Aloe jucunda, a mini aloe with spiny leaves.
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Sedum spurium - photo by Jan Havránek. Hens & Chicks, Sempervivum tectorum.
Growing Made Simple WRITTEN BY Angela Quayle
Succulents are a big trend in Southwest gardening. They come in a myriad of shapes, sizes and colors to delight the senses and they do well with very little care. But not all succulents are created equal – and not all do well in the high desert. A lot of succulents are tropical plants and they won’t survive our cold winters. Or the grower tells you the plant needs full sun and it cooks in our summer sun. You just need to pick the right succulent for the right spot. Put the cold-hardy ones like agave and sedum outside in the garden and keep the tropic plants like aloe and crassula in pots indoors or on a sheltered porch. And take the grower’s suggestions with a grain of salt. Most of them are from California and the sun isn’t as intense. Three hours of sun per day is plenty for those outside plants. The great thing about succulents is that once you have them someplace they’re happy – inside or outside – you can forget about them and they’ll forgive you. They’ll shrivel up when they’re thirsty, but they’ll plump right back up after you water them. You can, however, kill them with kindness. Too much water and attention and they’ll rot and die.
The succulent garden at the Sherman Library & Gardens in Corona del Mar, California. Photo by Jane Johnson. Crassula capitella ‘campfire’ Photo by Eric Hunt.
An inside succulent garden in a ceramic pot. Photo by Loft32.
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I am always trying to find new succulents and I get excited when I find a new one I didn’t know was cold hardy. I love Hens & Chicks and there is a new kind this year called “Black” that is beautiful. I love the shape and the way the little “chicks” grow around the “hen.” Sedum does really well here too, and it comes in all kinds. “Autumn Joy” or a new one called “Frosty Morn” are great because they’re more upright. Most sedums trail close to the ground. The leaves are beautiful and then they get flowers as well. Another good upright succulent is the Ghost Plant, although it needs partial shade. It has thick leaves that will cook in the sun. If you want to put succulents in a sunny spot, try a variety of Agaves. These larger succulents are native to the Southwest desert, and can really take the heat. Spurium sedums are trailing plants and they come in all different colors. They come in bright green, variegated yellow, red and purple. And then you add the flowers. All of them do well in the ground, or all succulents are great in pots. I like to mix and match – put a tall plant, a medium and then one trailing over the edge.
Sherman Library & Gardens Assorted succulents in a copper bowl. Photo by Loft32.
For the more delicate succulents, you can have them on a shaded patio with plenty of light and then take them inside in October. Or just let them die and get new ones next year. Terrariums are popular right now, but you have to be careful with succulents. If they are in a real terrarium, you really don’t need to water them at all. And you have to be careful they don’t rot. They do better under a bell jar or some covering that gives them more circulation. For indoor pots, aloes are popular. There are all types of aloes – they have the spiky leaves but come in different colors and some are even striped like the Zebra Plant. I like the fleshy leaves and how easy they are to care for. In folklore they are supposed to bring luck, not to mention helping you heal cuts and burns. Crassulas – the Jade Plant and its relatives – are good inside. They also have a lot of shapes. Some have thick triangle leaves and some have flatter ones. And the stems add to the interesting shape. And there are the Echeverias. These are small and rosette shaped and some are even fuzzy!
Growing Succulents
Succulents can be grown in any kind of welldrained soil and they need plenty of light, although not necessarily direct sunlight. Make sure you don’t soak them. A light watering a bit more often is better than deep waterings farther apart. Think about how natural rain falls – it mists onto the leaves and soaks down, but not too much at a time.
Aloe maculata, also know as Zebra Plant.
Most of all, don’t overthink it. Succulents really are easy to grow. Just get one and put it on your windowsill, somewhere you’ll see it often. A kitchen or bathroom is a good place to start because they tend to have good light and there is water handy if the plant needs it. If the soil is completely dry or the leaves start to look shriveled, give it some water. Otherwise leave it alone. If you’re not sure what kind of succulent to start with, don’t be afraid to ask at the garden center. Corner one of the staff and ask them what they grow themselves. It’s a great place to start. Kathryn van Roosendaal contributed to this story.
Graptopetalum paraguayense, also known as Ghost Plant
Mixed succulents in a glass bowl with gravel.
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