If a gardener wants to get green and really conserve water usage in his garden he should consider succulents. Succulent plants are very drought tolerant and have their own water storage centers. These hardy plants are perfect for xeriscaping and desert gardening. Interested in some really interesting plants to put out that will not need much water? Then here are some popular succulent plants to consider.
Pencil Tree
The pencil tree can also be known as the milkbush or finger tree and is botanically named Euphorbia tirucalli. It is a drought tolerant succulent that is evergreen. Commonly found in Africa, they can grow twenty to thirty feet high and six to ten feet wide. Fleshy leaves are thin and light green while the tiny flowers are hard to see in the bracts. Plant a pencil tree in full sun with dry soil. It will be hardy in USDA zones of 10b and 11. To propagate a pencil tree, use cuttings that have had the sap dry before putting into the potting medium.
Showy Sedum
Showy sedum is also called balloon plant or showy stonecrop and is botanically called Sedum spectabile. It is a butterfly attracting perennial succulent that gets 24 inches tall and the same in width. Blue-green leaves are fleshy and tooth, growing 36 inches long. Pink star-shaped flowers are on top of pinkish-green stems. The blooms are about six inches wide. Plant this in well-drained sandy soils in full sun conditions. It will be hardy in USDA zones of 4 through 9. Propagation should be from leaf cuttings or stem cuttings.
Cape Aloe
Cape aloe can be called the bitter aloe or tap aloe but is botanically named Aloe ferox. It is from the lily family, an evergreen perennial, and is good for container gardening. It will get between six and 10 feet high with thick fleshy leaves and red-brown spines. Orange-red blooms flower 24 to 48 inches higher than the leaves. It should be planted in well-drained soil with full sun conditions. Hardiness for the cape aloe is zones 9 through 11 on the USDA hardiness map. The plants should be propagated by stem cuttings or by seed planting.
Crown of Thorns
The crown of thorns succulent is a drought tolerant plant that goes by Christ plant, Christ thorns, or Euphorbia millii. It grows 36 inches tall and 24 inches wide with spiny succulent leaves in bright green. There are times when leaves will drop off at maturity and leave the plant leafless. It should grow well in poor soil that is well-drained and in full sun. It is a hardy plant in USDA zones of 8 through 11 and should be propagated from cuttings.
Succulents are interesting desert gardening staples that do well outdoors and make for some maintenance-free indoor gardening. Choices are wide and mainly are up to the gardener’s own personal preferences.
For More Succulents:
Floridata Cactus/Succulent List:
Tina Samuels - Tina Samuels specializes in health, animal, and gardening articles. She authored "A Georgia Native Plant Guide".
