Succulents are adored for their unique beauty, resilience, and low maintenance requirements. However, even these hardy plants have specific needs when it comes to sun exposure, especially in our Sacramento climate. At The Secret Garden, we carefully curate our succulent selection to ensure they thrive in our region’s 9b climate. To make your shopping experience easier and more fruitful, we’ve organized our plants into three distinct sun exposure zones: Full Sun, Morning Sun, and Shade. This allows you to choose with confidence, knowing your plants will acclimate well to your garden’s conditions.
Full Sun: The Sun Worshippers
Succulents that thrive in full sun are like the sunbathers of the plant world. They bask in the glory of direct sunlight for most of the day and often develop vibrant colors as a result of the intense light. In Zone 9b, these plants benefit from our ample sunshine, provided they have been properly acclimated. Please take note that plants that can ultimately handle full sun still need acclimation with proper watering and selective timing when planting. We often help customers understand this by using the analogy of a baby at the beach. Eventually an adult can handle a full day in the sun, but you wouldn’t leave an infant unprotected all day. So just be mindful of not choosing the hottest day of the year to plant and be mindful of watering needs and sun protection until the plant has taken root. Jasmine offers up some great examples of how sun affects succulents and the importance of acclimation in her Tip Tuesday video below.
Examples:
- Echeveria Pulvinata: With their furry leaves and “flame on” tips, Echeveria pulvinata love soaking up the sun, and putting on a show.
- Calandrinia Spectabilis: A fabulous low mounding grey, green succulent with 3′ tall bright fuchsia flowers. Takes full sun like a champ and flowers all summer long.
- Euphorbia tirucalli: Commonly referred to as “Sticks of Fire”, these striking succulent shrubs start life with green branches that quickly turn orange and red in both the sun and even in the cold.
- Othonna Capensis: aka Ruby Necklace, this is one of our favorite full sun spillers that look terrific in a hanging basket or positioned along the edge of a planter where it has a chance to run. Fabulous deep purple leaves and darling yellow daisy-like flowers when it gets all the sunshine it loves.
- Sedum: Known for their toughness, many Sedum varieties can handle the full brunt of the sun, making them perfect for rock gardens and sunny borders.
Morning Sun: Gentle Rays for Gentle Growth
For succulents that prefer a bit less intensity, morning sun exposure is ideal. Here in Sacramento this is quite honestly the largest group of succulents. These plants enjoy the softer, cooler sunlight of the early day, avoiding the harsh afternoon rays that can sometimes be too intense and cause burning or curling of the leaves. Planting where they will get some dappled afternoon shade from a larger plant is ideal.
Examples:
- Echeveria: With their stunning rosette shapes, Echeverias love soaking up the morning sun, often turning a brilliant red or pink at the tips. We have so many different varieties of fabulous echeveria in every color and size.
- Graptoveria: These are a hybrid cross between echevaria and graptopetalum and the result gives us a group of awesome succulents with grey-blue leaves. We even have some that are variegated and extra awesome!
- Aloe: While some Aloe varieties can handle full sun, many do better with morning sun, where they can grow without the risk of sunburn. Aloe Vera is one that comes to mind as it will burn with too much sun.
- Aeoniums: These succulents offer some of the largest rosettes and come in a range of colors from variegated tri-colors to deep purples. Some stay low to the ground and others can soar to 3′ in height, and the flower inflorescence can stand as high as 5′ in some varieties!
- Crassula: While jade plants can handle some sun, here in Sacramento they do best in partially shaded areas where they receive indirect light all day or morning sun and afternoon shade. Some of our favorites are “undulatifolia” (so cool and wavy!) and “ovata tricolor” (such great variegation in the leaf colors!) And don’t even get me started on the “stacked crassula” series for extra cuteness overload! If you’re like me you’ll love Crassula perforata and/or rupestris, that are commonly called “babies buttons and/or rosary vine.”
Shade: The Cool and Collected
While many succulents enjoy the sun, some varieties prefer the cooler, dimmer areas of your garden. Shade-tolerant succulents are perfect for spots that get limited direct sunlight, thriving in the dappled light under trees or on shaded patios. These are also the succulents that will do best if you want to grow them indoors.
Examples:
- Haworthia: These charming, small succulents prefer indirect light when outdoors and make a terrific indoor succulent choice since they can capture a lot of light with their translucent leaves.
- Gasteria: With their thick, tongue-like leaves, Gasteria are well-suited to dappled all day light, ensuring they don’t get scorched.
- Sedum morganianum: aka “donkey tail” is one of our favorite shade-loving succulents for impact! Be sure to check out our massive potted specimen on display in the shade zone.
- Kalanchoe: Most of this family of succulents prefer the shade and many can grow indoors in a bright window. An exception is kalanchoe luciae (aka flapjacks) which can actually handle full sun.
Shop with Confidence
At our nursery, we understand the nuances of Zone 9b’s climate and have handpicked a terrific selection of succulents that will thrive in their designated sun exposure zones. The above examples are just a tiny fraction of what’s in store on any given day. During our Annual Succulent Extravaganza, held every year on Memorial Weekend, this selection explodes in both available varieties and sizes offered. So whether you’re looking for plants that will bask in full sun, enjoy the gentle morning rays, or thrive in the shade, you can shop with confidence knowing that each plant is suited to its preferred environment.
By organizing our succulent nursery into Full Sun, Morning Sun, and Shade zones, we aim to provide you with an effortless and enjoyable shopping experience. Our knowledgeable staff is always here to help you understand the sun exposure zones and choose the perfect plants for your garden – ensuring they flourish and bring beauty to your space for years to come.
We look forward to seeing you in the garden! 🌵🌞🌿
