Do you know the best-growing conditions for succulents? If you know its growing conditions, you already know they can survive in harsh outdoor conditions. But what about indoor conditions, such as Air conditioning?
Can succulents survive in an air-conditioned room? Yes, they can survive in a room with air conditioning. Succulents, as a group, can adapt to survive in arid conditions and can tolerate low humidity levels, but they can be sensitive to extreme temperature fluctuations.
Because air conditioning is prone to change from low to high temperatures, it can affect your plant if not controlled. It can cause the air to be very dry, which can be harmful to succulents, and it can cause the air to be very hot, exposing them to extreme temperatures.
In general, succulents can survive in air-conditioned environments but may require extra care to thrive. If you are concerned about the health of your succulent, it is best to monitor it closely and adjust its care as needed to ensure that it stays healthy and happy.
How to take care of succulents in an Air-conditioned room?
To ensure that succulents survive in an air-conditioned room, it’s important to ensure that the air around the plant is not too dry. Dry air can kill your plant.
To prevent dry air from affecting your plant, you can provide moisture in the form of mist. Or in some cases, you can cover the whole plant to keep it warm and prevent them from drying.
Succulents are well adapted to arid conditions and can tolerate low humidity levels, making them well suited to growing in air-conditioned rooms. Here are some tips for taking care of succulents in an air-conditioned room:
- Provide proper light: Succulents need bright, indirect light to thrive. If your air-conditioned room doesn’t have a lot of natural light, you may need to provide additional artificial light. You can purchase a grow light with enough lumens to support your plant’s growth.
- Water properly: Succulents prefer to dry out completely between watering. Ensure that you give the soil enough water, but then allow it to dry out completely before watering again. If you overwater the plant, it can lead to root rot, which can be fatal to succulents.
- Use well-draining soil: Succulents need soil that drains well to prevent their roots from sitting in water. Stagnant water is a cause of many root problems, including root rot. Soil with good drainage ensures that the excess water drains off through the drainage holes. Ensure that you use the ideal succulent potting soil mixture.
- Increase humidity: Air conditioning can cause the air in the room to be very dry, which can harm succulents. To increase humidity, you can mist the leaves regularly or place a humidifier nearby. It ensures that the plant is well-hydrated.
- Avoid placing near air vents: The cool, dry air from an air conditioner can harm succulents, so it’s best to avoid them.
- Monitor temperature: Succulents can tolerate a wide range of temperatures, but it’s important to ensure that the room temperature is not too hot or too cold for your specific plants. During the day, the temperature should be around 60 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit; at night, keep it between 55 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
Once you carefully follow these tips to grow succulents in an air-conditioned room, you will ensure they are healthy and thriving. Also, ensure that you monitor their health and care for them as needed.
How close can succulents be to an air conditioner?
For those in a home or office environment, it’s easy to find an air conditioner near a plant or an air conditioner. Whichever way, one of them has to move. Most people set these things depending on the room decor. But don’t do this at the expense of your plant.
Succulents are hardy plants that can grow in low-humidity areas, making it possible for them to grow near an air conditioner.
Yet, how near is that? The distance between the succulent and the air conditioner depends on how big the room is. The bigger the room, the more air circulation. So, if you are in a bigger room, the distance can’t affect the plant because air covers a large distance when circulating the room.
Also, the ideal distance will depend on several factors, including the airflow strength from the air conditioner and the temperature and humidity levels in the room.
Generally, it’s best to keep succulents at least several feet away from an air conditioner to avoid exposing them to excessively dry or cool air. Guidelines say that you should keep a minimum distance of 6 feet between them.
If you place succulents closer to the air conditioner, it’s important to monitor them closely and mist them regularly to ensure they don’t dry out too much.
Avoid placing succulents directly in front of an air vent, as the cool, dry air can harm them. If you have an air conditioner that produces strong airflow, you may need to place a barrier between the plant and the airflow to protect it.
Always use your best judgment to place the plants where they will receive the right combination of light, moisture, and temperature for their needs.
How does AC affect succulent growth?
Some people complain about the location of their plants. But I will look at something else, such as humidity, temperature, and cold air, which can affect your plant’s growth.
Here’s how:
Humidity
The favorable humidity for succulents is 55% to 75%. When cold air is emitted from an AC, it is dry and dehydrating. As it continues, it dries the moisture present in the leaves.
If succulents survive in an air-conditioned room, the humidity levels should be at a level where the plants don’t dry.
Shortage of humidity causes the plant cells to freeze due to lack of moisture. Thus, immature flower buds drop, leaves wilt, and the plant dies.
To improve humidity around your plant, you can purchase the Geniani portable humidifier from Amazon
Temperature
An AC can cause fluctuating temperatures in a room. These temperature changes can harm plants, leading to stunted growth or death. For example, if the temperature becomes too cold, some tropical plants may go into shock or become stunted. On the other hand, if the temperature becomes too hot, it can cause heat stress in plants and cause them to wilt.
Temperature also affects the plant’s photosynthesis and respiration. Poor oxygen and carbon dioxide intake can cause the plant to slow its processes.
Cold air
The cold air produced by air conditioning can also harm plants, especially if it’s directed directly at them. The sudden temperature change can cause plants to go into shock, leading to stunted growth, leaf drop, and other health problems.
Conclusion
As you have seen, it’s not easy for succulents to survive in air-conditioned rooms. However, with proper measures and care, it can grow and thrive in that room.
So try to protect your plant by ensuring it is moist, has proper temperatures, and the humidity is present. You can also cover it if the AC is emitting cold air. That way, the plant is safe, and the room is cool.
