Find Your Favorite Of These 8 Most Vibrant Flowering Succulents & Cacti

flowering succulent

Flowers are great to have in a room, because they really brighten the place up, especially when in full bloom. One of the great things about flowering succulents is you can have that vibrant pop of color with the flower, and it requires minimal upkeep. That’s what makes succulents great for new plant owners, people who don’t necessarily have a green thumb, or just about everyone really!

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These are 8 of the most vibrant flowering succulents to brighten up the room! (You’ll see quite a few cacti in here, but keep in mind that all cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are cacti!)

Christmas Cactus

christmas cactus in bloom

At the top of this list is the Christmas cactus. It is one of the most popular flowering succulents. It blooms pretty red, pink, yellow, or white flowers around Christmas time; although they can bloom at any time between October and March (my family jokingly calls it the Thanksgiving cactus because it’s always blooming during Thanksgiving). They prefer sandy soil and moderate sunlight.

If a Christmas cactus doesn’t bloom, it most likely needs more sunlight. They should be watered when the top inch of soil is dry. If they do dry out, they will bounce back quickly after watering. Read more here if your Christmas cactus is yellowing!

Easter Cactus

easter cactus in full bloom
Image by gwendoline63

The Easter cactus is in the same family as the Christmas cactus. It comes in a variety of flower colors such as orange, peach, lavender, red, and white. This pretty houseplant usually blooms between late winter and early spring, right around Easter. An Easter cactus doesn’t have sharp spines, but softer pointed nodes at the end of its leaves. This makes for a pretty plant even when it’s not in bloom. They do best in bright light, but not direct sunlight.

The Easter cactus prefers cooler temperatures, (normal room temperature is fairly ideal). This is one of the more temperamental plants on this list, as it may not bloom unless it is being properly cared for. The soil should be kept lightly moist and watered when dried out. These colorful flowering succulents will add a unique touch to any room whether in bloom or not.

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Pincushion Cactus

pincushion cactus in bloom
Image by Valter Cirillo

Next comes this small succulent. The pincushion cactus is a pretty little succulent that grows up to 15 inches in height. This plant is covered with white spines, so be careful when handling the plant (wear gloves when repotting). The flowers of the pincushion cactus are funnel-shaped with a variety of colors like red, pink, yellow, white, and green. The flowers can later develop into fruit that looks like small berries that also have a variety of colors. Being a native of the deserts of Mexico, this succulent is hardy and doesn’t need much water.

Related: Why is my cactus shrinking?

Flaming Katy

kalanchoe plant next to coffee
Image by Karolina Grabowska

The flaming Katy is also known as widow’s-thrill and Kalanchoe. This houseplant has some of the prettiest succulent flowers of all of the flowering succulents. The flaming Katy has green leaves that are often smothered in flowers. The vibrant succulent flowers can be red, yellow, pink, orange, and purple. It is best to take off the dead flowers (deadheading), which can help it bloom again quickly.

Like most plants, it will not bloom year-round. So be patient! It might seem less exciting without the flowers, but don’t throw it away. It’s still a nice pop of green in otherwise cool months. If you’re bored by the simple leaves without the flower, plant it in a pot with other succulent, or put it in a cute container (succulents do pretty well in mugs with just some rocks at the bottom to control the water amount).

You may also be interested in: Do all plants have flowers?

Orchid Cactus

pink orchid cactus in bloom
Image by Beverly Buckley

The orchid cactus is a pretty, draping plant with the stems liking to hang over a pot. This cactus will do well in a large pot, or a hanging basket with its cascading long stems. The stems are broad and flat and grow to a length of 2 feet. Every spring, this succulent will bloom with flowers that emerge at the end of the stems. The flowers are very large, ranging from 4 to 8 inches wide. The orchid cactus has a range of flower colors, such as red, white, pink, yellow, purple, and even bicolored. The orchid cactus does not need to be pruned but can if you want to control its growth. It is best to prune after it has finished flowering.

Echeveria Doris Taylor

The Echeveria Doris Taylor is also called the woolly rose plant is a favorite among those that have succulents as house plants. The plant has fuzzy pale green leaves that grow in a rosette shape about 8 inches around and 5 inches tall. This succulent has pretty flowers that are yellow on the inside and red and orange on the outside. The flowers can bloom any time from spring through the fall. As with other fuzzy leafed succulents, it needs little water. Just watch for aphids.

Jade Plant

jade plant flowering

The jade plant is a popular houseplant that is known for its thick, green leaves. However, many people are surprised to learn that the flowering jade plant also produces beautiful white flowers. It can be difficult to get it to flower (so read how to get your jade plant flowering here).

If you’ve got your jade plant in the right conditions, the flowers are small and delicate, and they grow in tight clusters on the ends of the branches. While the flowering jade plant typically blooms in the spring, it can sometimes produce flowers throughout the summer and into fall. With proper care, the flowering jade plant makes a beautiful addition to any home.

Crown of Thorns

crown of thorns succulent
Image by photosforyou

This final succulent is at the bottom of this list, because it can make a real statement in the room, but the crown of thorns is poisonous, so it’s not recommended if you have children or pets. Be careful when handling it (so you don’t have a reaction to it). It can also create poisonous honey if bees pollenate it, so keep this succulent inside. The crown of thorns also goes by the names of Christ plant and Christ thorn.

This succulent can grow up to 5 feet tall. You can always trim it to keep it from growing that tall if you’d prefer as well. The stems are mostly covered by spines with flowers that are small red, white, or pink flowers. This succulent likes a warm climate, so it’s best to grow it indoors and can bloom the entire year. But even in colder climates, it will bloom during the summer months.


There are so many different succulents that flower, it was hard to narrow down to these 8. Which of these flowering succulents is your favorite? Or do you have a different favorite? Curious about succulents that don’t flower? Another great flowering succulent, that can be kind of finnicky is the jade plant. Find so many more here!

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These are some of the most vibrant flowering succulents to have in your house!
The Christmas cactus is one of many types of succulents that flower. Perfect for an indoor plant.
Succulents are great houseplants. Really easy to care for, and there are so many that flower as well!

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Looking for information specific to Colorado? Check out Naturalist Perspective!

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