The influence of external conditions on the cultivation of succulent plants
Are you curious about topics related to succulent plants, the influence of external conditions on the cultivation of succulent plants? Let's follow the editor to find out!
Light, water, temperature, relative humidity, temperature difference, soil, air circulation, pot, fertilizer...... These are all external conditions that can affect plant growth. Generally speaking, it is difficult to control light, temperature, relative humidity, and temperature difference, so we need to work on the remaining conditions. Relatively speaking, light and water are the key to plant growth, temperature and water are the key to the life and death of plants, and temperature difference is the key to the growth rate of plants.
Light: Light is an important condition for plant growth. As most succulent plants are eudicot plants, they are considered higher plants and are self-supporting, so photosynthesis is very important and is the key for plants to obtain organic matter. Personally, I think almost all succulent plants need relatively strong and long-term light, provided that they are in good condition and larger plants. Next, let's classify the light requirements for some plants:
Cactaceae Lophophora: Requires strong direct light, especially those with long white hair, which need strong direct light to ensure the plant shape, the density of spines, the color of spines, and the number of flowers.
Cactaceae Epiphyllum: Needs light but not too strong, as too much light can easily cause the plant to change color and is difficult to recover. However, it seems that this genus likes low light, which is beneficial for the opening of flower buds.
Cactaceae Astrophytum: This genus still likes light. Sufficient light can make the plant flatter, the skin color more beautiful, and more flowers. This genus can bloom in any season except winter, but the light should not be too strong, or dry and闷 under strong light, as this can easily burn the plant.
Cactaceae Ferocactus: This genus of plants has strict requirements for light and needs relatively strong light, as well as strong ultraviolet light. It is recommended to raise them outdoors or build a greenhouse with polycarbonate sheets, which allows more ultraviolet light to pass through. The intensity of light directly affects the development of the areole and may cause etiolation. If conditions permit, it is recommended to try seedlings or wild plants.
Cactaceae Ariocarpus: Not much is known about this genus, but it seems to prefer gentle long-daylight, but the plant must be healthy, otherwise, it may not wake up from its dormant state.
Not much is known about other genera of Cactaceae, but it seems that those from North America, like Echinocereus, Epiphyllum, and Cephalocereus, need relatively strong light, while others need to be explored step by step.
Portulacaceae Lithops: Due to their small and exquisite appearance and colorful patterns, this genus is very popular among succulent enthusiasts. However, it requires some effort to grow them well under household conditions. This genus requires strict light conditions, needing long and strong light, but still needs to be shaded appropriately during the hot summer to prevent the plant from dehydrating and shrinking. This can help the plant grow larger during the short autumn period, which is more conducive to branching the following spring. Also, to reduce water loss, I feel that it is best to plant the plant deeply.
Portulacaceae Conophytum: This genus is similar to Lithops and is also an outstanding member of Portulacaceae. However, this genus has many varieties, varying in size, and requires a long time to master. Generally speaking, large green Conophytum are easier to grow, and they all need about the same amount of light, with good light being beneficial for branching.
Other genera of Portulacaceae will not be discussed in detail, such as春桃玉, 藻铃玉属, 菱鲛属...
Liliaceae Haworthia: Many people think that this genus does not need much light, but that's not the case. It has strict light requirements, provided that the plant is healthy, otherwise, it will burn the plant and severely affect its appearance. Plants of this genus are not difficult to grow, meaning they don't die easily, but it's not easy to control the plant shape. Also, hard leaves should pay attention to the intensity of light, otherwise, they will appear dry-tipped. The following is the light requirement ranking for soft leaves:玉扇, 寿, 万象, 玉露, which may vary depending on the variety.
Crasulaceae: There are too many plants in Crasulaceae, and a considerable part of them are not succulent plants, so I won't go into detail here. Now, enthusiasts generally like the following genera: 青锁龙属, 石莲花属, 长生草属, 奇峰锦属, 天锦章属...
Plants of this genus must have good light to control the plant shape, especially the Echeveria and Sempervivum genera. Otherwise, they will look unsightly when etiolated and it's best to cut off the top to inhibit the secretion of auxins and promote lateral buds. Growing Crasulaceae plants well is also the basis for growing Portulacaceae.
Agavaceae Agave: This genus is best grown in strong sunlight outdoors, with those having variegation requiring less light.
Euphorbiaceae: Most plants in this genus still prefer strong light, and I don't know much about the eye-catching caudex plants in this genus.
Of course, there are many other families and genera of succulent plants, such as Asclepiadaceae, Apocynaceae, Portulacaceae, and Convolvulaceae, which I won't elaborate on, as I have less contact with them and cannot talk about them arbitrarily.
The above sharing on the influence of external conditions on the cultivation of succulent plants (lighting) is for the reference of green plant enthusiasts, hoping to solve your problems in green plant and flower management.