16 Statement Succulents For Your Indoor Garden

From the very small to the very tall, succulent plants are a wonderfully uncomplicated way to add personality and pizzazz to your indoor garden. They rarely suffer issues with pests and diseases, and many are winter bloomers, bringing much-needed flair to the dreariest time of year.

If you want to add color and interest to your houseplant collection when many plants are dormant, you have much to choose from. Here are 16 of my favorite flashy succulents with wonderful flowers and stunning foliage to make a splash in the indoor garden. 

Beach Bells

	botanical name Kalanchoe manginii
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	water needs Allow soil to dry out between watering
	pet toxic Yes

I have to start this list with a species of Kalanchoe because this genus is home to some of the most stunning succulent plants I’ve ever seen. ‘Beach Bells’ is a gorgeous plant with bright green leaves with red margins, growing alternately on red stems. The brilliant red, pendulous flowers are bell-shaped and bloom in clusters at the top of stems. 

Kalanchoe care is quite simple. These plants like bright but indirect light for most of the day, which makes them great indoor plants. They can tolerate some direct morning sun, but more than a few hours will cause the plant stress. Water should be sparing in the winter, generous in the summer, and moderate in spring and fall. 

String of Rubies

	botanical name Othonna Capensis
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	water needs Water sparingly, allow soil to dry between watering
	pet toxic Yes

I just love this sweet little string plant for its stunning foliage and the most adorable flowers. String of Rubies is a trailing succulent with bean-shaped leaves that blush to a beautiful shade of red when the plant is stressed by sun or cold. Not all stress is bad because this coloration sets this plant in a class all its own. 

Small, yellow flowers bloom at the ends of long trailing stems and turn their faces toward the sky. The scarlet foliage and sunny flowers make this a very eye-catching plant. Give this succulent plenty of sunlight and more water than the average succulent. Just make sure to plant it in a container with excellent drainage. It looks particularly beautiful when cascading from a hanging basket.

Black Rose Aeonium

	botanical name Aeonium arboreum ‘Zwartkop’
	sun requirements Bright indirect light
	water needs Infrequent watering
	pet toxic Mildly toxic

This eye-catching succulent is a wonderful addition to the indoor garden. ‘Black Rose’ is a uniquely dark purple variety of aeonium that forms wonderful, large rosettes of deeply colored leaves that lighten toward the center, making them extra flashy. When the plant enters its summer dormancy, the leaves curl inward and resemble a dark, moody rosebud. 

This plant can become treelike in form over time, but it grows quite slowly, reaching three to four feet at maturity. It requires little water and plenty of sun, so make space in a sunny spot for this plant. Between the winter and spring, it also produces small yellow flowers, which look wonderful against the deep foliage. 

Chandelier Plant

	botanical name Kalanchoe delagoensis
	sun requirements Bright indirect light
	water needs Allow soil to dry out between watering
	pet toxic Yes

Also known by the name Mother of Millions, this species of Kalanchoe is intriguing and a conversation starter, especially when it is in bloom. This plant’s thin, branching stems and leaves are light green with brown markings. Along the margins of the leaves, a phenomenon common to the genus is especially prolific on this species. 

Many small plantlets form all along the edges of every leaf, giving this plant its nickname, Mother of Millions. Tall flower spikes grow from the top of the plant and burst into large clusters of coral-colored, bell-shaped flowers. 

Like other Kalanchoes, Chandelier Plant likes plenty of bright but indirect light. It needs a period of darkness to bloom, so place it in a room that will be dark for 14 hours per day for about six weeks in the fall. 

Burro’s Tail

	botanical name Sedum morganianum
	sun requirements Bright light to full sun
	water needs Water sparingly
	pet toxic Mildly toxic

Burro’s Tail is another eye-catching, trailing succulent. Its tightly clustered leaves grow in a continuous rosette, reaching lengths of up to four feet long over time. These are low-maintenance and very easy to propagate by taking stem or leaf cuttings and simply laying them on top of the soil.

Although they rarely bloom indoors, they can produce red or pink flowers. If you want your plant to flower, it must be exposed to cool weather and increased darkness in the winter. Regardless of its ability to flower, this is a really fun and interesting plant that is certain to get plenty of attention. 

