Looking for a great way to add seasonal color to your landscape? Succulents are all the rage. Just why are these wonders of the plant world so popular?
Succulents are beautiful and indestructible
The perfect plant to grow in your home, on your patio, or in your yard, succulents are plants offering thick, fleshy (succulent) water storage in the leaves, stems, and roots. More than a cactus, succulents are a broad class of plants adapted to survive in various conditions throughout the world, offering an incredible variety of colors, sizes, textures, and plant shapes – literally tens of thousands. From small, flowery rosettes to tall, spiky bushes and trailing vines, no matter what look you crave, there is a succulent for you.
Temperature tested
No matter where you live, there are an array of succulents available to meet your growing and climate needs, from the controlled environment of your home or office, to hardy types capable of surviving winter freezes or the hot desert sun. The right plants for your needs can be identified with the help of a USDA plant zoning map, a local nursery professional, or area gardening organization.
Popular succulent varieties include:
- Aeonium
- Agave
- Aloe vera
- Cactus
- Cotyldedon
- Crassula
- Dudleya
- Echeveria
- Euphorbia
- Graptopetalum
- Hens and chicks
- Kalanchoe
- Sedums
- Sempervivum
- Snake plant (Mother-in-law’s tongue)
- Senecio
- Yucca
Succulent care
Succulents are low maintenance and low water – a great choice for areas with water shortages or strict water restrictions. The fastest way to kill a succulent, in fact, is overwatering. Because of the massive variety of succulents, care varies, however in general succulents…
- Are easy to propagate.
- Prefer sunlight, thriving outdoors in the summer when temperatures are between 85ºF and 50ºF.
- Can handle temperatures down to 40ºF (though this varies by species).
- Prefer fast-draining soils, such as those designed specifically for succulents.
- Require more frequent watering in the summer.
- Go dormant in the winter, requiring less water – once every other month to prevent root rot.
Feeling thirsty? Succulent signals:
- I need a drink!
During the spring and summer season, succulents that need additional water will stop growing, shed leaves, or develop brown spots. - Please stop!
Plants that look soft or carry pale, yellow, or white discoloration indicate a plant that has been overly “loved.” If roots are rotted, the plant is done. If not, try a re-pot in dryer soil.
Trendy and trusted
Some of the latest uses for succulents include:
- Large succulent gardens, similar to English gardens, using group/community plantings.
- Fire resistant perimeter gardens.
- Succulent rock gardens.
- Miniature gardens.
- Succulent crafts.
- The sky’s the limit – literally!
Ready to jump on the succulent bandwagon? Design the low-maintenance landscape of your dreams. Contact The Grounds Guys® today.