Surprise! That Houseplant You Can't Keep Alive is Actually a Succulent – and I Have the Expert Advice You Need to Save It

I've made my fair share of houseplant mistakes over the years, but each one has allowed me to become a better plant parent. Take succulents, for example, I've certainly been guilty of overwatering and not providing enough light. Usually this stems from not actually realizing my plant is a succulent, an error more common than you may think.

When you think of the best indoor succulents, you likely have the image of a plant not too dissimilar to a cactus, just with more rounded, fleshy leaves. But, succulents actually come in a wide range of shapes, sizes, and appearances. It can trick you into discarding succulent care for the houseplants you didn't realize are succulents.

This commonly results in rotting roots, mushy foliage, and the plant dying off entirely. So, to stop you making further mistakes, I've put together a list of five of the most common houseplants people don't realize are succulents and what to do to ensure they thrive for years to come.

5 Houseplants That Are Actually Succulents

Succulent mistakes are more common than you may think, whether you know the plant you have is a succulent or not. Here, I talk through five popular indoor plants you may not realize are succulents and what to do going forward to provide proper care.

1. String of Hearts

My string of hearts is actually the first houseplant I didn't realize was a succulent at first. With long strands full of heart-shaped leaves, it isn't a typical looking succulent.

But, string of hearts is a trailing succulent native to South Africa. In its natural habitat, it grows in rocky and semi-arid landscapes. As a succulent, it stores water in its heart-shaped leaves to stay hydrated in the hottest temps of this environment.

In the home, you may not realize your string of hearts doesn't need watering as frequently as other houseplants. In fact, they actually enjoy a short period of drought between watering, alongside a direct sun position, which will encourage faster growth.

Take care not to let your string of hearts sit in a prolonged period of drought, however, as this will result in shrivelled leaves and strands dropping.

I use my soil moisture meter (from Amazon) to check my string of hearts' soil, watering when the top few inches have dried out. This way, I never water my succulents too often or too little.

2. Snake Plant

Snake plant is likely also one of the houseplants you didn't realize are succulents and it's by no surprise. These sword-shaped plants don't look like your typical rosette-shaped echeveria succulents.

However, if you take a look at the native habitat of a snake plant, it's easy to recognize its succulent nature.

Growing naturally in Western Africa in arid, rocky, desert-like conditions, these plants also store water in their foliage and thrive in bright, yet indirect sun, and hot temperatures.

If you don't adjust watering, warmth (ideally between 60-85°F), and light for your snake plant, you'll likely see your snake plant drooping and snake plant leaves curling. In direct sun especially, these sun-sensitive plants can experience leaf scorch.

Other snake plant problems include pests like fungus gnats and spider mites. You can reduce the likelihood of a pest problem by not overwatering your snake plant (only topping it up when the soil has entirely dried out) and by regularly cleaning houseplant leaves of dust (you can simply use a slightly damp microfiber cloth, like these from Walmart).

3. Ponytail Palm

If you didn't realize a ponytail palm is a succulent, I don't blame you. This indoor tree gives no signs of its succulent nature, other than in its care requirements.

Native to the semi-desert regions of Mexico, these succulents store water in their bulbous base, or trunk. This helps them stay hydrated and survive extreme summer temperatures.

For this reason, ponytail palm is one of the houseplants that won't need watering while you're on vacation. Likewise, it will be most happy in a spot with several hours of direct sun.

You may also not be using succulent potting mix for this indoor tree, so consider repotting it with this succulent potting mix from Amazon. It's well-draining and ensures your ponytail palm's roots won't become oversaturated.

4. Christmas Cactus

It's not hard to see why you may not realize a Christmas cactus is a succulent, after all it misleadingly has 'cactus' in its name.

These succulents are native to coastal areas of Brazil, thriving best in temperatures between 65-75°F and bright light.

Interestingly, while humidity can turn other succulents mushy and even kill off succulents, Christmas cactus is a moisture-lover.

In the home, your Christmas cactus will bloom if you increase humidity for these indoor plants. It could be as simple as sitting it on top of a pebble humidity tray (from Amazon) or giving it a regular spritz with this plant mister from Walmart.

Don't forget to also keep your Christmas cactus in the dark for a few weeks to encourage blooming. This replicates the long, dark nights these succulents experience in their native environment, triggering flowering.

5. Hoya

Hoya is an indoor flowering plant that produces beautiful clusters of waxy flowers, very different from bright flowers found on other succulent and cacti.

But, take a close look at hoya's leaves and you'll see they're thick and fleshy like other succulents.

They're native to subtropical regions of Asia, growing as epiphytes (plants that grow on tree bark and other surfaces, rather than in soil) beneath the canopies of trees in forests.

For this reason, they can become scorched in direct sun, but bright light is essential to encourage blooming. If your hoya isn't flowering, it may just be it isn't mature enough yet – they will only start blooming between ages three to five.

You can also use a hoya fertilizer (from Amazon) to give your plant a boost of nutrients and encourage blooming.

FAQs

Are There Any Succulents For Low Light?

Yes, there are some succulents better suited to low-light conditions, but the majority of succulents need brighter light to survive. Snake plants, haworthias, and string of pearls are all more tolerant of fewer hours of daylight, though their growth will be much slower in lower light conditions. For this reason, you may want to invest in a grow light (like this from Amazon) to give your succulents a daily boost.

With the houseplants you didn't realize are succulents now clarified, you can turn your attention to styling succulents to elevate your indoor garden.

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