Like most succulents, Burro’s Tail is easy to care for and prefers a bit of neglect. Overwatering is the worst thing you can do for this plant. If the leaves are growing out with more space than they should, the plant probably needs more sunlight. A lack of sun will make this plant grow leggy, which, although not unattractive, doesn’t have the same visual effect. 

Christmas Cactus

	botanical name Schlumbergera x buckleyi
	sun requirements Bright indirect light
	water needs Keep soil consistently moist
	pet toxic Non-toxic

For most of the year, Christmas Cactus is a pretty and unique plant with segmented stems that blush if exposed to direct sun or cold temperatures. In the winter, this plant, which is actually a succulent rather than a cactus, shows off in a major way. 

This plant and its cousin, the Thanksgiving Cactus, produce truly wonderful blooms in the late fall and winter seasons. Like most succulents on this list, the combination of shortening daylight hours and cooling temperatures induce blooming, so exposing your plant to these elements in the fall will result in better flowering. 

Neglect is the word in terms of care. Christmas Cactus plants don’t need much attention. They prefer indirect or filtered light and only need to be watered when the soil dries out. Over time, these plants can grow quite large and form thick, woody stems at the base. 

African Milk Tree

	botanical name Euphorbia trigona
	sun requirements Full sun
	water needs Allow soil to dry out between watering
	pet toxic Mildly toxic

African Milk Tree is a great plant in the Euphorbia genus, which includes poinsettias. These plants all produce a milky sap, which is toxic to people and animals, so keep this one out of reach of curious hands. It is a fast grower, gaining one to two feet yearly until reaching a mature height of about nine feet. 

Along the edges of the stems grow stiff, pointed spines that alternate with paddle-like leaves. African Milk Tree loves as much light as possible but will turn purple when stressed by cold temperatures. If you regularly forget to water houseplants, this is a great option because it prefers to be overlooked most of the time.

Coral Bells

	botanical name Kalanchoe uniflora
	sun requirements Bright indirect light
	water needs Allow soil to dry out between watering
	pet toxic Yes

If you couldn’t tell by now, I really like Kalanchoes! ‘Coral Bells’ is a wonderful epiphytic species with a trailing habit and makes a delightful hanging plant (but don’t confuse it with the other entirely different plant with the same name). The stems are long and slender, reaching up to four feet, with fleshy, bright green leaves growing in pairs. At the end of these stems are branching inflorescences.

Each inflorescence holds small clusters of bright pink, bell-shaped flowers that hang pendulous as they get heavier. Bright indirect light or partial sun are the best conditions for ‘Coral Bells.’ Like other Kalanchoes, it requires some dark and cool weather to induce blooming, but it is well worth the effort. 

Mexican Peacock 

	botanical name Echeveria peacockii
	sun requirements Full sun
	water needs Allow soil to dry out between watering
	pet toxic Non-toxic

Echeveria are beautiful succulent plants with tight rosettes of pointed leaves and stunning floral displays. The Mexican Peacock is a particularly pretty species with luminous, pale blue leaves. The ends of these leaves blush when exposed to cold or direct sun, giving them a warm glow all around the edges. 

Like other Echeveria, the Mexican Peacock produces a tall, fleshy stem in the summer that bears bright, coral-colored, bell-shaped flowers. It produces offsets bountifully, creating a carpet of rosettes quickly. It is very easily propagated and low maintenance. Give this plant plenty of sunlight and water sparingly. 

Ruby Blush Chenille Plant

	botanical name Echeveria pulvinata ‘Ruby Blush’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	water needs Allow soil to dry out between watering
	pet toxic Non-toxic

This cuddly succulent is one of the most richly colored Echeverias and has lovely, soft, flocked leaves. Loose rosettes of fat, fleshy leaves are light grey-green when immature, but when exposed to full sun, they deepen to a positively magical shade of scarlet. Each leaf is covered in short silver hairs that make the plant look and feel soft and velvety. 

If the foliage isn’t enough to sell you on this succulent, it flowers also! In winter, up to one-foot tall inflorescences sprout with clustered bright orange and yellow flowers at the top. Ruby Blush is easy to propagate. It prefers full sun and occasional watering. Don’t ever let this plant sit in the water. Overabundant moisture will rot the roots and leaves. 

