there is a plethora of information out there on how to bring your succulents back from the brink of death.
This makes them an excellent plant for people learning responsibility.
Benefits of Succulents
Medical benefits
Depending on what kind of succulent you get, there are some out there that have medical benefits. The most obvious is Aloe Vera.
If you have a sore arm, you may be told to just “rub some aloe vera on it”. They even make medication from chemicals found in aloe vera. But Vera is not the only aloe who can make you better.
If you have cuts, scratches, or joint pain, adding a bit of aloe yucca can soothe the pain, just as aloe vera would. Some say that Aloe Vera is even good for the digestive system.
Take chemicals out of the air
All plants turn carbon dioxide into oxygen, but not all of them remove the chemicals that succulents can.
Formaldehyde and Benzene are chemicals that exist in most rooms. However, breathe in too much of it, and you may find yourself being unwell more often than usual. The great thing about succulents is that they can suck these chemicals out of the air and store them in their roots.
A succulent could be a great addition to a room that is making you sick. There is nothing wrong with removing some of the dangerous chemicals from any room.
Variety of shapes and sizes
Different people are looking for different plants. Some might want something that’s just green, but others would prefer a bit more colour. Some want a big plant to go in the corner of a room. Others want theirs on their desk.
The great thing about succulents is that they come in various shapes, sizes, and colours. No matter what you’re looking for in a plant, you will be able to find a succulent that suits your aesthetic.
Take a look at some of your options. You’d be surprised about what some of these plants look like.
Can be cloned easily
Having one plant is good, but having several is even better. The trouble with houseplants is that they don’t have access to the bees that other plants do.
When you want to give a houseplant a child, you will need to cut off a section of the parent and create a clone. But, with succulents, this process tends to be relatively simple. All you need to do is cut off a leaf, leave it in water for roots to show, and then move it into a pot.
Feel free to sell these new plants, or just give them away to your friends.
Downsides of Succulents
Of course, this is not to say that succulents are perfect.
They can easily be overwatered. If you’re the kind of person who likes to give their plants as much water as possible, succulents might not be for you, or maybe you need to change your mindset.
Whilst they can adapt to almost any environment, they don’t like sudden temperature changes. This will mean keeping your plant away from draughts, heating units and cooling units.
If you’re planning on growing your own food, I’m afraid succulents are not for you. Apart from a few, the vast majority of succulents are not edible for humans.
Conclusion
Succulents are great plants for a variety of reasons. They’re easy to look after, clean the air, and looking after any plant can bring considerable benefits to the plant parent.
If you’re new to being a plant parent, we would recommend having a succulent because of how easy they are to care for and how little maintenance they need.
Hopefully, now, you have a better idea of whether or not a succulent is the kind of plant for you. If it is, the only thing left to do now is get out there and find the right succulent for you.
Photo by Madison Inouye from Pexels
