Colorful Succulents are a great way to brighten up any home or indoor garden. Succulents are low-maintenance and easy-to-grow. Therefore, they’re a favorite among indoor gardeners. We find succulents in over 60 plant families, in the form of thousands of varieties. What’s more, they all have their unique shapes, sizes, and colors, with a shared characteristic of fleshy, water-retaining leaves and stems.
These plants’ diverse attributes can make some genuinely gorgeous succulent gardens when a few species are grown together. Still, they can also be quite stunning on their own, especially when you choose a species with beautiful coloring. These are a few of the brightest and most uniquely colored succulents, perfect for adding vibrancy and contrast to living collages and indoor gardens.
1.
Moon Cactus
The moon cactus, or Gymnocalycium mihanovichii, is a mutant breed among colorful succulents. It’s made by grafting a piece of the scion (the Gymnocalycium) to a rootstock cactus such as a Hylocereus cactus. The scion is the brightly colored portion of the plant. It features vibrant colors, like red, yellow, or orange, because it lacks chlorophyll, thereby exposing these natural colors. This is also why it needs to be grafted to a rootstock, so the root species can help the scion produce food by providing chlorophyll that the scion otherwise lacks.
2.
Echeveria 'Lola'
Echeveria ‘Lola’ succulents aren’t necessarily the loudest, most vibrantly colored succulents. However, their pastel shades are delicately beautiful. They display various combinations of the palest pinks, blues, purples, and greens and appear to have a soft and powdery finish. When they flower in the spring, they will produce bright orange blooms. These succulents look fantastic both on their own or grouped in contrast with other brightly colored species.
Colorful Succulents: Sempervivum Red Rubin
The color of the Sempervivum Red Rubin varies depending on the season. Its fleshy leaves can go from green to burgundy red as the temperatures drop. In the summer, this species will form a thick flowering stalk that produces small pink blooms. Then, after blooming, the individual plant will die, but this hens and chicks succulent grows plenty of offsets that will take the mother’s place after it’s gone. The chicks will root and fall off the hen on their own. Then they can be planted elsewhere or back in the same spot as the mother once you remove the dead plant.
4.
Echeveria Perle von Nurnberg
Another gorgeous pastel-colored succulent is the Echeveria Perle von Nurnberg. Its fleshy leaves exhibit a purplish-grey hue, sometimes with hints of pale pinks and greens. This species has the same powdery white finish as the Echeveria ‘Lola,’ but its coloring is slightly deeper and darker than the Lola’s delicate pastels. When the Perle von Nurnberg is in bloom, it sends out multiple stalks that will produce a handful of pale pink flowers.
5.
Colorful Succulents: Jelly Bean Plant
The jelly bean plant, or Sedum rubrotinctum, is a wacky little succulent that produces fat, round green leaves with bright red tips. To keep the leaves as bright and colorful as possible, keep this plant in a sunny spot. If it doesn’t receive enough sunlight, the leaves will remain a bright green shade with minimal red coloring. With enough sun, the leaves can become almost entirely red, and they really will have a plump, radiant, jelly bean appearance.
6.
Campfire Crassula
The campfire crassula, or Crassula capitella, is a branching succulent with narrow leaves that will grow from light green into a bright red when provided with plenty of direct sunlight. The leaves may become tipped with red, or you can set the whole plant ablaze with enough sun. These reds can become quite deep and vibrant. Hence the fiery nickname people gave to this plant. In the summer, it also produces clusters of tiny white flowers.
7.
Colorful Succulents: Coppertone Stonecrop
The Coppertone stonecrop, or Sedum nussbaumerianum, gets its name from its golden yellow and burnt orange tones. If not provided with ample sunlight, the leaves will remain a greenish-yellow rather than showing off their warm copper hues. In the spring, dense clusters of white flowers will bloom, which look somewhat like a fluffy, white dandelion seed head.
8.
Black Tree Aeonium
The world of colorful succulents is not without their gothy, black-clad individuals. The black tree aeonium, or Aeonium arboreum ‘Zwartkop,’ is an intriguing, mysterious-looking succulent. The rosettes are quite large, and the glossy leaves are long and very dark, giving this plant a strong resemblance to a black rose. In partial shade, the leaves are reddish-purple. However, they will turn almost black in full sun.
9.
Colorful Succulents: Wooly Senecio
While these other succulents are quite colorful, the Woolly Senecio, or Senecio haworthii, is devoid of all color, making it equally noteworthy. This snowy white succulent can also be known as the cocoon plant, thanks to its fine hairs that give the long, tubular leaves their fuzzy texture. The only color this succulent will produce is when it blooms its bright yellow flowers.
10.
Blue Chalk Stick
If you’re looking for an interesting plant to add to your indoor garden, you may want to consider theblue chalk stick plant(Senecio Mandraliscae). This succulent plant is native to Madagascar, and it gets its name from its blue, chalk-like stems. The blue chalk stick plant is a versatile plant that can be grown in a wide range of environments, and it’s relatively easy to care for. When grown indoors, the blue chalk stick plant prefers bright, indirect light and well-drained soil. It’s important to water the plant regularly, but allow the soil to dry out between watering sessions. With proper care, the blue chalk stick plant can grow to be up to two feet tall. If you’re looking for a unique and eye-catching plant for your indoor garden, the blue chalk stick plant is a great option.
Colorful Succulents - The Wrap-up
These colorful succulents are beautiful on their own, especially when displayed in a unique planter. When added to a garden filled with other succulents, the varieties mentioned above are excellent at providing contrasting colors and breaking up a grouping of too much green. These are only a handful of the brightly and uniquely colored succulents that exist, and many other succulents canmake a wonderful addition to your indoor garden. Use a few different types placed together in a large pot or an empty planter frame to create the most stunning visual displays.