Cathedral Window Haworthia

	botanical name Haworthia cymbiformis
	sun requirements Bright indirect light or partial sun
	water needs Water sparingly
	pet toxic Non-toxic

Cathedral Window Haworthia is a quiet beauty that will be a conversation starter with your plant-loving friends. The name comes from the appearance of the leaves, which are thick and fleshy, but rather than an opaque outer membrane, the top of the leaves have a translucent appearance. 

Haworthias are easy to care for. They prefer a great deal of indirect light but will also grow in partial sun. They are easy to propagate and care for. If the leaves look pale and elongated, your haworthia probably needs more light. A purple blush means give it more shade. 

Pagoda Village Crassula

	botanical name Crassula capitella var. thyrsiflora ‘Pagoda Village’
	sun requirements Full sun
	water needs Allow soil to dry out between watering
	pet toxic Mildly toxic

No one will overlook this fascinating crassula plant. The tightly stacked rosettes of triangular leaves row vertically, giving the plant its common name, ‘Pagoda Village’. Multiple stems in a cluster appear to be a series of multi-level pagodas rising from the ground.

The blooming habit is breathtaking, with pale pink blossoms peeking out between each layer of pointed leaves. As the plant ages, it often takes on a trailing habit, spilling over the side of its container. Stress caused by sun exposure, drought, or cold will cause the foliage to flush a stunning burgundy color. 

Flaming Katy

	botanical name Kalanchoe blossfeldiana ‘Flaming Katy’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	water needs Allow soil to dry out between watering
	pet toxic Yes

All varieties of K. blossfeldiana are wonderful, blooming succulents. Choosing just one to share with you was difficult, and I highly encourage you to explore all the beautiful varieties. I have, in good fortune, inherited several of these plants, and the dependability of their flowers brings me joy in the coldest months when little else is blooming. 

Keep your blossfeldianas in bright but indirect light all day. Putting them outside on a covered porch or patio for a few weeks in the fall will increase their blooms, creating a spectacle of wonderful flowers against thick, fleshy, lobed leaves. The flowers can develop in a single or double-petal form, and under the right conditions, large clusters of flowers should form at the end of each branch in winter.

White Velvet

	botanical name Tradescantia sillamontana
	sun requirements Partial shade
	water needs Keep soil consistently moist
	pet toxic Non-toxic

For a very easygoing plant with eye-catching foliage and flowers, ‘White Velvet’ is a stunner. This plant has different names, so the scientific name is probably best if you’re looking for your own cultivar. Outdoors, ‘White Velvet’ acts as a ground cover, but it has a cascading habit in a container. 

The light green leaves are flocked with silvery hairs, and orchid purple flowers pop up at the ends of branches for a wonderful contrast. This relative of zebrina has all of the same growing habits and similar needs, but the look is unique and eye-catching. 

Million Hearts

	botanical name Dischidia ruscifolia
	sun requirements Bright indirect light
	water needs Keep soil consistently moist
	pet toxic Non-toxic

Million Hearts is the perfect way to spread love and happiness to your plant-loving loved ones. This sweet, delicate, trailing succulent lives up to its name, with small heart-shaped leaves in massive quantities. Under the right conditions, this plant will produce many pretty, white flowers to mingle with its lovely leaves. 

Plenty of bright, indirect light is needed to care for this succulent. Unlike some other succulents, Million Hearts likes a fair amount of water. When the soil is nearly dry, make sure to soak this plant well. Its temperature preference of 65°-85°F makes this an ideal houseplant. High humidity will make this plant even happier. 

Pink Butterflies

	botanical name Kalanchoe x houghtonii ‘Pink Butterflies
	sun requirements Bright indirect light
	water needs Allow soil to dry out between watering
	pet toxic Yes

We started with a Kalanchoe, and I’d like to wrap up with another. These truly are some of the most wonderful, beautiful succulents. Pink Butterflies is very similar in appearance to the Chandelier Plant, with one very distinctive difference. The tiny plantlets that grow along the margins of each leaf are cotton candy pink. 

These sweet plantlets are fragile, so avoiding handling or jostling them around is best. Fortunately, they require very little maintenance. For most of the day, bright, indirect light will keep Pink Butterflies looking its best. Only water when the soil is dry to the touch. The flowers are less spectacular than some varieties, but the leaves make up for it!