Best plants

78 best succulents for beginners

Succulents earned their easy reputation honestly: they store their own water, so they forgive the forgotten watering can that kills fussier plants. These are the true succulents and cacti in our library, each with the bright light and dry-out rhythm it needs to thrive on a windowsill.

How this list is built: every plant in our library whose documented growth habit is a true succulent or cactus (semi-succulents excluded)— filtered from Growli's structured plant-care library, not hand-picked, so it stays consistent and checkable.

Plant	Light	Water	Pets
African Milk Tree temp & humidity · pet safety	Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)	Every 1-2 weeks in spring/summer; roughly every 3-4 weeks in winter	Toxic to pets
Aloe vera temp & humidity · pet safety	Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours)	When the soil is completely dry, every 2-3 weeks	Mildly toxic to pets
Artillery Plant temp & humidity · pet safety	Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)	When the top 1-2 cm (about half an inch) of soil is dry	Pet-safe
Baseball Plant temp & humidity · pet safety	Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)	Every 3-4 weeks in spring/summer; roughly every 6-8 weeks (or less) in winter	Toxic to pets
Bear Paw temp & humidity · pet safety	Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)	Every 1-2 weeks in spring/summer; roughly every 2-3 weeks in winter	Toxic to pets
Bishop's Cap Cactus temp & humidity · pet safety	Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)	Every 1-2 weeks in spring/summer; roughly monthly or less in winter	Mildly toxic to pets
Blue Chalksticks temp & humidity · pet safety	Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours)	Roughly every 2-3 weeks in spring and summer; about once a month or less in winter.	Mildly toxic to pets
Burro's tail temp & humidity · pet safety	Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)	When soil is dry, every 14-21 days	Pet-safe
Campfire Crassula (Red Pagoda) temp & humidity · pet safety	Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours)	Every 1-2 weeks in spring-summer; roughly monthly in winter	Mildly toxic to pets
Candle plant temp & humidity · pet safety	Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)	When the soil is fully dry; roughly every 2-3 weeks in growth, far less in summer dormancy	Mildly toxic to pets
Carrion Flower (Stapelia gigantea) temp & humidity · pet safety	Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours)	Every 2-3 weeks in active growth (spring-autumn); keep nearly dry in winter	Pet-safe
Christmas cactus temp & humidity · pet safety	Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)	When the top 2 cm of soil is dry, every 7-10 days	Pet-safe
Concrete Leaf temp & humidity · pet safety	Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours)	Sparingly; every 1-2 weeks in active growth (autumn/spring), nearly dry in summer and winter	Mildly toxic to pets
Conophytum (Living Pebbles) temp & humidity · pet safety	Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)	Only when soil is bone-dry during the autumn-to-spring growth season; keep nearly dry in summer dormancy	Mildly toxic to pets
Cooper's Haworthia temp & humidity · pet safety	Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)	Every 1-3 weeks in spring/summer; about once a month in winter	Pet-safe
Coppertone Stonecrop temp & humidity · pet safety	Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours)	Every 1-2 weeks in spring/summer; roughly monthly in winter	Pet-safe
Coral Cactus temp & humidity · pet safety	Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)	Every 2-4 weeks; let the soil dry out almost fully between waterings	Toxic to pets
Crown of Thorns temp & humidity · pet safety	Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours)	Every 1-2 weeks in growth; sparingly in winter	Toxic to pets
Cylindrical Snake Plant temp & humidity · pet safety	Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)	Every 2-3 weeks in spring and summer; roughly monthly in winter	Toxic to pets
Desert Rose temp & humidity · pet safety	Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours)	Every 7-10 days in active growth; roughly monthly in winter dormancy	Toxic to pets
Easter Cactus temp & humidity · pet safety	Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)	When the top 2-3cm of compost dries, roughly weekly in growth	Pet-safe
Echeveria temp & humidity · pet safety	Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours)	When the soil is bone dry, every 10-14 days in summer	Pet-safe
Fairy Castle Cactus temp & humidity · pet safety	Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)	Every 2-3 weeks in spring/summer; every 4-6 weeks in winter	Mildly toxic to pets
