If you are a succulent lover, you’ll want to create a display of such plants to give the appearance of a desert landscape. If you plant indoors, you can have plants sitting in indirect light away from harsh sunlight. However, your choice of plants will differ if you want to plant in areas with direct sun exposure.
Picking the best succulents for full hot sun is the secret to having a display of growing succulents that display red flowers and yellow flowers as they cope with full sunlight. Here, we have a range of succulents with fleshy leaves, exciting shapes, and vibrant colors to make your home unique.
In our guide, you can find 16 of the best outdoor full sun succulents for your garden. By the end, you’ll see which succulents and cacti best suit your garden. We have included a quick overview of whether these plants can cope with cold temperatures, soil conditions they need, and more during the growing season and beyond. (Learn How Long Do Succulents Live)
Top 16 Full Sun Succulents For Your Garden
Here are the best sun-loving succulents for full sun exposure.
1. ‘Sticks on Fire’ (Euphorbia tirucalli v. rosea) Pencil Tree Plant)
‘Sticks on Fire, Fire Stick Plant,’ also known as the Pencil Tree Plant, is a unique succulent shrub that thrives in full sunlight.
When its color is reddest in the cold season, this plant is popular as a ground cover evergreen because its pencil-thin stems look like flaming sticks.
This plant has the potential to reach a height of eight feet and a width of four feet, making it a striking addition to any low-water garden design.
- Lighting: Full sun.
- Watering: Drought tolerant and has low water needs. Water the low-maintenance plant when topsoil is completely dry.
- Soil: Use any well-draining, sandy succulent mix.
- Repotting: Sticks on fire are frequently grown in the ground. Although, if your plant was put in a container, repot it as needed, possibly every three years, when it outgrows the container.
- Winter Hardy: Zones 10a-12b.
- Propagation: The Sticks on Fire can be propagated from stem cuttings.
- Vulnerabilities: This plant is mainly resistant to pests and diseases and requires little maintenance. Although “Sticks on Fire” cannot be damaged, its sap is poisonous to people, unlike other succulents, so avoid getting it on your face or eyes and wear gloves when handling.
2. Paddle Plant (Kalanchoe luciae)
One of the most striking succulents is Kalanchoe luciae, which has flat, rounded, jade-green color leaves with scarlet borders. You can plant your Kalanchoe luciae in the ground or a pot since it can get up to 24 inches tall and 36 inches wide.
- Lighting: Full sun, ideally outside. Make sure your paddle plant receives at least six hours of bright light each day if it is being grown indoors.
- Watering: Water only once the topsoil has dried out entirely. Winter is a dry season, so water less because the soil will stay moist for longer.
- Soil: Any well-draining, loamy or sandy succulent mix should be used as the soil.
- Repotting: Pot in a clay pot. Repot as needed in spring, usually every one to two years.
- Winter Hardy: Zones: 9a-12b.
- Propagation: Propagate with leaf, offsets, or stem cuttings.
- Vulnerabilities: Mealybugs, slugs, and snails may be able to harm the leaves of Kalanchoe luciae permanently.
3. Golden Barrel Cactus (Echinocactus grusonii)
This cute cactus will make you smile. Green Golden Barrel Cactus has golden spines. This rotund succulent may grow up to four feet tall and three feet wide, making a wonderful water-wise garden feature. However, be careful if little children or dogs are nearby—their sharp spines can injure them.
- Lighting: Full sun succulent prefers outdoors, yet ensure it isn’t exposed to southwestern sun and heat on the hottest days of the year. Light shade can offer some protection.
- Watering: Water when topsoil is completely dry and reduce watering in winter when moist soil takes longer to dry.
- Soil: Use a well-draining, succulent mix.
- Repotting: This cactus is low-maintenance. When your plant outgrows its container, repot in an unglazed pot. Wear thick gloves for handling.
- Winter Hardy: Zones: 9a-11b.
- Propagation: As they appear, the Golden Barrel Cactus can be propagated by seed or pups.
