Have you ever said, “I love hanging succulents — but mine always die.” Do you envy the lush, long growth you see on Instagram and Facebook posts yet despair of ever seeing it in your own garden? You’re not alone! There is a reason your hanging cactus or succulent struggles — especially when it’s your favorite plant. Today, we’re going to change all that.
What are Hanging Succulents?
Trailing or hanging succulents have a dramatic appeal, don’t they? They defy expectations. We expect plants to grow upward, toward the sun. It’s intriguing to see lush, healthy plants that grow out and down, rather than up. This unusual growth habit typically does not translate to special needs. Just as with any succulent, the better you understand the plant and meets its basic needs, the happier and healthier it will be.
Trailing or hanging cactus and succulents have stems that do not support the full weight of the plant in upright growth. These pendulous stems do not permit the plant to compete well among its neighbors for available sunlight. This is why most trailing succulents cannot tolerate full, direct sun all day. (Take note!) But there are two notable evolutionary advantages for trailing plants. They spend no resources developing stiff, rigid plant matter for their stems, enabling the plants to invest in greater root and leaf development. A trailing habit also allows hanging succulents to crowd out their neighbors, smothering nearby plants with their own growth. This cuts down on competition for that most precious of natural resources where succulents grow — water.
