People joke about having a green thumb, but it takes more than a bit of an affinity for growing to make your houseplants healthy. In fact, proper lighting and water are essentials to the health of your greenery. Even if they seem to be doing ‘okay’ you may be missing something crucial to making them thrive.
More and more people are investing in grow lights for indoor plants to make their plants stronger and livelier, but to do this, you need to know more about your plants and the type of light they require. One particular type of houseplant that has gained a great deal of popularity recently is succulents, which have some pretty specific needs. Let’s explore those needs so we can determine the best grow lights for these beauties.
Table of Contents
5 Best Grow Lights for Succulents Comparisons
| IMAGE | MODEL | FEATURES | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | JumpStart Grow Light System |
| Check The Price |
 | DuroLux T5 Grow Light |
| Check The Price |
 | Nova LED Grow Light |
| Check The Price |
 | Roleadro LED Grow Light |
| Check The Price |
 | Agrobrite Fluorescent Grow Light System |
| Check The Price |
What Are Succulents?
Perhaps the first thing you ask is, what are succulents? Succulents are green plants that store water in their leaves, making those leaves thick and fleshy. Cacti would be an obvious example of a succulent, though these are usually categorized separately because they have special properties of their own. Succulents are actually quite varied, with tons of species. What holds true for succulents is the type of climate they like best and what sort of whether they can’t handle.
Succulents tend to thrive in very dry climates, which makes sense considering the way they absorb and hold water. An overabundance of water could literally put these plants at risk of death. In addition, most succulents cannot survive freezing temperatures, which means that they definitely make better houseplants than outdoor plants. With the water stored in their leaves, a freeze is extra harsh on this variety of plant, and leaves will grow mushy and lead to plant death.
Gauging the Health of Your Succulents
You can tell if your succulents are getting proper watering and lighting based on the color of their leaves since succulents tend to show their health in their coloring. For example, if they aren’t getting enough light, the succulents will dull and turn a light shade of green. However, an unusual abundance of sunlight can make them ‘blush’ in a wide range of colors, from pink and orange to purple and red or almost black. While you should see color in the leaves of your succulents to assure they are getting enough sunlight – or, in the case of houseplants, grow light – you should monitor to make sure they don’t receive too much.
Something else to keep in mind is that these plants don’t need to be watered often. In fact, the best way to care for succulents is to soak the soil so that their roots can absorb it all and draw it into the leaves. Then, you want to allow the roots to dry out for a few days before watering again. Spraying or light, frequent watering won’t get you the results you want with succulents. They need the ‘soak and dry’ method in order to thrive.
How Much Light Do Succulents Need?
Succulents are native to near-desert areas, where there are long droughts and lots of sunlight. Outdoor succulents require about 6 hours of bright, indirect sunlight through the day. However, indoors, the need is greater, since they will never receive the same quality of sunlight through a window as in the open.
This can be handled with grow lights, though. Make sure you set the lights up at an indirect angle so that the leaves of the succulents don’t get too hot; in some cases, an overheated succulent will get ‘sunburnt’. Setting up the proper lights at the proper angle can avoid this detrimental occurrence. One way to make sure you are getting the right amount of light to your succulents from the grow lights is to watch the reaction of the plant. If it isn’t getting enough, it will stretch, spread its leaves wider to gather more light, and lean towards the light. If this is the case, you should consider repositioning the plants and the light for better results.
Grow Lights
Succulents are meant to be short and plump with some nice, bright color. In order to achieve this, you need the right amount of light. Otherwise, you’ll find that the plants grow taller, which makes them flimsy and weak. It’s common to have trouble finding enough light for these sun-loving plants indoors, whether due to climate, house direction, or lack of proper space in the windows.
Grow lights use full-spectrum horticulture bulbs, which emit more of the colors in the full spectrum of light – the rainbow. Did you ever wonder why the regular bulbs in your house burn hot? It’s because the yellow-orange part of the spectrum is enhanced, and this is the ‘hotter’ part of the rainbow. By contrast, the light put out by grow lights is a broader range and evenly distributed, which makes them burn cooler and actually cost less to use.