- Vulnerabilities: One of the best succulents to be mainly pest resistant, yet can be susceptible to mealybugs, water rot, and cactus fungus.
4. Century Plant (Agave americana)
The lovely Century Plant is one of the best succulents with benefits like Aloe Vera. The flower stalks and base leaves are edible and antibacterial. Agave americana has spine-tipped rosette leaves. This 10-foot-wide grey-green wonder can grow to 6 feet.
- Lighting: Full sunlight to partial shade and warm temperatures, preferably outside.
- Watering: Only water dry topsoil. Winter soil is moister, therefore reducing watering. In containers, plants need more water.
- Soil: Well-draining succulent mix or sandy soil with rocks.
- Repotting: Repot in a larger pot once Agave americana has become rootbound.
- Winter Hardy: Zones: 8a-11b.
- Propagation: Best propagated when offsets show.
- Vulnerabilities: Susceptible to agave snout weevil.
5. Silver Dollar Jade (Crassula arborescens)
With silvery green leaves lined in dark pink, Crassula arborescens makes for a lovely addition to any home garden and even does well indoors if it receives enough sunlight. (Read Do Succulents Need Drainage)
While it can reach four feet in height, it can easily be kept to a smaller, more manageable size by regular pruning and planting it in a smaller pot. Silver Dollar Jade produces clusters of starry white blooms between spring and summer.
- Lighting: Full sun to light shade.
- Watering: Water only when the topsoil is completely dry. Mature plants that are grown outdoors rarely need watering at all.
- Soil: The soil should be any well-draining succulent or cactus mix.
- Repotting: Repot as needed, preferably in spring or early summer.
Winter Hardy: Zones 9b-11a. - Propagation: Your Silver Dollar Jade plant is best propagated in summer by stem or leaf cuttings.
- Vulnerabilities: This succulent is susceptible to mealybugs, fungal diseases, and root rot.
6. Pink Ice Plant (Oscularia deltoides)
This flowering shrublet has small, plump, triangular, blue-green leaves. Pink Ice Plant’s distinctive leaves bloom pink daisies in spring. This plant grows up to 1 foot tall and 3 feet wide, cascading out of containers, whether or not flowering.
- Lighting: Full sun.
- Watering: Water only when the topsoil is completely dry. Reduce watering in winter months.
- Soil: The soil should be any well-draining succulent or cactus mix.
- Repotting: Repot in early spring once a year if grown indoors.
- Winter Hardy: Zones 8a-11b.
- Propagation: Oscularia deltoides are best propagated by stem cuttings.
- Vulnerabilities: This succulent is susceptible to mealybugs, aphids, and root rot.
7. Lipstick Echeveria (Echeveria agavoides ‘Lipstick’)
Lipstick Echeveria has lime green leaves with red borders. This plant’s “lipstick” grows more apparent in sunlight. Lipstick Echeveria grows 6 inches tall and 1 foot wide, making it ideal for outdoor gardens and containers.
- Lighting: Full to partial sun.
- Watering: Water only when the topsoil is completely dry. Drought resistant Reduce watering in winter months.
- Soil: The soil should be any well-draining succulent mix or loamy or sandy soil.
- Repotting: Repot in spring or early summer as needed.
- Winter Hardy: Zones 9a-12b.
- Propagation: Lipstick Echeveria is best propagated in spring by removing offsets every two to three years.
- Vulnerabilities: This succulent is virtually disease free but may be susceptible to mealybugs, aphids, and vine weevils.
8. Key Lime Pie (Adromischus cristasis)
Adromischus cristasus has beautiful deep green, crinkled, fluffy leaves. This slow-growing succulent will only reach 6 inches tall, making it an excellent potted plant. It prefers direct sunlight outdoors.
- Lighting: Full sun.
- Watering: Water only when the topsoil is completely dry. Reduce watering in winter months. This plant does not like overwatering!
