~SUCCULENTS~
AGAVES
Agaves reproduce via offsets, though they can also be propagated via seeds.
They are great plants to install and let be, as agaves do well with little attention.
Take heed not to plant them in an area where children and pets might play, or near walkways. Agaves have pointy-tipped leaves that can be unpleasant if one brushes against them.
Though some agaves are tropical, many agaves are hardy to 30° F. There are even agaves that can handle living in snow. They like full sun, low water, well-drained soil.
Great for drought tolerant and/or succulent gardens.
Asparagaceae family.
Dwarf Butterfly Agave
Agave isthmensis
Asparagaceae
Lifespan: Evergreen perennial
Origin: Mexico
Height/width: 1 foot tall, 1 foot wide.
Culture: Full sun. Low water. Well-drained soil. Somewhat hardy, Can take temps down to 25-30° F.
Description: Rosette forming. Bluish-gray leaves 4-5" long, 2-3" wide. Pointy-tipped leaves with rough margins. Yellow flowers on a 5+ foot stalk. Produces offsets.
Drought tolerant garden. Can handle coastal areas. Container okay.
Flowering time: Infrequent.
Mescal Agave
Agave parryi
Asparagaceae
Lifespan: Evergreen perennial
Origin: Arizona, New Mexico and northern part of Mexico
Height/width: 3.3' by 3.3'
Culture: Heat and drought tolerant. Full sun-sun. Low water. Well-drained soil.
Description: Slow- growing, rosette forming succulent. grayish-green leaves with dark brown spiny tips. Once an older rosette flowers, it dies soon after.
Flowering time: Yellow flowers in the summer.
ALOES
Many aloes are medicinal, as well as ornamental. Their succulent leaves most often bear spines,
although they aren't usually dangerous. Flowers grow on spikes. Aloes set pups along their base, and can also be grown by seed.
Aloes prefer a fast draining soil mix, and don't like to be over-watered. Low water is fine for most of the year. Refrain from watering in the summer. Drought tolerant.
Full sun is a preference, especially during wintertime.
Generally speaking, they can handle temps from 40-80° F.
Asphodelaceae family.
Aloe Vera
Aloe barbadensis
Asphodelaceae
Lifespan: evergreen perennial
Origin: Arabian peninsula
Height/width: grows a little taller than 2-3 feet.
Culture: Full sun to part-shade. Well-drained, cactus mix or sandy soil. Low water, drought tolerant. Can be found in tropical, subtropical, hot, dry locations. Frost tender.
Description: Fleshy, succulent leaves with toothy margins. May have white speckles on its leaves, ( Aloe vera var. chinensis). Yellow flower grows on a spike. Produces pups. Ornamental.
Flowering time: Summer
Rock, low water garden, container, can be grown indoors.
Uses: Sap used medicinally for sunburns, and other skin issues. Added to cosmetic products for skin and hair.
This plant has received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.
Fire Bird Aloe
Aloe 'Fire bird'
Asphodelaceae
Lifespan: Evergreen perennial
Origin: Shannon Lyons hybrid of Aloe descoingsii and Aloe thompsoniae
Height/width: 6" tall, 6" wide.
Culture: Full sun-bright shade. Well-drained soil. Low water. Drought tolerant. Frost tender.
Description: Slender green foliage with white spots. Spikes of tangerine flowers. Sets pups, can also grow by seed.
Flowering time: Spring-fall.
Dish garden, garden bed, windowsill. Can grow in a container. Okay indoors.
Golden-Toothed Aloe
Aloe nobilis
Asphodelaceae
Lifespan: Evergreen perennial
Origin: South Africa
Height/width: 1'-2' tall, 1'-2' wide.
Culture: Sun- part shade. Well-drained soil. Low water needs, drought tolerant. Let soil dry out before watering again. Heat tolerant. Not cold hardy, can take temps to about 20°F.
Description: Stacked rosette. Bears pups. Green leaves turn orange in full sun, or when under stress. Red flowers that attract hummingbirds, and bees as well. Deer resistant.
Flowering time: Summer
Container, rock, succulent garden. With enough light, can be grown indoors.
ECHEVERIAS
Echeverias can be deciduous or evergreen. Some have standard rosettes, some are ruffled. Usually flowering spring through summer, they bear flowers on the tips of stalks. There are a number of echeverias that are host plants for butterfly species. These succulents are great in containers, rock
and dish gardens.
Echeveria like full sun to partial sun exposure. Well-drained soil is a must. Low water and drought tolerant. Moderate, deep watering okay. Although there are cold hardy Echeverias,
some can be frost tender as well.
Crassulaceae family.
Echeveria (NCN)
Echeveria chihuahuensis
Crassulaceae
Lifespan: Evergreen perennial
Origin: Chihuahua, Mexico
Height/width: 1 foot tall, 1 foot wide.
Culture: Full sun to partial sun. Well-drained soil. Low water. Can start to rot if water pools in between leaves, or sits in wet soil. Drought tolerant. Hardy to 20-25° F.
Description: Compact rosette. Light green leaves with reddish tips. Pink flowers, with yellow centers, on 10" stalks. Solitary, may have pups when mature.
