What are Succulents

• Succulents are a wide group of plants that have evolved from ancient tropical forests to combat the feast and famine of water supply.
• Succus is the latin for juice.  Succulent plants have   stems,branches, roots, stalks, leaves or flowers that are juicy, fleshy or thick to retain moisture.
• Parts of succulents above the ground act as reservoirs of water.
• Succulents are varied plants not one or even related groups or families of plants.
• All cacti are succulents but all succulents are not Cacti.

How do Succulents Preserve  Water

• Many succulents including cacti do not grow leaves reducing transpiration.
• Thick leaves have space to store far more water than other leaves such as Aloe.
• Some plants can be pulled underground to preserve water.
• Minimum evaporation is achieved by hairy, spiney or waxy outer layers.
• Shapes are developed to maximise retention and minimise water loss.
• Some plants have roots that grow in bundles on the soils surface to capture any available moisture
• Many Cacti breath oxygen at night and photosynthesis during the day.

Common Types or Groups Of Succulent

• Sedum and Sempervivum
• Cactaceae are divided into 3 sub families with over 200 genera and 10,000 species.
• Haworthia, Gasteria and Aloe are succulents but part of the Lily family.
• Agave, Aeoniums, Echeveria, Lithrops and Yucca are succulents.
• Many Euphorbias and Cereus are succulent.
• Christmas and Easter Cacti,  Schlumbergera or Zygocactus

Tips for Growing Succulents and Cacti

• Getting the watering right is the key issue. All plants need water during their growing period.
• I water weekly in spring and early summer cutting down drastically by autumn leaving winter almost watering free.
• Good drainage is as important as watering. Most succulent prefer a free draining sandy or gritty soil. Do not stand in water.
• Keep most varieties free of frost.
• Provide a weak fertiliser solution in spring and early summer.
• Plants can be grown from seed and many root well from cuttings or grafting.
• Insects can be a problem but most die in high heat.

Haworthia

Try these plants  and study some of the literature from their native home South Africa