Feather Cactus temp & humidity · pet safety	Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)	Every 2-3 weeks in spring/summer; keep nearly dry in winter	Pet-safe
Gasteria (Ox Tongue) temp & humidity · pet safety	Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)	Every 2-3 weeks in spring/summer; roughly monthly or less in autumn/winter	Mildly toxic to pets
Ghost Plant temp & humidity · pet safety	Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours)	When the soil is fully dry, roughly every 10-14 days in summer and monthly or less in winter	Pet-safe
Graptopetalum pentandrum temp & humidity · pet safety	Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours)	Every 2-3 weeks (less in winter)	Pet-safe
Graptoveria 'Fred Ives' temp & humidity · pet safety	Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours)	When the soil is fully dry, roughly every 1-2 weeks in growth	Pet-safe
Haworthia temp & humidity · pet safety	Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)	When the soil is dry, every 2-3 weeks	Pet-safe
Hens and chicks temp & humidity · pet safety	Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours)	Only when soil is fully dry; roughly every 1-2 weeks in summer, every 4-6 weeks in winter	Pet-safe
Hindu Rope Plant temp & humidity · pet safety	Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)	When the top 3-4 cm of compost is dry, roughly every 10-14 days in summer	Pet-safe
Hoya curtisii temp & humidity · pet safety	Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)	Roughly weekly in spring and summer; every 10-14 days in autumn and winter	Pet-safe
Hoya heuschkeliana temp & humidity · pet safety	Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)	Roughly every 7-10 days in summer; every 2-3 weeks in winter	Pet-safe
Hoya Retusa temp & humidity · pet safety	Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)	Every 7-10 days in spring/summer; reduce sharply in winter	Pet-safe
Inch Plant temp & humidity · pet safety	Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)	Roughly weekly in summer; every 10-14 days in winter	Toxic to pets
Jade plant temp & humidity · pet safety	Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours)	When the soil is completely dry, every 2-3 weeks	Mildly toxic to pets
Jewel Orchid temp & humidity · pet safety	Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)	Every 7-10 days; keep the mix evenly moist, never bone dry	Pet-safe
Kalanchoe temp & humidity · pet safety	Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours)	When the soil is dry, every 10-14 days	Toxic to pets
Lace Aloe temp & humidity · pet safety	Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)	Every 2-3 weeks in spring/summer; roughly monthly or less in winter	Mildly toxic to pets
Lady Finger Cactus temp & humidity · pet safety	Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours)	Roughly every 2-3 weeks in summer; far less in winter	Pet-safe
Lipstick Echeveria temp & humidity · pet safety	Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours)	Every 1-2 weeks in spring/summer; sparingly in winter	Pet-safe
Mexican Butterwort temp & humidity · pet safety	Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)	Keep moist spring-summer; ease off in winter	Mildly toxic to pets
Mexican Butterwort temp & humidity · pet safety	Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)	Tray-water during growth; keep barely damp in winter	Mildly toxic to pets
Mexican Snowball temp & humidity · pet safety	Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)	Every 2-3 weeks in spring/summer; roughly monthly in winter	Pet-safe
Mistletoe cactus temp & humidity · pet safety	Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)	When the top 2-3 cm of soil is dry, roughly every 7-10 days in growth	Pet-safe
Moonlight Cactus temp & humidity · pet safety	Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)	When the top few centimetres are dry, roughly weekly in summer and around monthly in winter	Pet-safe
Moonstones temp & humidity · pet safety	Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)	Every 2 to 3 weeks in active growth; roughly monthly or less in winter	Mildly toxic to pets
Mother of thousands temp & humidity · pet safety	Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)	When the top 5 cm (2 in) of soil is dry, roughly every 1-2 weeks in growth	Toxic to pets
Paddle Plant (Flapjacks) temp & humidity · pet safety	Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours)	Every 2-3 weeks in spring/summer; roughly monthly or less in winter	Toxic to pets
Panda Plant temp & humidity · pet safety	Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours)	When the soil is fully dry, roughly every 2-3 weeks in summer	Toxic to pets
Pencil Cactus (Firestick) temp & humidity · pet safety	Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)	Every 2-3 weeks in spring/summer; roughly monthly or less in winter	Toxic to pets