Flowering time: Spring and summer.
Container, rock garden, edging.
HAWORTHIAS
They like partial to full shade. Direct sun can cause sunburn. Several hours of indirect light can turn succulent green leaves to pink, reddish tones overtime. Can handle low light indoors.
Frost tender. Prefer fast draining soil, similar to a cactus mix. Low water, drought tolerant.
Haworthias are easy to grow. These small plants are great in dish, rock, container garden, or indoors.
Asphodelaceae family.
Zebra Plant
Haworthia fasciata
Asphodelaceae
Lifespan: Evergreen perennial
Origin: South Africa
Height/width: Grows to about 3" tall, 5" wide.
Culture: Part sun. Susceptible to sunburn. Low light indoors. Well-drained soil, or cactus mix. Water less often in the summer. Let the soil dry out between watering. Don't let sit in wet soil, or let water pool in a rosette. Frost tender if temperature fall below 45° F. Requires good air circulation. Summer dormant.
Description: White bumps line rough green leaves. Rosette forming.White flowers. Pups clump at its base.
Flowering time: Summer
Slow grower. Great in containers, or as a houseplant.
Zebra Wart
Haworthia reinwardtii
(Haworthiopsis reinwardtii)
Asphodelaceae
Lifespan: Evergreen perennial
Origin: South Africa
Height/width: 8 inches to one foot tall.
Culture: Partial sun to partial shade. Well-drained soil. Let soil dry out before watering again. Susceptible to rot if over-watered. Frost tender if temps fall below 40° F. Summer dormant.
Description: Ornamental succulent. Grows in clumps, via offsets. Basal rosette spirals upward into a columnar shape. White freckled leaves. Pinkish-white blooms on ends of long, thin racemes.
Flowering time: Spring
Grow indoors, in containers, fairy or rock gardens.
Earned the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.
KALANCHOES
Christmas Tree Plant
Kalanchoe laciniata
Crassulaceae
Lifespan: Short-lived perennial
Origin: East Africa, southern India, parts of the Arabian peninsula.
Height/width: 4 feet tall, 3 feet wide.
Culture: Sun to part-shade. Well-drained soil, cactus mix.
Description: Ornamental succulent subshrub. Orange, red or yellow flowers. Medicinal.
Flowering time: summer
Houseplant, rock garden, container.
Kalanchoe
Kalanchoe tomentosa 'Chocolate Soldier'
Crassulaceae
Lifespan: Short-lived perennial.
Origin: Madagascar
Height/width: 1-3 feet tall, 2-3 feet wide.
Culture: Full to partial sun. Bright light if indoors. Low water. Frost tender. 25-30° F. Slow growing.
Description: Fuzzy succulent leaves. Margins are chocolate colored. Red flowers.
Flowering time: Spring
Container, houseplant.
ADDITIONAL SUCCULENTS
Barbados Gooseberry
Cactaceae
Lifespan: Perennial
Origin: Caribbean islands, West Indies, tropical regions of Central and South America
Height/width: 20-33' tall
Culture: Full to part sun. Well-drained soil. Should have moist soil during spring summer. 50-85°F throughout the year.
Description: Vining cacti. Has thorns and spines. Fruits and leaves are edible. Nutritious. Juicy, small, yellow berries. Can cook leaves like greens.
Fruiting/Flowering time: Late summer up to winter.
Christmas Cactus
Schlumbergera bridgesii
Cactaceae
Lifespan: Perennial
Origin: southern Brazil rainforests
Height/width: 6-12 inches tall, 1-2 feet wide.
Culture: Part sun, or bright indoors. Loves full, direct sun in the winter. Well-drained, semi-moist soil. Prefers temps from 65-75° F. Can encourage blooms if the plant has at least 12 hours of darkness during fall evenings.
Description: Epiphytic cactus. Short day plant. Flat, segmented stems with serrated points at the tips. Hot pink/red pendant blooms.
Fruiting/Flowering time: flowers in December.
Hanging basket, houseplant.
Cuban Oregano
Plectranthus amboinicus
Lamiaceae
Lifespan: Perennial
Origin: South Africa
Description: Succulent, aromatic leaves. Culinary herb with oregano-like flavor.
Height/width: 2-3ft tall.
Culture: Full sun to part shade. Frost tender
Dragon Fruit
Hylocereus spp.
Cactaceae
Lifespan: Fast-growing perennial
Origin: southern Mexico and South America
Height/width: Flowers are 12" long. Stems up to 20' long, (can be pruned back).
Culture: Full sun. Heat. Frost tender. Drought tolerant.
Description: Tasty fruit with white or pink flesh. Climbing, vining cactus. Needs support like trellis or fence. Tropical.
Fruiting/Flowering time: Foot long flowers. Hand pollination helps fruit set.
Easter/ Spring Cactus
Rhipsalidopsis gaertnerii or Hatiora gaertneri
Cactaceae
Lifespan: Perennial
Origin: eastern Brazil
Height/width:
Culture: Part sun, or bright light indoors. Well-drained soil, like a cactus mix. Moist soil okay, just not soggy. Cut back on water in the fall and winter. Needs a few months of evening temps about 45-60° F, or slightly below, to help with flowering in the spring. Likes temps of 75-80° F most of the year. Desires humidity.