In addition, grow lights offer your succulents everything they need for the full photosynthesis process otherwise created through the use of natural sunlight that isn’t available indoors. Especially for succulents, which need the broad spectrum in large quantities, it’s important to use these specialized lights so that you don’t run the risk of burning them with a hotter burning light bulb.
Top 5 Grow Lights for Succulents Reviews
JumpStart Grow Light System
- Size: 2 feet (18”x26”x24”) or 4 feet (18.25”x50”x31.75”)
- Manufacturer: Hydrofarm
- Compatible Bulbs: Hydrofarm FLT, FLV, and FLP tubes
- Used For: Seedlings, cuttings, veggies, flowers, herbs, succulents, greens
- Assembly Time: 15 minutes
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Especially if you’re just getting started with grow lights, you want something that’s quick and easy to put together and relatively simple to use going forward. With the JumpStart Grow Light System, you get all that, plus the benefits of excellent lighting that will please your succulents. The system is ideal for seedlings and cuttings, as well as already established flowering plants and succulents, with a toggle clamp that allows you to easily adjust the height of the lamp. The output offers 15-20% more lumens than an average light, which will help your succulents blush beautifully with the energy coming through and no need to run the lamps for more than 5-6 hours a day.
The lights also have a reflective finish, so you get more light directed at your plants and can easily move things around so that the light falls indirectly and avoids burning the leaves of your succulents. The structure assembles quickly and easily, and it comes in two sizes – 2 feet and 4 feet – so you can fit it in small spaces or cover more plants at once. This particular system is also environmentally sound, using less energy and offering a longer lifespan for a smaller bulb, which leads to less waste.
PROS
- Energy-efficient and environmentally sound
- More lumen output for faster growth
- Easy and quick to assemble and adjust
CONS
- Not easy to replace parts
PRO TIP
DuroLux T5 Grow Light
- Size: 24”x1”x1.5”
- Manufacturer: DuroLux
- Used For: Seedlings, cuttings, veggies, flowers, herbs, succulents, greens
- Assembly Time: N/A – install in seconds
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Keeping in mind that incandescent lights are typically too hot to work for succulents, you should be looking into fluorescents and LEDs only for the cooler burn and the greater energy efficiency they offer. By that standard, the DuroLux T5 grow light is a great option. The fixture itself is UL and CUL listed for safety and performance efficiency, so you can feel good about using the product. It also has a high light output of 2,000 lumens, which is 30% more than the average fixture in its class. While the light is listed for hydroponics, it works well for succulents because it doesn’t heat like other bulbs might and doesn’t run the risk of burning your plants.
The fixture is low profile, so you can use it on a short, narrow shelf over your squatty succulents without worrying that there isn’t enough room or that the bulb will be too close to the plants. You can install the fixture almost anywhere with ease, even a couple of sticker wall brackets sturdy enough to hold it. That makes the DuroLux T5 fixture extremely convenient, even in small spaces.
PROS
- Versatile use in any space
- More lumen output for faster growth
- Easy operation
CONS
- Doesn’t include a reflective cover; can be very bright
PRO TIP
Nova LED Grow Light
- Size: 19”x8.3”x3.2”
- Manufacturer: Nova
- Used For: Seedlings, cuttings, veggies, flowers, herbs, succulents, greens
- Assembly Time: Minutes (comes with hanging wire)
- Warranty: 5 years
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The Nova LED grow light is professional grade and works wonders for succulents. With a magnifying lens on every bulb, you get the highest PAR output of its class from this fixture, which allows you great efficiency with the utmost power. The light has a dual spectrum switch that provides output from the 12-band full spectrum for optimum conditions. Even better, the fixture has a ventilation system that keeps it even cooler for better performance with succulents and other plants that can easily burn in too much heat.
