If you live somewhere sunny and can place your succulent plants near a window where they get lots of natural light, then you may not need artificial lighting to keep your plants looking healthy and beautiful.
But if you place your plants in a windowless room or the weather is often cloudy and overcast where you live, you may need a light for your succulents.
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Do Succulents Like UV Light?
Succulents do like UV (ultraviolet light) light because it helps them produce up to 15 separate defense proteins that fight harmful bacteria, pests, and mold.
A healthy amount of UV can also help to build your succulent’s defenses against the sun’s rays.
UV light also affects succulents’ color and scent and it stops them from spreading out, resulting in more compact growth.
Succulents need plenty of sunlight to survive and flourish, so if your succulent plants don’t have access to natural light, then UV light is a great option to keep your plants in good health.
Also Read: Why Are My Succulents Falling Apart?
What Is UV Light?
UV is short for ultraviolet, which is the type of electromagnetic radiation that comes from the sun.
Whenever you are outside, you are exposed to ultraviolet light.
There are three categories of UV light wavelengths:
- UVA.
- UVB.
- UVC.
The different types of ultraviolet light help your plants grow in different ways, but you only really need UVA and UVB for your succulents and other plants.
UVA and UVB light are essential for all life on earth, but UVC is not.
The ozone layer naturally filters UVC light, so it never reaches us or our plants.
Ultraviolet A (UVA) light has wavelengths between 320 nm (nanometers) and 400 nm.
It doesn’t have any harmful effects on DNA.
Ultraviolet B (UVB) light has wavelengths between 29 nm and 320 nm.
Unlike UVA, UVB light can damage NDA and can cause cancer in humans and animals.
Do Regular Lightbulbs Provide Enough UV Light For Succulents?
No, the incandescent lightbulbs you use to illuminate your home do not provide sufficient UV light for your plants to survive and prosper.
You need to purchase an ultraviolet light designed for plants if you want to properly supplement their natural sunlight indoors.
What Are The Benefits Of UV Light For Succulents?
All succulents need light to live, but you only need UV light if your plants are mostly indoors and don’t have full access to the sun.
There are many benefits to using UV light for your indoor plants, including higher plant quality, potency, and weight.
Studies have shown that UVA and UVB light enhances the terpenes and flavonoids in plants.
For example, tomatoes cultivated indoors using UV lights were much more flavorful and aromatic than tomatoes grown in the same environment but without ultraviolet light.
Your succulent will also be more resistant to disease and stress if you provide UV light.
This is because exposure to UV lights makes plants produce up to 15 different defense proteins.
UV light also can help your plants fight harmful bacteria, insects, and mold that damage plants.
How Much UV Light Do Succulents Need?
Succulents need light to survive, but too much sunlight can be detrimental to their health.
Although succulents can handle a lot of light, regardless of whether it’s natural or artificial, you need to give your plants a dark period to rest.
This mimics their natural environment and helps them maintain a healthy growth cycle.
Don’t leave your ultraviolet light on full-time.
Aim for at least 6 hours of light per day and a maximum of 14 hours.
The ideal window of UV light time is 10-14 hours for most succulents.
The easiest way to keep your plants on a consistent cycle is to purchase a light with a timer that you can set to the appropriate number of hours.
While most succulents like lots of direct sunlight, some succulents love the shade, such as the popular Sansevieria trifasciata, which is also known as the “snake plant.”
Shade-loving succulents will burn and fry if they are given too much UV light, so check the recommended amount of light for your specific type of succulent before setting your UV light timer.
Final Thoughts
All plants need light to live, and succulents, in particular, need several hours of light each day.
The type of light that plants get from the sun is UV, so ultraviolet light is a great way to supplement or replace natural sunlight for your indoor succulents.
Plants need a dark period to rest just as much as they need sunlight, so make sure to give your plants a break by setting a timer on your UV light.
You should always check the amount of daylight recommended for your plant and set the light timer accordingly.
