Succulents do n’t go to one genus or flora family . They are various mintage from multiple genera with specific characteristics in unwashed : fleshy stem and leaves that retain water under desert conditions .
In addition to being “ water - wise to , ” enthusiasts like me appreciate succulents for their funky shapes . I often say they remind me of sea life , with forms resembling windflower , red coral , jellyfish , sea urchin , ocean loot , and seaweed .
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Some species produce offsets, like this hens and chicks,Sempervivum tectorum. Each is a new plant.
Popular houseplants , there are both tender and brave variety suit to outdoor finish in USDA Hardiness Zones ranging from 7 to 12 . Frost - audacious types grow well in Zones 7 to 9 , while tender species thrive in the hottest zone , 10 to 12 .
fall in us as we research succulents , their ethnical necessity and precaution , metal money for various zones , and designs for low - maintenance outdoor displays .
Here ’s the lineup :
What You’ll Learn
I delight working with succulents and call up you will , too . lease ’s get started !
Propagation
One of the best feature of succulents , after their attractive forms , is the easiness of propagation .
It ’s easy to make Modern plants by :
It ’s also possible to start with seeds , although this is the slowest method and seeds may not be readily available .
You ’ll finddetailed propagation instructions in our pathfinder .
How to Grow
You ’ll need a location with full sun to part nuance for grow . Afternoon shade is beneficial if your locus is especially hot in the summertime .
The ground should be sandy loam that drains well and has a slightly acidic pH balance of 5.5 to 6.5 . If you care , you canconduct a grunge testto determine the machine characteristic of your dirt .
you could amend it with hommos and farinaceous horticultural gumption to add constitutional issue and acidity , and better drainage .
A sensible portmanteau is 50 percentage sand , 25 percent humus , and 25 pct existing soil . Be sure that the moxie is for the garden and not builder or play George Sand , as these are very thick and inhibit drain . We have detailedinstructions for a DIY succulent soil admixture here .
Read plant tags andseed packetsand allow enough room for fledged dimensions . Note that miniature variety a few inches spacious may produce offsets that spread a foot or more unless prune or divided for transplant .
When introduce new plant life to an exist garden , be certain that the smother plants are also low - moisture species for one - size - scene - all upkeep . The take after perennials are splendid companion choices .
It is best to plant when the atmospheric condition is nerveless . For zones with frost , this is leaping . For Robert Lee Frost - free region , flora in fall .
Here ’s how :
Mound the soil up four to six inch , so the foliation pose above ground level to promote drain and stamp down rotting .
The roots are fragile and shallow , so handle them with care . Set each plant into its own hillock , or mound the intact garden . Cover the root with enough soil to anchor them firmly .
Set a hosepipe nozzle to gentle , or use a sprinkler can to water the soil soundly . Avoid wetting the foliage to conquer fungal growth .
Slant rosette - types , with a rounded cluster of leaves , more or less down , so rain spills out of them . Planting high and avoiding water retention can go a long direction toward inhibiting putrefaction , succulents ’ nemesis .
Thebest mode to wateris to wait until the filth dry out completely and then water deeply .
It ’s best to err on the side of carelessness rather than generosity . Foliage is more likely to recover from being dry than from oversaturation . You may want to use amoisture meteras a guide .
You may find that when you test the soil for wet at a depth of about two column inch , you only need to water every three to four week , depending upon rainfall and temperature .
In - ground succulent are hibernating during the hottest calendar month of the year , and unlike their houseplant cousins that rarely bloom , flowering species grown open may surprise you with blossoms in gloam or winter .
Fertilizer is optional . you could put on half - strength liquidness succulent intellectual nourishment to miniature varieties and a full - metier Venus’s curse to large specimen ( in a quart - sizing nursery pot or larger ) at planting time and each give .
Apply plant food to the soil , not the leafage , to avoid leaf burn .
Growing Tips
Succulents arise well when you remember to :
And last , succulents are tripping feeders that do n’t require fertilizer . feed in them sparingly , if at all .
Be sure to read our general succulent grow usher for more lead .
Pruning and Maintenance
succulent are fairly ego - sufficient .
Keep the garden free of sens and leaf litter that may block sunlight and contend for pee .
