I am a 19-year-old mom to 10 bundles of pure joy. Growing up, I never anticipated nurturing something (especially so many somethings!) until I was much older. I have never, for one second, regretted their existence in my life or the events leading up to it.
You see, I am a proud succulent mom, and I love my little plants with all my heart.
Succulents, or “fat plants” as they are sometimes affectionately called, are small cactus-like plants that store water in their leaves or stems. Succulents are known for their sturdiness, as they require little watering and seem to flourish when they are ignored by their caregivers rather than tended to on a regular basis. Because of this, succulents are a great option for plant lovers who are forgetful, don’t have ample amounts of free time or don’t have the space to take care of larger, needier plants.
My succulent obsession started during finals week my freshman year of college. I was more stressed out than I’d ever been and needed an outlet to preoccupy my overworked mind. So, I turned to Instagram. I distinctly remember scrolling through my “Explore” feed one very, very early morning and spotting the most adorable plant I had ever seen. The photo was tagged with #succulent, so I of course clicked the search by hashtag button and my love for the little things blossomed (pun intended) at an alarming rate.
As soon as the semester ended, I made a beeline for my local Lowe’s and Home Depot and drooled over the hundreds of succulents they housed. It was heaven. An absolutely wonderful, no- darn near magical, crazy-plant-lady heaven.
Since then, I have bought or been gifted a total of 10 adult succulents, all of different types. I have even grown some of my own from propagated leaves, with my oldest being about two months old. Although I love practically everything about my little plant friends, I do think that they are especially fascinating because, not only do they grow from seeds, but new plants can emerge from the leaves that are naturally dropped as the mother plant ages. To ensure their survival, all that must be done is to place the leaves in well-draining soil (cactus soil works perfectly!) and mist them with water sparingly, much like what one would do in caring for an adult succulent. Growing them in such a way is extremely rewarding because you can observe their life cycle and even start to predict what stage of growth they are in at any given time.
I love my succulents because despite whatever might be happening in my life, I know that I can come back to my apartment and be greeted by the constant changes they undergo even in just one day. Blooming flowers, dropped leaves, larger growths, etc.; basically, when I can tell that one of my plants has grown, even just a little bit, I feel like I am doing something right. In that way, even if my life away from them is hectic or tumultuous, I know that at least one glimmer of stability remains.
Living life as a succulent mom is a wonderful way to live, and I highly recommend that anyone who has an interest in gardening, plants or even just having a small tidbit of nature in their home should absolutely buy one (or a few!) They’re cheap, low-maintenance and fun, so why not?