Moisture-storing succulents are a living palette for the artist-gardener. From loafers to loaf pans, the plants will grow in anything that holds soil.
Succulents are problem-solvers. They come in every color, are shallow-rooted, start readily from cuttings, and won’t wilt if minimally watered. Some succulents are ground covers and cascaders; others are upright and spiky. Many resemble roses.
Succulents need good drainage lest their roots rot. But a little-known fact about these remarkable plants is that they’re fine in non-draining containers, providing the soil stays barely moist and is never soggy.
So, fill a repurposed sugar bowl, flour sifter, coffee mug or colander with cactus mix (available by the bag at nurseries), then plant with succulent rosettes or stem cuttings. Cover bare soil with pebbles, and you’ll have a mini-garden perfect for a patio or windowsill, or a one-of-a-kind gift for a gardening friend.
Water succulents weekly in hot weather and monthly in cold. If in non-draining containers, dribble water at the base of the plants. Beyond that, all they need is good air circulation, lots of light and benign neglect.
Hens-and-chicks nest appropriately in the basin of a galvanized poultry fountain. Jade plant cuttings complete the charmingly witty composition.
Succulents for Starters
These gorgeous, easy-care and water-wise plants are becoming readily available at garden centers, nurseries and online sources.
Plant: Aeonium Zwartkop
Exposure: Sun
Height: 12-24 inches
Spacing: 8-14 inches
Hardy temperature: 25°F (-4°C)
Uses: In pots, flower beds and borders
Features: Tightly-packed leaf rosettes grow at the ends of stem-like branches, heat tolerant
Colors: Dark purple
Plant: Angelina Stonecrop Sedum rupestre ‘Angelina’
Exposure: Part Sun to Sun
Height: 3-6 inches
Spacing: 10-12 inches
Hardy temperature: -40°F (-40°C)
Uses: Perfect for containers and beds, and as a ground cover
Features: Striking needle-shaped foliage, heat tolerant
Colors: Chartreuse to brilliant golden yellow
Plant: Coppertone Stonecrop Sedum nussbaumerianum
Exposure: Part Sun to Sun
Height: 3-6 inches
Spacing: 6-8 inches
Hardy temperature: 25°F (-4°C)
Uses: In rock gardens, mixed containers and desert plantings
Features: Cylindrical foliage turns coppery yellow in full sun. Produces globular clusters of tiny white flowers, January through April
Colors: Yellow-green to yellow-bronze
Plant: ‘Topsy Turvy’ Echeveria runyonii
Exposure: Part Sun to Sun
Height: 4-6 inches
Spacing: 6-10 inches
Hardy temperature: 25°F (-4°C)
Uses: Great in containers, appealing gift plant
Features: Fleshy, spherical rosettes of pointed and creased, inward-curving leaves
Colors: Silvery gray
Plant: Baby Jade Crassula ovate arborescens
Exposure: Part Sun to Sun
Height: 8-16 inches
Spacing: 8-14 inches
Hardy temperature: 25°F (-4°C)
Uses: In mixed cactus containers, landscapes and beds, or as a windowsill plant
Features: Glossy round leaves on diminutive branching shrubs produce starry white flowers
Colors: Red-rimmed green leaves
Plant: Campfire Crassula coccinea ‘Campfire’
Exposure: Sun
Height: 12-24 inches
Spacing: 8-10 inches
Hardy temperature: 35°F (2°C)
Uses: Lends brilliant color to beds, borders, hanging baskets, wreaths and container gardens
Features: Striking coloration and an interesting form make this succulent a stand-out
Colors: Red (with full sun)
Plant: Cobweb Houseleek Sempervivum arachnoideum
Exposure: Sun
Height: 2-4 inches
Spacing: 6-10 inches
Hardy temperature: -20°F (-29°C)
Uses: Tuck into the pockets of strawberry jars and use as a filler in potted combos
Features: White-webbed rosettes form tight clusters
Colors: Green and white
Plant: ‘Bronco’ hens-and-chicks Sempervivum hybrid
Exposure: Sun
Height: 2-4 inches
Spacing: 6-10 inches
Hardy temperature: -20°F (-29°C)
Uses: Great for rock gardens and containers
Features: Forms colonies of pointed-leaf rosettes
Colors: Green tipped with purple
Plant: Partridge Breast Aloe Aloe variegata
Exposure: Part Sun to Sun
Height: 4-8 inches
Spacing: 4-8 inches
Hardy temperature: 20°F (-7°C)
Uses: Useful for adding height to container gardens
Features: Striped leaves overlap to form a fan-shaped plant
Colors: Green and white
Plant: Ghost Plant Graptopetalum paraguayense
Exposure: Part Sun to Sun
Height: 4-12 inches
Spacing: 4-8 inches
Hardy temperature: 25°F (-4°C)
Uses: In containers, beds and hanging baskets
Features: Rosettes on ever-lengthening stems become pendant over time
Colors: Blue-gray to pinkish-yellow
Plant: Echeveria ‘Perle von Nurnberg’
Exposure: Sun
Height: 6-10 inches
Spacing: 6-10 inches
Hardy temperature: 25°F (-4°C)
Uses: In rock gardens and container compositions
Features: Produces teacup-sized rosettes
Colors: Purple-pink
Plant: Blue Glow Agave ‘Blue Glow’
Exposure: Sun
Height: 18-24 inches
Spacing: 18-24 inches
Hardy temperature: 5°F (-15°C)
Uses: Beautiful in landscapes or containers, especially backlit by the sun
Features: A magnificent hybrid with red-edged leaves
Colors: Blue
© Caruth Studio