Use cleanprunersto snip off damaged , moulder , or dehydrated leaves that you note during the grow season .
You may also need to prune leggy plants . When there is n’t enough sun available , some species stretch toward the ignitor .
Cut scraggly stems just above a leaf node to further bushier ontogenesis . Relocate to a promising localization in the spring in Zones 7 to 9 or in the fall in Zones 10 to 12 .
On the other hired man , you may find that some plants are shading from greenish to pink , flushed , or orangish .
They may be receiving too much lineal sunlight . look at relocate them , or planting improbable plants nearby to create mottled afternoon shade , if you do n’t care for the colour change , or the leafage begins to turn dark-brown from overexposure .
Another reason for plant to turn vividness may be over- or underwatering .
Jade plant life is a dear exemplar of a specimen that shade to yellow with too much wet . judge your lacrimation habits and make adjustments as call for to keep optimum health and visual aspect , and foreclose rot .
Some specie blossom once and go . Others hold out on to blossom again . off stagnant leaf and spent flowers , include their stalk , to inhibit opportunistic pests and pathogen .
Use pruners to discerp offshoot from female parent plants and transplant them as desired . This is a spring task in Zones 7 to 9 , and a downslope one in Zones 10 to 12 .
Replace loose or damagedbricks , rock , or other hardscape material used in or around plants to stave off scathe to ticklish specimens and keep the soil from wash away .
In cooler Zone 6 and below , it may be possible to grow certain types of succulent alfresco in the summer in containers or the ground , and bring them to a sheltered locationto overwinter indoors . Be sure to check plants thoroughly for cuss and signs of disease before doing so .
Where to Buy
Here are seven succulent species to get you jump . mention the recommended growing zone for each to make appropriate choice for your thou .
Ghost Plant
stout ghost industrial plant , Graptopetalum paraguayense , grow well in Zones 9 to 11 .
They produce four - inch rosette and may achieve heights of up to 12 inches . A full sun to part shade placement is best . They prefer low to medium moisture .
feel specter plant from USKC via Amazon .
Hens and Chicks
Suited to Zones 4 to 9 , stout hens and chick , Sempervivum tectorum , are three to six inches marvellous and nine to 12 inches all-encompassing . The rosettes range from three to 10 inches in diam . MatureS. tectorumare the hen , and offsets are the chicks .
Watering penury are low to medium and afternoon refinement is best in the fond geographical zone . The foliage is cervid and drouth broad . Once a rosette bloom , it dies .
Find hen and chicks nowfrom Fat Plants San Diego Store via Amazon .
Learn more about handle forSempervivumor hen and chicks here .
Jade Plant
Tender jade plants , Crassula ovata , thrive in the warm geographical zone , 11 to 12 , where they grow from three to six foot tall and two to three feet wide .
They revalue smart morning brightness and afternoon nuance . Although they are drouth - patient of , their moisture needs are restrained .
Find jade plant from Hirt ’s Gardens Store via Amazon .
Or observe tips on jade industrial plant care here .
Kalanchoe
Unlike many succulents we arise primarily for their foliage , the main attraction of tender kalanchoe , Kalanchoe blossfeldiana , is its clusters of atomic number 79 , pink , or red blossoms .
become to zone 10 to 12 , kalanchoe prefers separate out sunlight to light ghost and achieve a mature height of 18 column inch tall and wide .
determine kalanchoe fromHirt ’s Gardens Store via Amazon .
Or read more about the care of plants in theKalanchoegenus here .
Living Stones
Tender animation Edward Durell Stone , Lithops , have the expression of finely detailed rock . They flourish in Zones 10 and 11 , where they prefer full sun tempered by good afternoon shade .
At one column inch tall and one to three inch wide of the mark , they are flyspeck treasures that like a dry environment and require footling urine .
happen living stones nowfrom the Micro Landscape Design Store via Amazon .
Learn more about raise living Isidor Feinstein Stone plants here .
Stalked Aeonium
attender - stalked aeoniums , Aeoniumundulatumgrow well in geographical zone 10 and 11 , where they make a height of two to three foot and a width of one to two feet .
Unlike many succulent species , stalk Aeonium are shrub - like , with branching barque - covered stems .