This 300W lamp offers a secondary 90˚ focused lens on every bulb so you get a more powerful angle for indirect lighting, under which succulents thrive. With both switches on, the lamp only draws 176W but puts out 3W in each of its 100 bulbs for maximum power with minimum energy consumption, so it’s economically sound. It also has a long lifespan of up to 100,000 hours, so you don’t have to worry about replacement for ages.
PROS
- Professional grade
- A ventilation system for ultra cool operation
- Low energy and economic
- Full spectrum lighting
CONS
- Pricey
PRO TIP
Roleadro LED Grow Light
- Size: 10”x10”x0.5”
- Manufacturer: Roleadro
- Used For: indoor gardens, greenhouses, farming, flowers, succulents, hydroponics, potted plants, pipeline cultivation, tissue culture
- Assembly Time: N/A (easy install)
- Warranty: 1 year (30-day money back guarantee)
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Red and blue lights offer the best contribution to photosynthesis, and the Roleadro LED grow light makes it easy to assure your succulents are getting the nutrients they need to thrive in an indoor space. With 117 red LED lights and 52 blue LED lights, you have a professional spectrum ratio that is guaranteed to work well for any application. You’ll see rapid growth improvement, with leaves popping out within the first two weeks of use, and continued use will lead to the healthiest plants you could imagine.
As is the case with most LED lighting, you get the added benefit of low power consumption from this fixture, while still providing high lumen output. The 45W fixture (which only consumers 25W) also proves to be highly durable and long-lasting, with up to 50,000 hours of use. Best of all, you get a wide light angle to ensure the perfect indirect angle and a large spread for more uniform lighting across your plants. It’s great for diverse applications, but it works best for plants that need a high light output with low heat, such as succulents.
PROS
- Professional grade spectrum
- Cool operation
- Low energy and economic
- Wide angle for even distribution
CONS
- Small
PRO TIP
Agrobrite Fluorescent Grow Light System
- Size: 46”x13.5”x3”
- Manufacturer: HydroFarm
- Used For: indoor gardens, greenhouses, farming, flowers, succulents, hydroponics, potted plants, pipeline cultivation, tissue culture
- Assembly Time: 20-30 minutes
- Warranty: 5 years
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If you have plenty of succulents you need to care for indoors, you’ll need more than one small light, and the Agrobrite Fluorescent Grow Light System is a perfect solution. Available in several sizes (ranging from 2 bulbs to 12 bulbs options), you have a choice as to how much lighting and how much area to cover when you order this particular grow light system. You can also choose a 2-foot or 4-foot fixture for your purposes, allowing you the versatility of choosing a fixture for any space in any shape.
The 4-foot 4-bulb system includes 4 6400K T5 tubes with a 20,000-lumen output, meaning you can support a large number of succulents with the single fixture. You can daisy-chain the fixtures as well, running up to 3 of them from a single outlet. This makes them ideal should you have an entire grow room. The fixture utilizes powder coated steel housing for durability and faceted specular aluminum for better light distribution. You have multiple options for hanging – overhead, vertical, or horizontal – so they are diverse in their application. Best of all, these fixtures and their bulbs are energy-efficient.
PROS
- Versatile installation options
- Ability to daisy chain
- Multiple size options
- Energy-efficient and powerful
CONS
- Not as cool as LED lighting
- Pricey
PRO TIP
Conclusion
Options are limitless for grow lights these days, with more and more people bringing their plants and flowers indoors. Just be sure to get the best lights for the plants you’re growing. The market is flooded with options, but if you’re dealing with succulents, in particular, there are things to keep in mind.
You’ll want to opt for fluorescent or LED grow lights so that you can assure the lighting doesn’t get too hot and scorch your plants. You’ll also need a wide angle so that you get both even lighting across all your plants and indirect lighting. You’ll also want to assure that your fixtures are energy-efficient and long-lasting, as succulents need at least 6 hours of indirect light every day. That means lots of burning hours, so make sure you don’t break the bank with the energy bill or the need for quick replacement. These options are some of the best available for succulents. Decide for yourself how large of an investment you want to make and what style of light you prefer, and get started with a growing option that lets your succulents thrive indoors!
