Flowering Succulents: How, Why, When, and What to Do

Succulents, along with all other plants, flower to attract pollinators. It is nature's way to survive and making sure the next gen's production. And how do they accomplish this?

By releasing seeds from the flowers.

Flowers contain plant reproductive parts. Flowers are brightly colored and fragrant to entice pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and birds.

Succulents in the wild rely on insects and other animals for pollination to reproduce. Flowers can also be self-pollinated in cultivation by using a paintbrush to pollinate flowers. The objective is the same–seed production. After that, the seeds can be harvested and germinated to produce new plants.

Many succulents and cactus growers propagate their plants by collecting seeds. Nevertheless, there are other aspects to reproduce succulents, such as a leaf or stem propagation, so collecting the seeds is not required.

Some types flower quickly; others may need several seasons. The most common blooming period is between three and five years. Some species have been known to live longer than 20 years.

Most succulent plants, thankfully, do not die after flowering, though some do. Monocarpic plants are those that die after flowering. Because the plant dies after blooming, it is also known as the bloom of death.

Sempervivums (Hens and Chicks), most Aeoniums, and most Agave plants are monocarpic succulents. Flowers are one way to tell if a plant is monocarpic. It is usually monocarpic if the flower emerges from the center of the plant and the entire plant appears to transform into a bloom stalk. Otherwise, the bloom is usually produced from the plant's sides.

When you see a monocarpic plant flowering, there is nothing you can do. You can't stop the process, so why not enjoy it? While it may appear to be tragic, monocarpic plants do not perish in vain.

Most monocarpic succulents are prolific producers, which means they will have produced many pups or baby plants before flowering and dying. Only the mother plant dies after flowering; the pups and baby plants will live on.

No. All Succulent plants do not bloom. Some take years to reach maturity before flowering, while others never bloom at all. Some succulents flower freely even when they are young, whereas others need maturation before flowering.

Environmental factors and growing conditions also determine a great deal. You can encourage blooms by providing the right temperatures, plenty of sunlight, and an environment similar to their natural habitat.

Succulents bloom at various times throughout the year. Some bloom from early spring to late summer, while others bloom in the fall and winter. It is determined by the type of succulents you have and the environmental conditions they are subjected to.

A healthy and happy plant is more likely to flower than a troubled one, so it is crucial to provide the plant with the proper growth environment to grow and thrive. To bloom, succulents and cacti require a great deal of light. Whereby at least 5-6 hours of sunlight per day to keep the plants happy.

Soil should be well-drained for the plant. Succulents dislike sitting in wet soil, so providing the proper soil medium is critical to keeping them happy. A cactus mixture mixed with perlite 2:1 (cactus mix: perlite) is a good solution to begin.

You can also add coarse sand to the mixture to enhance drainage. You can learn more about soil and soil modifications in this post, "Best Soil and Fertilizer for Succulents."

Here are some of our soil and nutrient management recommendations.

Watering strategies, in addition to the proper soil mixture, must be considered. While it is critical to provide adequate water, providing too much water can be harmful to succulents. Let the succulents dry out in between waterings. As a general rule, the top inch of soil should be dry before watering again.

You can find more information on watering succulents at "How and When to Water Succulents."

A flowering succulent does not require any special care. A flowering succulent is perfectly capable of meeting all of its requirements as is. Continue to care for your plant as usual, and it will take care of the rest.

Some people like to give the plant extra nutrients to ensure that it gets enough nutrients for growth and to keep the blooms going. Fertilizer at 14 to 12 strength applied every two to four weeks should be sufficient to supply your plants with the nutrients they require. Here are some fertilizer recommendations from us.

When your succulents are overwatered, they do not bloom or achieve full bloom. This occurs when a succulent or cactus begins to shoot out what appears to be a bloom stalk but fails to bloom fully. This has happened to me on overwatered plants and plants that have stayed wet from too much rain outside.

If you want to see your succulents, especially cacti, bloom, you must provide enough water while not overwatering them.

No. Succulent flowers do not develop into new succulent plants. The seeds contained in the flowers are what can grow into new flowers. To produce the seeds needed to grow new plants.

To form new plants, these seeds must be harvested, germinated, and planted. Planting the flowers alone will not result in reproduction.

Instead of planting succulent flowers, you can propagate succulent stems and leaves. Most succulents are easily propagated through leaf and stem cuttings. It is simple to increase the size of your succulent collection through propagation.

Succulents require a certain level of energy to bloom and stay blooming. Some people dislike succulent flowers and would like to cut off the flowering stalks to redirect the energy back to the plant, enabling it to start focusing its energy on growing. You'll enjoy seeing blooms from my succulents, no matter how small or inconspicuous they appear.

You'll find a wide variety of flowers that are both beautiful and amazing. Some flowers are tiny and understated, while others are spectacular. Others have a pleasant odor, while others have a strong odor. 

When to cut off the bloom stalks is entirely up to you. Before I cut the flowers off, I usually wait until the plant has finished blooming and the flowers have dried up. Some people prefer to remove them before they become unappealing.

The flowers of succulent plants can last for weeks or even months before they close and dry up, depending on the type. The bloom stalks can be left alone, but as they dry out, they become unappealing. Once the plant has finished blooming, remove the bloom stalks.

Cut the stalks of the blooms as close to the plant as possible without damaging the plant's leaves with sharp pruning shears or scissors. After you remove the bloom stalks, you can continue to care for your plant as usual. When a succulent plant blooms for the first time, it will usually continue to bloom at the same time the following year.

While obtaining succulents to flower is not a priority when getting bigger succulents, seeing them bloom is a joy. Continue your efforts to keep your plants as happy as possible, and they will reward you with blooms one of these days.