• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Sublime Succulents
  • Welcome to Sublime Succulents
  • Care Guides
    • Watering
      • How to Water Succulents and Cacti: The Ultimate Guide
      • Is My Succulent Over or Under Watered: Knowing the Difference
      • How Long Can Succulents Go Without Water?
    • Light
      • Light and Sun for Succulents and Cacti: The Ultimate Guide
      • Grow Lights for Succulents – Best Indoor & Outdoor Use Guide
      • How to Grow Colorful Succulents
    • Soil
      • Soil for Succulents and Cacti: Ultimate Guide
      • Succulent Soil vs Gritty Mix: Which is Better?
      • 7 Best Succulent and Cactus Soils
      • Should I put gravel in the bottom of a pot?
    • Propagation
      • Succulent Propagation: The Ultimate Guide
      • How Often to Water Propagated Succulents to Encourage Growth
      • Water Propagation for Succulents – How to Avoid Root Rot Guide
    • Fertilizer
      • How and When to Fertilize Succulents
      • Best Liquid Fertilizer in 2022 (Our Reviews & Comparisons)
      • How Often Should I Give My Plant Nutrients?
    • Pots and Planters
      • How to Care for Succulents in Pots without Drainage Holes
      • Best Pots For Succulents in 2022 (Our Reviews & Comparisons)
      • Should Succulents Be Planted in the Ground or in Pots?
    • Beginners: Start Here
      • 7 Best Places to Buy Succulents Online 2022
      • Succulent Starter Pack
      • How to Identify Root Rot and Treat It
  • Shop Succulents
    • Accessories
    • Pots and Planters
    • Soil and Fertilizer
    • Books
    • Plants
    • Grow Lights
  • Succulent Types
    • Easy Beginner Succulents
    • Indoor Succulents
    • Succulents by Color
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Care
  • Beginners
  • Reviews
  • Sorting
  • Types
  • Beginner Buys
search icon
Homepage link
  • Care
  • Beginners
  • Reviews
  • Sorting
  • Types
  • Beginner Buys
×

Gem Succulents Subscription Box Review

Modified: Jun 10, 2022 by Patrick Green · This post may contain affiliate links ·

An inevitable step in any succulent addict's journey is subscribing to a service that ships you plants monthly. These services provide a lot of benefits:

Hand holding a succulent in a pot over a succulent box.
  1. You  don't have to choose what kind of plant to get, thus alleviating the burden of choice.
  2. You don't have to leave the house to get more plants, which allows you to spend more time at home (with your succulents).
  3. Monthly deliveries come just in time to satisfy my craving for more fat plants.
  4. Receive new plants, and don't even have to put pants on to do it.

Read Related Article: Succulents of Australia

Although the subscription box craze has taken off, there aren't many succulent oriented ones. Maybe it has to do with the difficulty of keeping and shipping live plants, rather than a bunch of stock in a warehouse.

Mountain crest garden's free mistery succulent with each order banner

Fortunately, we have brave souls like Tatiana Escobar of Gem Succulents who are willing to risk life and limb to deliver us succulents each month so we don't have to put pants on.

Jump to:
  • Package Received!
  • Review of the Gem Succulents Box
  • Cons
  • Pros
  • Conclusion

Package Received!

Hand holding gem succulents subscription box

Already excited, and I've only looked at the box.

Read Also: Buying Succulents on Etsy: A Review

It's a nice box, though. No doubt as to what's inside.

Upon opening the box, I was greeted by this sight:

gem succulents subscription box

Check Related Article: Leaf & Clay Online Succulent Store Review

My initial thought was, "What are these little alien pods?"

My second thought was, "Hey, they used recycled newspaper for packing material instead of foam peanuts. I appreciate the effort to be environmentally-conscious."

See also
How To Make A Succulent Wreath

I didn't ponder for long, though. There were plants under that plastic so I eagerly dug in. After a few minutes, a trove of succulent gems were unearthed.

gem succulents subscription box

Check Also: Succulents Box Subscription Box Review

Review of the Gem Succulents Box

Our rating: 8/10

ProsCons
5 succulents is a lot of succulentsThere was no heat pack (and it's cold here)
I received a wide variety of succulentsSucculents got a little buried
All of the succulents were healthy and in good condition$27/month isn't exactly cheap
The soil mixture was excellent, no repotting needed
Cute (and actually useful) accessories included for free
Bestseller No. 1
Succulents Box - Succulent Subscription Boxes - 3 Succulents/Month
Succulents Box - Succulent Subscription Boxes - 3 Succulents/Month
  • You'll recieve a box of succulents with 3 species of different 2'' succulent each month. Each month we'll feature 4 different...
  • Every month, our Succulents Box team members will handpick a new variety pack, so you'll never receive the same species!
  • Your plant will be meticulously bubblewrapped and shipped in a sturdy box. Most 2" plants are shipped in their original...
Check Price on Amazon
Bestseller No. 2
Good Vibes Gift Box - Succulent Gift Box - Live Succulent gift box - Friend Gift Box - Good Vibes Only - Birthday Present - Send a Gift
Good Vibes Gift Box - Succulent Gift Box - Live Succulent gift box - Friend Gift Box - Good Vibes Only - Birthday Present - Send a Gift
Check Price on Amazon

 

Overall, I found this to be a pretty great subscription box.

Let's get the Cons out of the way first.

Cons

There was no heat pack (and it's cold here)

It's winter here in the US, but that shouldn't stop us from enjoying our guilty pleasures. Usually, the addition of a heat pack will prevent any damage caused by the cold. It should be said that all my plants arrived without any cold damage. However, I wouldn't want to risk it. I'm certain that if you sent a note to Gem Succulents and asked them to include a heat pack they would do so gladly.