Description: Epiphyte. Short day plant. Grow on trees, or rocks, in their native habitat. Flat succulent green leaves. Star-shaped flowers, that are either lavender, orange, peach, pink or red. Flowers open at dawn and close at dusk.
Flowering time: March-May
Hanging basket, houseplant.
Hens and Chicks
Sempervivum 'Blush'
Crassulaceae
Lifespan: Evergreen perennial
Origin: United States
Height/width: 6" width.
Culture: Sun to partial sun. Well-drained soil. Low water. Cold tolerant.
Description: Light green leaves become reddish in cold weather. Ornamental succulent groundcover. Grows in rosette form. Bears offsets from beneath leaves.
Flowering time: Summer to fall
Containers, edging, rock gardens.
Medusa's Head
Euphorbia flanaganii
Euphorbiaceae
Lifespan: Perennial
Origin: South Africa
Height/width: Can grow almost 3 feet tall, and up to 12 inches wide.
Culture: Full sun. Bright sun if grown as a houseplant. Water deeply and infrequently. Shouldn't sit in water, subject to root rot. Arms will curl up if soil is too dry. Water once a week in the summer. Frost tender. Well-drained soil. Hardy to 30° F. Frost tender.
Description: Lime green leaves. Caudex base. Little yellow flowers. Grows pups from mature "arms". Fast growing.
Flowering time: Fall
Container, garden okay.
Caution: Be careful when dealing with the broken stems, as its white sap is an irritant.
Purple Heart
Tradescantia pallida
Commelinaceae
Lifespan: Perennial
Origin: Eastern Mexico (near Gulf Coast)
Height/width: 12-18 inches tall, 2-4 feet wide.
Culture: Full sun-light shade. Shade tolerant. Many soil types okay. Average water. Frost tender; dies back during frost but resprouts. Hardy to 20-25° F
Description: Evergreen. Purple fleshy leaves. Small, pink, sterile flowers. Type of spiderwort. Creeping ornamental. Fragile stems.
Flowering time: Summer
Hanging basket, air purifier, houseplant, groundcover, border garden. Deer and drought tolerant.
Rock Purslane
Calandrinia grandiflora
Portulacaceae
Lifespan: Tender perennial
Origin: Chile
Height/width: 1' tall, 3'wide
Culture: Full sun-partial shade. Well-drained soil. Low water, drought tolerant.
Description: Succulent grey-green leaves. Long-blooming magenta flowers. Mounding habit. Border, groundcover, container plant. Deer resistant. Weed suppressor.
Flowering time: Spring-fall.
Snake Plant
Sansevieria trifasciata
Asparagaceae
Lifespan: Perennial
Origin: West Africa
Height/width: 3-4' tall
Culture: Bright light, can deal with low light. Well-drained or sandy soil. Water occasionally. Don't over water! Frost sensitive. Transplant and fertilize in the spring.
Description: Dark green, sword-like leaves. Variegated type has yellow around leaf margins. Hardy evergreen. Tropical ornamental. Spreads by rhizomes. Easy to grow.
Air purifier. Houseplant.
String-of-Pearls
Senecio rowleyanus
Asteraceae
Lifespan: Evergreen perennial
Origin: Southwest Africa
Height/width: Grows up to 3' tall, 3+ feet long.
Culture: Partial shade. Needs some direct light if indoors. Sandy soil or cactus mix. Water infrequently, once or twice a month. Can handle down to 30° F. Summer dormant.
Description: Creeping ornamental vine. Mat-forming succulent. Small, pea-shaped leaves. Tiny white aromatic flowers, with reddish stamens.
Flowering time: Spring
Hanging basket, rock garden, over a wall, a houseplant.
Caution: Sap can cause skin irritation. This plant is not edible! Keep out of reach of pets and young children.
Tongue Plant
Glottiphyllum depressum/ muirii
Aizoaceae
Lifespan: Evergreen perennial
Origin: South Africa
Height/width: Up to 2 inches tall.
Culture: Full sun-full shade. Well-drained soil/sandy soil. Low water. Drought tolerant. 25°-50° F.
Description: Clusters of compact rosettes. Bright green succulent leaves. Yellow flowers grow from the base of the plant.
Can be grown in the subtropics, the Mediterranean, desert, and as a houseplant.
Flowering time: Summer-fall
Watch Chain Plant
Crassula muscosa
Crassulaceae
Lifespan: Evergreen perennial
Origin: Namibia and South Africa
Height/width: 4-12 inches tall. 8 inch spacing.
Culture: Sun to part-shade, filtered sun. Well-drained soil. Let soil dry out before watering again. Low water. Hardy to 20° F.
Description: Spreading succulent groundcover and/or short shrub. Pale green leaves grown with more light are compact, if grown in less light the leaves are open. Greenish-white/yellow flowers.
Flowering time: Spring through summer.
Container, rock garden, wall, houseplant.