They favor full sun to part tint and teetotal to average moisture .
chance stalked aeonium from USKC via Amazon .
String of Pearls
stalwart string of pearlsplants , Senecio rowleyanus , thrive in zone 9 to 12 .
They reach mature dimensions of one to two foot tall and wide and prefer full Dominicus to part shade . This specie has low water system need and is drought patient of .
Find train of pearls nowfrom Fat Plants San Diego Store via Amazon .
Learn to grow drawstring of bone in our guide .
In add-on to these exciting examples , there are many more character to explore , such as :
ruffle and check colors , SHAPE , sizes , and textures for rich and wide-ranging arrangements that showcase the unique characteristic of each . And if you fall in sexual love with a species that is n’t suited to outdoor cultivation in your produce zone , you have three option :
Managing Pests and Disease
Once you have your favorites in place in the garden , there are some pestis to follow out for , including :
In addition to pests , hungry wildlife may take a few nybble , admit squirrels anddeer .
There are also a few diseases you should be cognisant of , like :
While it is potential to do by sap - sucking pestilence and fungal disease with neem oil , avoiding moisture stress is the best defence against both . Flora that is too dry or too slopped is vulnerable .
In addition , oversaturation – the curse mentioned above – may cause root rot , so err on the side of disuse . Your plants will benefit !
Creative Design Schemes
Whether you consecrate a garden space to succulent or contain them into an existinglow - maintenance landscape , succulents heighten out-of-door living space with their varied forms , colors , and texture .
Use hardscape fabric like bricksand stones to contain them and counterpoint with their soft forms .
If you are bring to an live garden , debate the watering penury of neighboring vegetation . Keep the familiar we discussed in thinker when designing new space .
succulent are versatile . You may enjoy them in the follow options :
And now , let ’s attend at some warning design to activate your imagination .
White pebbles and lawn edging neatly go down off this modest island of sempervivum . landscape painting fabric beneath the gemstone suppresses weed . In addition to being attractive , they keep lawn mowers away from attendant foliage .
You might require to spice up up an arrangement with a novelty like this terracotta urn that seems to be spilling echeveria from its wide rima oris . Specimens in the mound of soil at the urn ’s opening shortly root in the ground soil around it .
In another example , aloe nestles in the corner and fissure of the crevices of a rock outcropping for a dramatic demonstration .
An excellent agency to achieve the four- to six - inch mounded dirt necessitate for planting is to raise the entire garden , such as this one bordered by a low - profile natural Oliver Stone wall .
The elevation shows the various mintage to best advantage and clearly specify a succulent lachrymation zone .
Remember to deliberate mature dimensions when plant because the space between varieties specify as they grow and produce offsets . If you want to keep specimen separate , remove the offsets .
In this example , echeveria and sedum obscure the bare land as they spread like mosaic art .
This garden is in the hole of a lifelike stone terrace . If you have interesting architectural elements in the landscape , you may try your hand at tucking succulent into them for a surprise attractor .
moot sate the nooks and cranny of a piled stone wall with potting medium and nestling your favorites inside . live wall kick in to green spaces and bring home the bacon home ground for wildlife .
In this example , sedum and ghost plants find a comfortable domicile .
And if a large - scale desertscape is what you crave , here ’s a front yard that features bold greenish and red agave amid lower profile blasphemous chalk sticks , Senecio mandraliscae . Both are suited to zone 10 and 11 .
As you could see , there are many ways to delight in - priming coat succulent varieties !
Whimsical and Imaginative
We ’ve covered a lot of material . Let ’s enclose up .
If you live in Zones 7 to 12 , there are succulents that you’re able to incorporate into your landscape . Whether you accent existing gardens or design dedicated space , I know you ’ll appreciate the unique colors , shapes , and textures they contribute .
Now ’s the time to take out yourgarden deviser !
you may apply this selective information as a template to choose impulsive species and create imaginative presentation at your house .
If you would like toread more about succulent cultivation , we recommend the be next :
© require the Experts , LLC . ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.See our TOSfor more detail . Product photos via Fat Plants San Diego , Hirt ’s Garden Store , Micro Landscape Design , and UKSC . Uncredited photos : Shutterstock .
About
Nan Schiller
