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Succulents are popular indoor plants that require only minimal care, but what we often forget about when it comes to these plants- is the importance of top dressings. In this article, we will explore the different types of top dressings you can use for your succulents as well as the pros and cons and what they will cost to purchase.
There are many different types of top dressings you can use on your succulents. Some of them are gravel, sand, pebbles, decorative stones, granite or marble chips, river rock, lava rock, shells, and more. These dressings are not only decorative, but they can also be beneficial to your plants.
Some of these top dressings are widely used mainly because of how nice they look – and they may work very well for specific conditions and in certain climates, but they may not be what’s best for your plants. That’s why we decided to learn more about top dressings.
What Top Dressings are Used for Succulents?
Top dressings are a decorative layer of rocks or materials added to the top of your succulent’s soil but they can also be beneficial to your plants too.
For example, They can warm up the soil to promote root growth; they can support the plants, provide a barrier to weeds, and more.
There are also some issues that can occur if you use the wrong type of top dressing for your climate, whether it’s outdoors, or indoors. For example, If you live in an extremely hot climate, you may want to avoid darker-colored dressings as that can cause the soil to get too hot for your plants. In that situation, you would be better off using lighter-colored dressings.
We decided to learn more about the pros and cons of some of these types of top dressings and have listed them below. You may also want to check out this article which gives 5 reasons your plants would benefit from having a top dressing.
Pebbles or Pea Gravel
This is a very commonly used top dressing for indoor succulents. They allow and promote good drainage, which is essential for succulents. The only downside I have found is that they can be easily scattered when you are moving your plants from one location to another. (But that really isn’t that much of a problem, unless you tend to trip over things as much as I do when my hands are full!) They are very inexpensive, which is a plus, but best of all they are very attractive and come in different shades of color. Amazon has a large variety to choose from.
Coarse Sand
This is also a commonly used dressing. You should only use coarse sand and not fine sand as a top dressing. Coarse sand allows good drainage. The downside to sand is that it tends to get compacted over time, which will cause it to hinder drainage. However, by then it would very likely be time to repot your plant into a larger pot and top-dress it with a fresh layer of sand. Sand is also very inexpensive and can come in different colors enabling a more artistic touch. This one on Amazon would work well as a top dressing.
Decorative Stones
Decorative stones are another good top dressing for your succulents. They promote good drainage, but not as much as other dressings tend to be. They come in different colors and shapes, making them useful in creating interesting displays, especially when intermixed with other types of dressings. One caution about colored stones, if they are painted or dyed, make sure that the paint doesn’t chip or wear off and that the colors are “colorfast”, meaning they don’t bleed color. You can find a wide variety of stones on Amazon and they can range in size and shape.
River Rock
River rocks are very much like decorative stones in their drainage. The main difference is they are smoother than other rocks and are usually naturally colored. They can be expensive.
Amazon has lots of these to choose from and they can range in size from small pebble-sized rocks to much larger rocks.
Pumice (Lava Rock)
Pumice is a lightweight volcanic rock (lava rock). It’s excellent drainage and aeration makes it a good choice for succulents growing in a more humid environment.
Fun fact: It is one of the only naturally occurring rocks that can float on water because of its Swiss cheese-like holes that can trap bubbles of air.
The downside is that pumice can be more expensive and some people think they aren’t as attractive as other types of top dressings. They do come in a few shades of color, usually reddish-browns and some tans.
You can find these on Amazon, too. They also come in different colors.
Granite or Marble Chips (Rock Chips)
These rocks are very similar to pebbles or pea gravel in their drainage. They make attractive top dressings – and that combined with their good drainage makes them another popular dressing for succulents. Granite chips may not be as visually interesting as other types of dressings. Marble chips are more elegant looking, but they are also more expensive. The downside to these rocks is that they can be dusty. It is a good idea to wash them off before using them as a dressing so that they won’t look drab.
Tumbled stones, Quartz, & Crushed glass
These three are interesting choices for top dressings. Tumbled stones are similar to river rocks, but are smaller. The downside is they don’t promote good drainage like other dressings, especially if they are polished.
Quartz also falls into the not-good drainage category. These three top dressings: tumbled stones, quartz, and crushed glass (or any type of glass such as sea glass or marbles), although unique, don’t promote good drainage and can be expensive as well.
These rose-colored quartz stones from Amazon would make an interesting top dressing.
Crushed shells
Crushed shells such as oyster shells, make an attractive top dressing. They provide good visual interest to your succulent display. They will break down over time providing good nutrients to your soil but they won’t provide as much drainage as other types of dressings.
Where to Find Top Dressings for Your Succulents?
You can always find top dressings at your local garden centers, but they may not always have the more decorative types. Amazon has a nice variety for you to choose from and you might find just what you want there. You can check it out here to see what they have.
Table Summary (Including where to find or buy Top Dressings)
| Top Dressing | Pros and Cons | Drainage | Where to find/buy |
| Pebbles or Pea Gravel | Good drainage, attractive, inexpensive and come in different colors. | Excellent | Garden centers, home improvement stores, online retailers |
| Coarse Sand | Good drainage, inexpensive and come in different colors. | Excellent | Garden centers, home improvement stores, online retailers |
| Decorative Stones | Good drainage, comes in different colors & shapes. May not drain as well as other dressings. Some painted or dyed stones may bleed or chip. | Good | Garden centers, home improvement stores, online retailers |
| River Rock | Smooth and naturally colored. May not drain as well as other dressings. | Good | Garden centers, home improvement stores, online retailers |
| Pumice (Lava Rocks) | Excellent drainage & aeration, lightweight. More expensive and may not be as attractive as other dressings. | Excellent | Garden centers, home improvement stores, online retailers |
| Granite or Marble Chips | Good drainage, attractive, but can be dusty. Marble chips are elegant but expensive. | Excellent | Garden centers, home improvement stores, online retailers |
| Tumbled Stones, Quartz & Crushed Glass | Interesting choices, but do not promote drainage. | Poor | Garden centers, home improvement stores, online retailers |
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