Planet Earth hosts a bevy of bioluminescence, from shimmery blue anglerfish to Switzerland’s glowing green mushrooms. Now, scientists have created colorful glow-in-the-dark succulent plants. These succulents shine about as bright as a typical night light, and can recharge using sunlight. How the team from South China Agricultural University did it is detailed in a study published August 27 in the journal Matter.
“Picture the world of Avatar, where glowing plants light up an entire ecosystem,” study co-author Shuting Liu said in a statement. “We wanted to make that vision possible using materials we already work with in the lab. Imagine glowing trees replacing streetlights.”
Creating glowing plants is not necessarily a new idea. In 2024, the biotechnology company Light Bio’s Firefly Petunia marked a major breakthrough in genetically engineering luminescent plants. However, the petunia’s glow is often more muted and is only available in one color—green. The genetic engineering techniques used to create the bioluminescent petunia are also costly and time consuming.
For this new study, the team made luminous succulents without altering the plant’s genes. They used compounds called afterglow phosphor particles. These particles are similar to the ones that manufacturers use to make glow-in-the-dark toys. Afterglow phosphor particles absorb light and then release it slowly over time.
In order for the particles to travel through the plant’s leaf tissues, the team needed to make sure the size was (as Golilocks would say) just right. They got the particles down to about 7 micrometers, or about the width of a red blood cell.
“Smaller, nano-sized particles move easily within the plant but are dimmer,” says Liu. “Larger particles glowed brighter but couldn’t travel far inside the plant.”
They then injected these tiny particles into several plant species, including rose-shaped succulents in the genus Echeveria and non-succulents, such as golden pothos and bok choy. Only the succulents produced a strong glow. Their narrow, uniform, and evenly distributed leaf veins helped disperse the particles more effectively. After being exposed to sunlight or an indoor LED light, the modified succulents stayed illuminated for up to two hours.
[ Related: Surprise! These sea cucumbers glow. ]
“It was really unexpected,” says Liu, noting that she previously thought that plants with more airy tissue structures would perform better in the experiment. “The particles diffused in just seconds, and the entire succulent leaf glowed.”
To create plants that shine in greens, yellows, reds, and blues, they used different types of phosphors. When the team lined up 56 succulents on a glowing plant wall, their light was bright enough to illuminate nearby objects.
“Each plant takes about 10 minutes to prepare and costs a little over 10 yuan (about $1.40), not including labor,” says Liu.
Over time, the succulent’s light fades and the team is still studying the long-term safety of the particles on the plants. However, they believe that this concept could offer a sustainable alternative for low-intensity outdoor lighting or indoor decor. They are also exploring how this method could light up plants other than succulents.
“I just find it incredible that an entirely human-made, micro-scale material can come together so seamlessly with the natural structure of a plant,” said Liu. “The way they integrate is almost magical. It creates a special kind of functionality.”
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