Have you noticed that succulents planted as groundcovers usually have much more vibrant colors than the ones grown indoors with indirect light? That is a very interesting fact about succulents: they become “sun stressed” and develop brilliant bright colors under a lot of direct sunlight and extreme conditions.
Sun stress or any type of environmental stress may be harmless for succulents when it does not reach an over-stressed level. In fact, sun-stressing at the right dose is done a lot to succulents to bring out their gorgeous colors. Too much sun stress, however, would burn your plants. Sun stress, thus, can be both good and bad for succulents. How much you can safely sun stress your plants depends on a lot of things, for example, the climate where you live, the time of the year, other environmental factors surrounding your succulents, and the types of plants you want to stress.
What is Succulent Sun Stress?
Succulents usually develop a response to changes in their ideal growing conditions. This is their evolutionary adaptation to extreme conditions like relentless sunlight, temperature fluctuations, and drought. When sun-stressed, succulents are pushed to a stress level that they must activate a pigment called anthocyanin. Like human melanin, anthocyanins work to protect foliage tissues from UV damage. The result is that we get darker, tanning skin, and succulents bring out their incredible red and yellow colors. Sun stress does not last forever. Just like our tan fades when summer ends, a sun-stressed succulent will fade back to its green color when you bring it indoors, or when the dark winter comes.
Sun stress makes succulents turn red.
Photo by Veronika Gaudet
Sun-stressing is only recommended for plants that can withstand extreme direct sunlight, for example, succulents, cacti, euphorbias, hoyas, and some orchids. You can sun-stress a plant with very strong grow lights, but natural sunlight gives the best result and creates the most well-stressed succulents. The sun-stressing process usually involves reducing temperature and humidity levels, as well as a less frequent watering schedule.
[Is Sun Stress Good or Bad?]Is Sun Stress Good or Bad for Succulents?
Sun stress can be a good thing only if it is done right. Many colorful succulents adapt well and can produce more breathtakingly beautiful colors when exposed to stressful conditions. Most succulents come from arid desert areas with dry soil, extreme heat and plenty of direct sunlight. Sun-stressing mimics their natural habitat, and to a certain extent, it is totally harmless to these plants.
However, sun-stressing can turn very bad and burn or even kill your plants if the sun is too harsh for them to handle. It is very easy to detect that your plants are over-stressed. Well-stressed succulents have normal leaf texture and look healthy, but over-stressed plants have blotchy, darkened, wrinkled, or crispy leaves.
Sun burn succulents
Photo viaharddy.com
How to Safely Sun Stress Your Succulents?
We would not recommend sun-stressing for beginners. Succulents are very sensitive to any changes in their environment, and a bit more or less of anything, if not done correctly, would harm your beloved plants.
Pick Healthy Succulents that Adapt Well to Sun StressNot all succulents are the same. Although most succulents can benefit from sun stress, some are easier to sun stress and yield a better result.
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