Bring some desert warmth indoors with big, bold succulents

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Shallow dishes crowded with tiny, drought-resistant plants in shades of green, red and purple are pretty much all most people know about indoor succulents gardening.

But there’s another way to bring the warmth of the desert into your home when it’s too cold to garden outside.

Go big and bold with indoor succulent gardens, suggests Marylee Pangman, a Tucson-based educator and writer who specializes in desert container gardening.

“Pick just one statement plant and see how you do before expanding the collection,” recommended Pangman, who has designed, built and maintained gardens for hundreds of clients in southern Arizona. “Success builds confidence.”

You could grow an architectural succulent in a huge ceramic floor pot, such as a green and yellow snake plant with tongue-like leaves stretching toward the ceiling, Pangman offered. Or try an African milk tree, which grows upright with many arms and can reach 6 feet (1.8 meters) tall indoors.

Succulents, including the subspecies of cactuses, are plants with fleshy tissues that conserve moisture. They come in many shapes and sizes, and the larger structural varieties especially command attention.

Pangman said succulents are perfect for busy people or retirees who want gardens that are enjoyable and not a chore. Far easier to care for than thirstier plants, succulents usually require less light and water, sometimes just once every two to four weeks.

“Anyone can grow succulents,” Pangman said. “They are especially great if you travel a lot.”

Pangman had no gardening experience when she moved to Tucson in 1996 to escape upstate New York winters. Within two years, she had studied to be a master gardener and launched The Contained Gardener, her potted-landscape design business.

Pangman later sold the business and now shares her knowledge through her writing, including the book “Getting Potted in the Desert” and her website and Substack platform. She also teaches online classes on her own platform and through the Tucson Botanical Garden.

These are her recommendations for growing large succulents indoors.

Plants

Consider your home’s indoor lighting and avoid plants that are fast-growing or can grow abnormally large.

For high light or south-facing areas: Consider more vertical-shaped architectural and medicinal aloe vera plants that can grow 2 to 3 feet (0.6 to 0.9 meters) high. Several agaves also do well with south-facing areas, including the fox tail (agave attenuata), a sculptural plant that forms rosettes and can spread 3 to 4 feet (0.9 to 1 meter) wide. In a smaller home, consider the striking Queen Victoria agave or the Blue Elf aloe hybrid.

For medium light, or east- and west-facing areas: The dramatic African milk tree (Euphorbia trigona), the classic jade plant (Crassula ovata), the velvety-leaved felt bush (Kalanchoe beharensis) and the tree-like Aeonium arboreum, which forms rosette clusters on woody stems.

For lower light, north-facing areas: The sturdy snake plant (Sansevieria trifasciata) is a winner, as are the shade-tolerant gasteria varieties with their dagger-shaped leaves. The somewhat smaller zebra plant (Haworthia fasciata) makes a statement when planted in a group. And while it isn’t technically a succulent, Pangman likes the ZZ plant, or zamiifolia, which has glossy leaves and stems and can live in very low light with infrequent watering.

Pots

Containers for the larger plants should be especially big, with a diameter of at least 18 to 22 inches (46 to 56 centimeters) and a depth of 16 to 18 inches (41 to 46 centimeters). Don’t buy plastic pots. Choose breathable terracotta, glazed ceramic or lightweight resin containers with drainage holes. Wheeled plant stands can protect floors from heavy pots, enable rotation of plants to expose all sides to light and allow plants to be easily moved outdoors in the spring.

Soil

Use gritty, well-draining soil. Ask your local nursery or big box home improvement store about a commercial cactus and succulent mix. A top dressing like colored recycled glass, gravel or smooth river stones can be scattered above the soil to control moisture and create an attractive focal point.

Lighting

Place plants away from windows, ideally 3 to 5 feet (0.9 to 1.5 meters). Rotating pots is especially helpful for east- and west-facing windows to ensure all sides get light. Pale color and signs of stretching result from insufficient light. Too much light can cause sunburn and brown or white patches.

Watering

The easiest way to kill your succulents is by overwatering. Generally, they don’t need to be watered more than once every two to four weeks. Large pots in particular dry slowly, so always use a moisture meter to test the soil down 2 to 3 inches (5 to 8 centimeters). If it is dry, water the plant until it drains from the bottom.

Still need help?

Along with Pangman’s online resources, you can consult with your community’s big box home improvement stores and nurseries. A nearby community college or agricultural extension office connected to a public university or the county government also may have educational resources to share.

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