In addition to unusual shapes and forms, there are many different succulent colors. These plants often change colors due to mild or moderate stress, making them even more unusual.
Different Succulent Colors
Many of the plants contain colorful, protective pigments that encourage color changes because of various environmental factors. For instance, I’ve noticed some of my outdoor jade plants taking on red hues and leaf rims as temperatures turn cooler. Leaves of ‘Hobbit’ and ‘Baby Jade’ become edged in red. The Kalanchoe ‘Paddle Plant’ is splotched so heavily that leaves are mostly red. Stems become more colorful too.
Some succulent plants become more blue or purple as they’re exposed to additional sunlight. Withholding water often instigates color changes as well. Plants must already include anthocyanins to show these shades. Variegated splotches, lines, and rims can appear on some succulents. Carotenoids stimulate yellow or orange streaks and splotches of these colors.
The types of stress mentioned above cause color changes. Stress does not need to be so severe that it damages the plant though. Just a slight amount of some stress over a period of time turns green plants into bright, colorful succulents. A combination of withholding water is usually needed with varying sunlight and changing temperatures. Regular watering makes most of the plants revert to green.
Colorful Succulent Plants
If you wish to persuade your succulents to exhibit their most extreme colors, learn about each plant and which stress is most effective for them. Not all succulent plants have the capacity to become a different color. You may find accidental color change if you’ve unknowingly exposed a plant to stress.
You can plant various combinations of succulents to show off their many shades and place in bright light to maintain the color. Grow these in a large saucer container to produce interesting color wheels. Creating a succulent color wheel may be a somewhat challenging project, but it is rewarding when the colors come out.
Know your plants and their potential for different colors. You may be fortunate enough to find them in their natural colors, but you might have to expose them to light to get it to come out. Several lists are available online to show you the finished colors of plants. Popular blues and purples include types of Echeverias, Senecios, and Sedeveria.
Other Succulents for Color
Purple succulent plants include:
- Sempervivums ‘Bronco’ and ‘Bellot’s Purple’
- Tradescantias (several including ‘Purple Heart’)
- Echeverias (numerous including ‘Perle von Nurnburg’)
- Aeonium (try ‘Zwartcoff,’ this burgundy succulent is so dark it appears black)
Blue plants are attractive and often easy to find. Try growing:
- Blue chalk sticks ‘Serpents’
- Agave ‘Blue Rose’
- Graptopetalum (pale blue)
- Aloe ‘Blue Flame’
- Sedum ‘Blue Spruce’ and ‘Blue Fingers’
- Crassula ‘Blue Waves’
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