See also
What's the Difference Between Cacti and Succulents?

2. Succulents got a little buried

Despite having "Fragile" stamped onto the box, it was clear the box got shaken up. Shocker, I know.

The result is that the plants were partially covered in dirt when they arrived. Not really an issue though, I just poured some dirt out and put it back in. Some of the succulents I rinsed off in the sink to clean, others I just used a paintbrush.

3. $27/month isn't exactly cheap

In all honesty, I spend more than this every month on my succulents. However, as a recurring payment, I'm a little hesitant to commit to 30 bones.

When you do the math, $6 to have plants delivered to your door (plus accessories) isn't really that bad. Gem Succulents also has a much cheaper leaf props subscription if you want to do it yourself!

Succulent growing in a pot on the table with garden tools.

Check It Out: Harddy Succulent Store Review

That wasn't all that bad, actually. I have a lot more good things to say about the Gem Succulents box. Here are the Pros!

Pros

Five succulents is a lot of succulents

This one speaks for itself. If you are trying to build a collection quickly, this is the way to go. Other succulent subscription boxes I've investigated usually send 1-3 succulent per month. Those are cheaper, it's true. I guess it depends on your level of addiction.

2. I received a wide variety of succulents

This was one of the parts I was most impressed with. Out of the 5 succulents I received, 4 different genera were represented! It would be easy for a nursery to just toss me a bunch of Echeveria or whatever they had on hand, but you can tell the nursery put some thought into it.

See also
Succulent Source Online Succulent Store Review

3. All of the succulents were healthy and in good condition

It's stressful for plants to be shipped across the country. From balmy Miami (where the nursery is located) to my house in chilly Pennsylvania is a drastic change, but these plants managed it gracefully.

This was definitely due in part to the way they were packed. Those little planters with the dome were quite effective in protecting the succulent during shipping.

4. The soil mixture was excellent, no repotting needed

I was also highly impressed at this aspect of the Gem Succulents subscription box. The soil mixture was rich with perlite and gritty materials, just the way I recommend. Normally the first thing I have to do when getting a new plant is repot it immediately, but I saw no need to with this order (which is a huge plus in my book).

You can tell a lot about the quality of a nursery by their soil, and Gem Succulents has got some nice soil.

5. Cute (and actually useful) accessories included for free

I'll admit, I thought the shovel thing was silly when I first saw it. It ended up being really useful, though, when I dug out my buried succulents. It's also great for getting dirt into the pots around the sides of a sitting plant.

I wasn't expecting the planter saucers that were included, but those are an awesome addition. They have feet that hold the little plastic pot (that has a drainage hole!) up so water can drain. +1 from me for these saucers.

6. All of these are rooted plants, not cuttings

See also
Shipping Succulents: How to Mail Plants

These plants that were shipped were actual independent plants with their own root systems. That means they're much more likely to survive shipping and transplant than if they were just cuttings. Plus, they get to growing faster. It's a win-win situation.

Conclusion

DIfferent varieties of succulents on a wooden planter.

I really enjoyed my Gem Succulents subscription box. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to grow their collection quick, but doesn't have specific plants in mind.

There were a couple of things that could be improved, but overall it was a very positive experience. It certainly won't be my last order from Gem Succulents.

Another reason I like Gem Succulents is because it's a small, family-owned business. According to their About page, they only just started their nursery in 2017. They saw an opening for a quality succulent subscription box, and they took it. I respect that - it's not easy to found a business (especially in an untapped market). I'll always support the little guys and local nurseries before spending cash at Home Depot or the like.

If you want to explore their site or their subscription boxes, check 'em out here.

Gem succulent Subscription Box logo

Disclaimer:

Sublime Succulents is not affiliated with Gem Succulents in any way, nor did it receive payment for this review. We reached out to Gem Succulents asking for a sample box in order to review the contents, to which Gem Succulents graciously agreed.

Sublime Succulents does not receive compensation for any purchases made at Gem Succulents. This review is our honest opinion.

« 21 Best Low Light Indoor Succulents - Dead-Easy to Grow Inside
Native Succulents of Australia »

Sharing is caring!

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email
  • WhatsApp

Primary Sidebar

Fun head-shaped succulent planter growing beautiful succulents.

Hi, I'm Patrick! Welcome to SublimeSucculents.com, your one-stop source for everything related to growing and enjoying succulents!

More about me →

Popular Guides

  • Female artist pianting terracotta pots.
    How to Paint a Terracotta Pot - Simple Step by Step Painting Guide
  • Three snake plants in pot near a window.
    49 Types of Snake Plant - Most Popular Sansevieria Varieties
  • Man holding tablet, online succulent buying concept.
    7 Best Places to Buy Succulents Online in 2023
  • Pots with drilled hole and a driller on a table.
    How to Drill Drainage Holes in Terracotta and Clay
  • Lizzard on the rock close-up.
    11 Succulents Safe for Reptiles
  • Indoor succulent plants in pots.
    21 Best Low Light Indoor Succulents - Dead-Easy to Grow Inside

Recent Posts

  • Kalanchoe Mother of Thousands growing in a pot.
    Kalanchoe Mother of Thousands Growing Guide (Mexican Hat Plant)
  • A tiny succulent with spikes growing in a pot.
    35 of Rarest Succulents in the World: Endangered, Expensive or Effortful 
  • A gardener holding a succulent hybrid in a pot.
    Succulent Nothogenera - Everything You Need to Know
  • Different varieties of succulents in pots indoor.
    Succulent Pots With Drainage That You Should Use

Pages

  • Privacy Policy
  • FAQs & About Me
  • Contact

Copyright © 2023 · Sublime Succulents LLC.