Succulents require high-intensity light for 6 to 12 hours daily, yet typical indoor windows often provide only a fraction of the brightness found in their native desert habitats. It’s the ultimate plant-parent heartbreak: you bring home a tight, rose-shaped Echeveria, only for it to transform into a tall, spindly beanstalk a few weeks later.
To prevent this stretching and keep those vibrant "stress colors" (the vibrant pinks, purples, and reds succulents are known for) alive, the best grow lights for succulents are full-spectrum LEDs like the Soltech Grove, Versa, and Vita. These lights provide the professional-grade intensity your plants need without turning your living room into a purple-tinted laboratory. If you’re just starting your journey with these fleshy favorites, our ultimate guide to succulents is the perfect primer to help you build a happier, greener home.
Key Takeaways: Succulent Lighting at a Glance
-
Light Duration: Provide 6-12 hours of light daily for optimal growth.
-
Placement Distance: Keep lights 6–12 inches from the top of the plant.
-
The Goal: Aim for a high PPFD (Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density) to maintain compact rosettes and "stress colors."
-
Watering: Follow the "Soak and Dry" rule; high-intensity light increases evaporation.
-
Rest: Ensure your succulents get 8–10 hours of darkness to complete their metabolic cycle.
How Much Light Do Succulents Actually Need?
In their natural habitats, most succulents live in wide-open, high-exposure environments. To thrive indoors, they generally need a Daily Light Integral (DLI) similar to a desert environment. While 6 to 12 hours is a baseline, providing consistent full-spectrum light is what truly prevents your plants from searching for the sun.
This intensity is what triggers "stress colors." This is the succulent's protective response to environmental stress creates pink, red, yellow, and purple pigments. This isn't "bad" stress; it’s a healthy response to light that protects the plant. Without a powerful light source, those colors fade back to a dull green.
Why Is My Succulent Stretching? (And How to Fix It)
If your succulent is growing tall with wide gaps between the leaves, it’s experiencing etiolation. Essentially, this means your plant is responding to low light, and is using every bit of its energy to "stretch" toward the nearest light source in a desperate search for sun.
While you can’t "shrink" a stretched plant back to its original shape, you can stop the process in its tracks with proper lighting.
Which Soltech Light is Right for My Succulents?
Succulents come in all shapes and sizes, and your lighting should match your setup. Whether you have a single plant on your desk or a massive collection on a bookshelf, we’ve designed a solution that fits your aesthetic and your plant's needs.
1. The Versa: The "Any Surface" Solution
The Versa™ is a minimal, sleek grow light that rotates, tilts, and requires no installation.
The Versa is arguably our most flexible light for succulent lovers. Unlike mounted or installed fixtures, this is a dedicated tabletop grow light designed to live wherever your plants do.
-
Where it shines: Desks, bookcases, bedside tables, or countertops.
-
Why it’s best: Succulents need uniform light. The Versa’s slim, bar-style design provides an even "curtain" of light across a flat surface. This ensures that the plant in the corner gets just as much energy as the one in the center.
2. The Grove: The Shelving & Small-Space Solution
The Grove™ is a favorite among succulent and cacti plant parents because it installs underneath shelves and cabinets perfectly.
If your succulents live in the kitchen or on a shelf, the Grove is an ideal fit.
-
Where it shines: Underneath kitchen cabinets or tucked into tight shelving units.
-
Why it's best: The Grove provides that same high-output spectrum in a smaller footprint, turning a dark corner of the kitchen into a high-desert environment or a shelf into a perfect sunny spot.
3. The Vita: The Design-Forward Accent
The Vita™ is versatile because it can be turned into a pendant light with the Vita Pendant Kit, paired with a Fern™ or Willow™ lampstand, or used in any fixture you currently own.
For the succulent that’s a focal point, like a large Jade tree or a dramatic Aloe, the Vita is the go-to choice.
-
Where it shines: Any standard light fixture, from desk lamps to hanging pendants.
-
Why it’s best: It screws into any standard light fixture or can be turned into a pendant fixture with the Vita Pendant Kit. It's simple to transform a beautiful mid-century desk lamp or modern floor lamp fixture you already own into a powerful grow light. This allows you to style your succulents anywhere in your home, even a windowless office, with grow lights that look like normal lighting fixtures.
At-A-Glance: Choosing Your Succulent Grow Light
|
Product |
Benefits for Succulents |
Best Use Case |
Popular Succulent Pairings |
|
High-intensity light output that fits into your favorite standard lamp fixtures. |
Single "showstopper" plants in dark rooms. |
Large Jade Trees, Aloe Vera, and specimen Echeveria. |
|
|
A flexible, tabletop design that provides a uniform "blanket" of light over flat surfaces. |
Desks, tables, and countertops where you have a cluster of small pots. |
Haworthia, Lithops (Living Stones), and tiny propagation "pups." |
|
|
A slim, low-profile bar that provides targeted light in tight, recessed spaces. |
Under-cabinet kitchen setups or built-in bookshelves. |
String of Pearls, Burro's Tail (Sedum), and Hens and Chicks. |
Troubleshooting: Identifying Light Burn vs. Low Light
Even the toughest succulents have thresholds. Use this guide to adjust your Soltech light for maximum health:
-
Signs of Light Burn (Too Close): Leaves look bleached, white, or have crispy tan patches. Solution: Move your light 3-5 inches further away.
-
Signs of Low Light (Too Far): Leaves are pointing downward, new growth is pale green/yellow, and the stem is lengthening. Solution: Increase your "on" time to 14 hours or move the light closer.
How Do I Care for My Succulents Indoors?
The "Soak and Dry" Rule
High-intensity light means your succulents will process water faster than they would in a dark corner. However, the golden rule still applies: only water when the soil is bone dry all the way to the bottom.
Distance Matters
Succulents are much more light-tolerant than leafy tropicals. While a Monstera might get "burned" if it’s too close to a light, succulents thrive when they are positioned 6 to 12 inches away from their light source. If you notice your plant still stretching, move the light closer.
Fixing the "Stretch"
If your plant has already stretched out, don't worry. You can "behead" the top, let it callous, and replant it. This is also the perfect opportunity to dive into succulent plant propagation to turn those fallen leaves into a whole new generation of plants.
Need Specific Care Tips?
Every succulent is a little different. A String of Pearls has different needs than a Kalanchoe. For a deep dive into individual species and their unique quirks, be sure to check out our Soltech Plant Guide.
How Grow Lights Help Succulents Thrive
Succulents are more than just "low-maintenance" décor; they are tiny, architectural wonders that thrive when they have the right energy. Whether you’re styling a single showstopper with the Vita, lining a shelf with the Grove, or using the Versa to brighten up your desk or nightstand, the secret to success is simply mimicking the desert sun.
By keeping your light close, staying disciplined with your "soak and dry" watering, and letting your plants rest at night, you can prevent etiolation and keep your collection vibrant and healthy all year long.
You’ve got this, and your plants are going to look incredible for it.
Ready to give your succulents the sun they've been searching for? Explore our collection of design-forward grow lights.