Peruvian Apple Cactus temp & humidity · pet safety	Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours)	Every 2-3 weeks in spring/summer; roughly monthly or less in winter	Mildly toxic to pets
Pink Butterflies Kalanchoe temp & humidity · pet safety	Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)	Every 2-3 weeks in summer; far less in winter	Toxic to pets
Ponytail palm temp & humidity · pet safety	Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours)	When the soil is bone dry, every 2-3 weeks	Pet-safe
Purple Heart temp & humidity · pet safety	Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)	When the top inch of soil dries out, roughly weekly in summer and every 2 weeks in winter	Mildly toxic to pets
Rat Tail Cactus temp & humidity · pet safety	Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)	Every 1-2 weeks in spring/summer; sparingly in winter	Mildly toxic to pets
Ric Rac Cactus temp & humidity · pet safety	Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)	When the top 2-4 cm of compost is dry, roughly every 7-10 days in summer	Pet-safe
Ruby Glow Peperomia temp & humidity · pet safety	Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)	Roughly every 7-10 days in spring and summer; much less in winter	Pet-safe
Ruby Necklace temp & humidity · pet safety	Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)	Roughly every 1-3 weeks; let the soil dry out completely between waterings	Mildly toxic to pets
Split Rock temp & humidity · pet safety	Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours)	Soak-and-dry, only when fully dry — roughly every 2-3 weeks in active growth; little to none in summer and winter	Pet-safe
Star Cactus temp & humidity · pet safety	Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours)	Every 2-4 weeks in spring/summer; roughly monthly or less in winter	Mildly toxic to pets
String Bean Hoya temp & humidity · pet safety	Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)	When the soil is almost fully dry, roughly every 10-14 days	Pet-safe
String of bananas temp & humidity · pet safety	Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)	When soil is dry, every 14 days	Mildly toxic to pets
String of dolphins temp & humidity · pet safety	Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)	When soil is dry, every 10-14 days	Mildly toxic to pets
String of hearts temp & humidity · pet safety	Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)	When soil is dry, every 10-14 days	Pet-safe
String of needles temp & humidity · pet safety	Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)	When soil is dry, every 10-14 days	Mildly toxic to pets
String of pearls temp & humidity · pet safety	Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours)	When the soil is completely dry, every 2-3 weeks	Toxic to pets
String of pickles temp & humidity · pet safety	Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours)	When the soil is fully dry, roughly every 2-3 weeks	Mildly toxic to pets
String of Raindrops temp & humidity · pet safety	Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)	When the compost is dry right through, roughly every 10-14 days in summer and every 3-4 weeks in winter	Toxic to pets
String of Tears temp & humidity · pet safety	Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)	Roughly every 7-14 days in spring and summer; about once a month in winter.	Mildly toxic to pets
Sweetheart plant temp & humidity · pet safety	Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)	When soil is dry, every 14-21 days	Pet-safe
Tiger Jaws temp & humidity · pet safety	Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)	Every 2-3 weeks in spring-autumn; roughly monthly or less in winter	Mildly toxic to pets
Tree Houseleek temp & humidity · pet safety	Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours)	Every 1-2 weeks in active growth (autumn-spring); roughly every 3 weeks or less during summer dormancy	Mildly toxic to pets
Veined Begonia (Venosa) temp & humidity · pet safety	Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)	When the top half of the soil is dry; sparingly in winter (roughly monthly)	Toxic to pets
Watch Chain Plant temp & humidity · pet safety	Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)	Every 1-2 weeks in spring/summer; roughly monthly or less in winter	Mildly toxic to pets
Wax plant temp & humidity · pet safety	Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)	When the soil is dry, every 10-14 days	Pet-safe
Whale Fin Snake Plant temp & humidity · pet safety	Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)	every 2-4 weeks, when soil is fully dry	Toxic to pets
Yucca temp & humidity · pet safety	Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours)	When the soil is mostly dry, every 10-14 days	Mildly toxic to pets

