Did you know there are health benefits of succulents?
You hear a lot about succulents these days, and you can find them everywhere.
As you walk through supermarkets, drugstores, and Wal-Mart, you’re almost guaranteed to see these popular plants. But, what are succulents exactly, and why are they so popular? (Besides just having a name that’s really fun to say.)
Succulents are easy to take care of and have numerous health benefits.
These hardy, low-maintenance plants can purify the air in your home, help treat minor cuts and burns, and potentially improve concentration.
Succulents also help humidify the air, which can help with dry skin, ease cold symptoms, and alleviate other issues.
What Are Succulents?
Succulent plants are one of those things that you see lots of places and talk about, but what are they exactly? Simply put, succulents are a group of drought-resistant plants that retain water in their leaves. They typically have thick leaves and love drier, warmer climates.
Some of the most popular succulents are Aloe Vera, Crown of Thorns, Zebra Plant, Flaming Katy, Snake Plant, Panda Plant, and a Pincushion Cactus. But there are many more succulents that you’ll find in this well-loved plant group.
What Are Good Succulents for Home and Office Space?
Some succulents, like the famous prickly pear, thrive better when you plant them outside. But many succulents do great inside and make it easy to add plants to your home. After all, we all can appreciate indoor plants; right?
Plus, many come in small pots that make them an excellent fit for a window sill or on the corner of your office desk. Here are some great picks for succulents for your home or office.
1. Zebra Plant
These familiar succulents showcase dark green pointy leaves with white stripes.
Zebra plants do well in partial sunlight, so it’s a good pick for a home or office space that doesn’t have full sun exposure throughout the day.
2. Aloe Vera
Besides being beautiful to look at, this plant also delivers medicinal benefits like helping with minor cuts and burns.
You can set aloe succulents on a window sill, and put it in a pot with good drainage. Only water it when the soil is dry.
3. Panda Plant
This popular succulent has tiny hairs over the leaves, giving it an almost fuzzy appearance.
Panda plants enjoy room temperature and are okay with indirect light most of the day, only needing direct sunlight for about two hours. As with Aloe Vera, plant it in a pot with excellent drainage and only water when the soil goes dry.
4. Pincushion Cactus
This succulent is one of the easiest to care for indoors, making it an ideal starter plant. Place the pincushion cactus on a window sill that gets lots of direct sunlight.
You will water thee small plants only water when the soil is completely dry.
5. Snake Plant
This popular succulent is another excellent option for a beginning plant enthusiast, boasting long leaves resembling snakes.
Snake plants do well indoors, even thriving well in limited sunshine, and only needs typical watering.
6. Areca Palms
The Areca Palm is one of the best picks for an indoor plant.
It looks beautiful, purifies the air, and is super easy to care for. It can grow to about 8 feet tall indoors, making a real statement.
Why Are Succulents Great Plants?
Succulents are great plants for your home, especially if you don’t have a green thumb. They’re super low-maintenance, needing little attention.
They enjoy a spot that offers direct sunlight, like in front of a window. Additionally, they only need occasional watering thanks to the water they store in their leaves.
Succulents are also typically easy to grow, with many sprouting from stem cuttings.
What really makes succulents great plants is they provide lots of benefits to your home and your health.
Overall Health Benefits of Succulents
Here are some of the top health benefits of succulents and why they’re a good addition to your home or office space.
1. Purifies the Air and Helps You Breathe Better
You might already know that plants give us oxygen. But succulents are masters at it thanks to their unique photosynthesis process. Most plants undergo photosynthesis entirely during the day, but succulents continue the process 24/7.
Therefore, they’re taking carbon dioxide from the air overnight and continuing the process during the day, turning the CO2 into fresh oxygen.
These small plants are a great way to combat nasty things like cigarette smoke and other toxins. While sitting there, they are improving your home’s oxygen levels and helping you breathe easier.
2. Can Potentially Lower High Blood Pressure
The stress relief from tending to your succulents could help reduce blood pressure. But, many also swear by eating certain succulents, like the stonecrops, to help relieve hypertension.
3. Helps Dry Skin
Succulents help humidify the air, which can offer relief for dry, itchy skin. You’ll even find many succulents, like aloe vera and prickly pear, appearing in hydration skincare products.
4. Relieves Cold Symptoms
Edible succulents like aloe and cactus fruits are great sources of Vitamin C. Plus, the humidity that succulents add to the air is ideal for easing symptoms like sore throat, dry cough, and other problems.
5. Tends to Minor Wounds
Some succulents might offer medicinal properties. For example, the aloe plant is used by many to help ease minor burns and scrapes. (Just think of the aloe vera gel you pick up in the drugstore to relieve your sunburn.) You’ll even find it in the sunscreen aisle.
6. Reduces Inflammation
Certain extracts from some succulents appear to help with joint pain and offer anti-inflammatory properties. For example, boiling the roots of the yucca plant and drinking it in tea is believed to help reduce inflammation and potentially help with arthritis.
7. Could Help Fight Cancer
In some studies, some succulents contain high levels of antioxidants and other qualities that have linked them to fighting cancer.
Most notably, the benefit seems to appear in several cacti, but much more research is needed in this area. Still, the possibility is so amazing that it’s worth mentioning.
8. Can Help You Maintain a Healthy Diet
Several succulents are edible and packed with essential vitamins and minerals. For example, sea beans provide protein, calcium, iron, and iodine.
Aloe is loaded with antioxidants, folic acid, Vitamins C, B1, B2, B6, and E. Also, cactus fruits are typically high in Vitamin C and Vitamin A.
9. Taking Care of Succulents Can Relieve Stress
The antioxidants, along with the act of caring for succulents, can offer stress relief. Plus, the fresh air they provide and the other health benefits all come together to help reduce your overall stress load.
Low maintenance plants that can help reduce your heart rate and lower stress levels seem magical!
10. Could Help You Heal Faster
Succulents could possibly speed up the healing process of various conditions, from wounds to colds and the flu. Imagine needing less pain medication or being able to get rid of that nasty cold more quickly.
A study by Kansas State University found that hospital patients with potted plants (like succulents) in their rooms recovered faster. The patients also expressed an overall more positive response to their hospital rooms.
11. Succulents Can Help You Sleep Better
Since succulents continue the photosynthesis process at night, they continue improving the air quality.
Studies have shown how oxygen-enriched rooms can lead to a better night’s sleep. So, add some succulents to your bedroom to wake up feeling refreshed and get through your day with less fatigue.
12. Gives You a Memory Boost And Improves Concentration
According to The University of Michigan, interacting with nature can help with memory retention. It can also help boost your attention span. The study focused on spending time outside but then also focused on interaction with nature indoors.
Even inside, the results were the same, and people who spent time with nature enjoyed a brain boost. Plus, you can enjoy more productivity and improved concentration thanks to the increased attention span.
Are you ready to add some succulents to your home and enjoy the benefits? Which one do you think you’ll try first?
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