- Soil: The soil should well-draining, porous succulent mix.
- Repotting: Repot only when necessary, which is not often. For example, essential Lime Pie plants do well in terracotta pots.
- Winter Hardy: Zones 9a-10b.
- Propagation: Adromischus cristasis is easily propagated with leaf cuttings.
- Vulnerabilities: This succulent is attractive to mealybugs and boll weevils.
9. Blue Chalk Sticks (Senecio Serpens)
Blue Chalk Sticks, also called Sea Coral, has chalky, blue-green leaves that reach the sky. If given enough sun, its blue-green leaves will turn purple, adding color to your garden. Senecio Serpens can be grown in a container garden. White flowers accompany summertime blue-green and purple leaves. (Read Do Succulents Like Humidity)
- Lighting: Full sun.
- Watering: Water only when the topsoil is completely dry, about once every three weeks. Reduce watering in winter months.
- Soil: The soil should be any well-draining, succulent, or cactus mix.
- Repotting: Repot in early spring if your plant outgrows its pot.
- Winter Hardy: Zones 10a-11b.
- Propagation: Senecio Serpens is easily propagated with leaf cuttings.
- Vulnerabilities: This succulent is susceptible to mealybugs, aphids, and root rot if overwatered.
10. Copper Pinwheel (Aeonium ‘Sunburst’)
This charmer produces variegated rosettes like Echeveria ‘Compton Carousel’ Copper Pinwheel is green with yellow or white stripes and can grow red tips. This monocarpic plant flowers white in the summertime but dies later. Propagate Copper Pinwheel before it dies so you can enjoy it for years.
- Lighting: Full direct sunlight to partial sun.
- Watering: Water only when the topsoil is completely dry. Reduce watering in winter months.
- Soil: Copper Pinwheel needs sandy loam or potting mix with more moisture than most succulents.
- Repotting: Repot every two to three years.
Winter Hardy: Zones 9b-11b. - Propagation: Your Copper Pinwheel is easily propagated with stem cuttings.
- Vulnerabilities: This succulent is susceptible to mealybugs and aphids.
11. ‘Fred Ives’ (x Graptoveria ‘Fred Ives’)
This is among the fastest-growing full sun plants; sunset-colored succulent creates 8-inch-tall, 12-inch-wide rosettes. Fred Ives full sun plants are available in pink, purple, orange, and blue-green. In summer, your plant will bloom with starry yellow blossoms and flower stalks.
- Lighting: Full sun, preferably outside. If grown outside, Fred Ives needs the brightest possible light, even midday sunlight.
- Watering: Water only when the topsoil is completely dry. Reduce watering in winter months.
- Soil: The soil should be any well-draining, porous succulent, or cactus mix.
- Repotting: Repot about every two years or whenever it gets too large for its container.
- Winter Hardy: Zones 8b-9b.
- Propagation: Fred Ives is best propagated by leaf or stem cuttings and any offsets that appear.
- Vulnerabilities: This succulent is susceptible to mealybugs, aphids, and spider mites.
12. Coppertone Stonecrop (Sedum nussbaumerianum)
Coppertone Stonecrop produces fiery rosettes varying in color
from rosy-gold to copper-red when exposed to full sun.
This Mexican native grows 8 inches tall with 2-inch rosettes indoors and out. Sedum nussbaumerianum produces white, pink, or red blooms in winter and spring and is suitable for ground cover or hanging baskets.
- Lighting: Full direct sunlight.
- Watering: Water only when the topsoil is completely dry. Reduce watering in winter months.
- Soil: The soil should be any well-draining, porous succulent, or cactus mix. Drought resistant
- Repotting: Repot in early spring whenever it gets too large for its container.
Winter Hardy: Zones 9a-11b. - Propagation: Coppertone Stonecrop is best propagated by leaf or stem cuttings.
- Vulnerabilities: This succulent is susceptible to aphids and flies.
13. Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia)
The Prickly Pear Cactus has flat, wide, paddle-like pads, colorful oval-shaped edible fruits, and golden yellow, red, or purple flowers in late spring and early summer. But, this blossoming cactus isn’t just pretty. The cactus’ pads and fruit are edible. Pads and fruit are both raw or cooked. (Read Why Is My Succulent Growing A Long Stem)
- Lighting: Full direct sunlight.
- Watering: Water about twice a month in summer. Reduce watering to once a month in winter.
- Soil: The soil should be a well-draining, alkaline, neutral cactus mix.
- Repotting: Repot in early spring whenever it gets too large for its container.
- Winter Hardy: 9a-11b. Some varieties can tolerate colder climates.
- Propagation: Prickly Pear Cactus is best propagated by pad cuttings.
- Vulnerabilities: Opuntia is not ordinarily prone to pests but may be susceptible to mealybugs and root rot.
14. Retro Succulents Carmine Aloe (Aloe ‘Carmine’)
If you want to add color and pattern to a succulent garden, you can’t go wrong with striking rosettes of light green leaves and orange dots, and red-orange borders. It can be planted alone or in small groups and grows to a height and width of around eight inches.
- Lighting: Full to partial sun.
- Watering: Water only when the topsoil is completely dry. Reduce watering in winter months.
- Soil: The soil should be any well-draining, succulent, or cactus mix.
- Repotting: Repot as needed whenever it gets too large for its container or becomes rootbound.
- Winter Hardy: Zones 9a-11b.
- Propagation: Aloes are best propagated by offsets.
- Vulnerabilities: This plant is susceptible to leaf spots.
15. Donkey’s Tail
Donkey’s Tail succulent plants have long, luxuriant stems and are sometimes planted in a hanging basket. This attractive succulent grows up to 4 inches long and gets thick over time with trailing branches with overlapping plump leaves, forming a braided pattern. Display it on a wall or balcony to add charm.
- Lighting: Bright to indirect sunlight/ partial shade
- Watering: Water only when the topsoil is completely dry. Reduce watering in winter months.
- Soil: The soil should be loamy, sandy, and well-draining.
- Repotting: Repot as needed whenever it gets too large for its container or becomes rootbound.
Winter Hardy: Zones 9-11. - Propagation: Best propagated by offsets.
- Vulnerabilities: This plant can sometimes be susceptible to aphids, snails, and root rot.
16. Graptopetalum (Ghost Plant)
The last of the full sun succulents is distinct from the other succulents. Usually referred to as “Mother of Pearl” because of the formation where smaller petals nest in larger ones.
While the plant exhibits its “ghost plant” characteristics in the shade, it thrives in full sun, adding yellow-pink rosettes to your garden.
- Lighting: Direct sunlight or full sun.
- Watering: Water only when the topsoil is completely dry. Reduce watering in winter months.
- Soil: The soil should be loamy, sandy, and well-draining.
- Repotting: Repot as needed whenever it gets too large for its container or becomes rootbound.
Winter Hardy: Zones 9-11. - Propagation: Best propagated by offsets.
- Vulnerabilities: This plant can sometimes be susceptible to mealybugs, vine weevils, and aphids.
Succulents are drought tolerant and water-storing, allowing them to withstand intense heat and sun. This is true for most succulents; however, some can’t handle full sun and too much heat without cover and maybe sunburned.
FAQs
How Does Climate Affect Succulents?
Climate matters; if you live in a cooler environment with cold winters, like Arizona, you must follow a different regimen than succulent lovers in California with warm weather. Full sun succulents in Arizona need to move indoors in winter, and as they demand full sun, they move outdoors in summer. (Read Can You Use Regular Potting Soil For Succulents)
Are Succulents Drought Tolerant?
Yes, many succulents require minimal water to survive, making them drought-tolerant.
What Are Some Shade Loving Plants?
Some succulents that will grow in the shade are the jade plant, hoya, Panda Plant, aloe vera, and woodland stonecrop.