Best succulents for beginners — frequently asked questions

What makes a plant one of the best succulents for beginners?

This list is not hand-picked for looks. It is every plant in our library whose documented growth habit is a true succulent or cactus (semi-succulents excluded), drawn from Growli's structured plant-care library so the selection is consistent and checkable. 78 plants qualify today.

How many succulents for beginners are there?

Growli currently lists 78 plants that meet the criterion (every plant in our library whose documented growth habit is a true succulent or cactus (semi-succulents excluded)). The list updates as the plant-care library grows; each entry links to a full care guide.

Are these plants safe for cats and dogs?

Not necessarily — this list is selected by every plant in our library whose documented growth habit is a true succulent or cactus (semi-succulents excluded), not by pet safety. Each plant is tagged with its pet-safety status below, and links to a full ASPCA-sourced pet-safety guide. If you have pets, see the dedicated best pet-safe houseplants list.

More plant shortlists

Best pet-safe houseplants — Houseplants the ASPCA lists as non-toxic to cats and dogs — every one verified against the ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant list.
Best low-light houseplants — Houseplants that need no direct sun and cope with a north-facing room or a spot well back from a window.
Best plants for a north-facing window — Houseplants for a north-facing window: bright, even, indirect light and no scorching direct sun. Each pick verified against its documented light needs.
Best pet-safe low-light plants — Non-toxic to cats and dogs AND happy with no direct sun — the two hardest constraints to satisfy at once.
Best drought-tolerant houseplants — Houseplants that prefer to dry out — forgiving of forgotten watering and ideal for travel or busy weeks.
Best trailing & climbing houseplants — Vining and trailing houseplants for shelves, hanging pots, and moss poles — selected by growth habit.
Best houseplants for beginners — Forgiving of irregular light and watering — the houseplants least likely to die in a new plant parent’s first season.
Best humidity-loving houseplants — Houseplants that thrive in a bathroom, kitchen, or by a humidifier — selected by documented humidity preference.
Best bathroom plants — Humidity-loving houseplants that also cope with lower light — suited to the steamy, often-dim conditions of a typical bathroom.
Best flowering houseplants — Indoor plants grown for their blooms — selected from the flowering species in Growli’s plant-care library.
Best pet-safe trailing & hanging plants — Trailing and climbing plants the ASPCA lists as non-toxic to cats and dogs — safe for shelves and hanging pots in a pet home.
Best pet-safe low-maintenance plants — Non-toxic to cats and dogs and forgiving of forgotten watering — the easiest safe choices for a busy pet household.
Houseplants toxic to cats & dogs — The common houseplants the ASPCA lists as toxic to cats and dogs — the ones to keep out of reach, each with its symptoms and a safe alternative.
Best pet-safe flowering plants — Flowering houseplants the ASPCA lists as non-toxic to cats and dogs — colour and blooms in a pet home, without the worry.
Best pet-safe plants for bright light — Non-toxic to cats and dogs and happy in a bright, sunny spot — safe plants for your best-lit windowsill.
Best pet-safe large indoor plants — Big, floor-standing houseplants the ASPCA lists as non-toxic to cats and dogs — a statement plant that is safe around pets.
Best pet-safe bathroom plants — Non-toxic to cats and dogs and happy in the humid, lower-light conditions of a bathroom — safe greenery for the smallest room.
Best pet-safe succulents — Succulents the ASPCA lists as non-toxic to cats and dogs — low-water greenery that is also safe around a curious pet.
Best small & tabletop houseplants — Compact houseplants that stay under about 40 cm — desk, shelf and windowsill plants that never outgrow a small space.
Best houseplants for full sun — Houseplants that want direct sun — the species for a hot south or west-facing windowsill where shade-lovers scorch.
Best houseplants for a cool room — Houseplants that tolerate cool conditions down to about 10°C — for an unheated spare room, hallway, porch or a home kept cool.
Best houseplants to propagate in water — Houseplants that root from a cutting in a glass of water — the easiest, cheapest way to turn one plant into many.
Best fast-growing houseplants — Houseplants documented as fast or vigorous growers — quick to fill a pot, cover a pole or trail down a shelf.
Best fragrant houseplants — Indoor plants with scented flowers or aromatic foliage — greenery you can smell, selected from our care library.
Best pet-safe bedroom plants — Non-toxic to cats and dogs and happy in lower light — calming greenery for a bedroom where a pet often sleeps too.
Full pet-safe plant library — every plant, ASPCA toxicity status