I Think You’re Succulent

Love plants but never seem to be able to keep them alive? We’ve got a succulent for that!

These fleshy florae know how to put up a fight in the harshest conditions. Yet, they are hailed as

must-haves for their simplicity in care and exotic looks. In this guide, we explore the wonders of keeping a succulent garden and how to spruce up your space with them.

Unravelling succulents

Succulents come from the Latin word 'sucus,' meaning ‘juice’ or ‘sap’ for their fleshy, water-storing leaves, stems or roots. They originate from dry and desert regions on continents worldwide, apart from Antarctica. As they grow well in arid climates, they need little water and thrive in sunlight.

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Succulents come in a variety of types and colours, some of which include:

• Agaves — appear like artichokes with a rosette shape, originate from the Americas, vastly range in size • Aloes — tapered and serrated, fleshy leaves filled with gel. They create starfish-like rosettes with bright orange and yellow bloom spikes • Cacti — this variety of succulent often includes spines and come in many shapes (round, columnar, or paddle-like stems) • Crassulas — come in two distinct varieties stacked or branching. Are either silvery grey, bright yellow or variegated cream and green with a bit of red • Echeverias — iconic succulents with tightly formed rosettes, creating ‘hen and chick’ clusters. Appear like cabbage on continually growing stalks • Euphorbias — include non-succulents. These instead have milky sap (sometimes hazardous irritants or toxic) with bead-like flowers • Kalanchoes — colourful tiny flowers or with felt-covered leaves. Great in hot climates as they are heat resistant and quite tough • Portulacaria — a small-leaved succulent plant found in South Africa. Has reddish stems and green leaves, but variegated versions are also available • Sedum — trailing succulents with stacked and concentric or bean-shaped leaves, with star- shaped blooms in summer. Great for rock gardens, fillers for containers or as ground covers • Senecio — come in a wide variety of shapes and colours of deep green, bluish, or striped with thick and fleshy leaves. Flowers are daisy-like and yellow, or red-orange puffs, which eventually bloom dry into dandelion-like tufts

If you intend to keep them indoors, make sure to plant them in well-draining soil and keep to watering them minimally (about once per week). You can also use pebbles or marbles to cover growing mediums for your potted succulents.

BENEFITS OF SUCCULENTS

Waterwise plants

You’ll save on water and reap a glorious garden with colourful groundcovers and indigenous shrubs with their minimal water needs. Can’t go wrong there!

Relatively pest-free

These plants are hardy, not just for their waterwise properties in the garden, but are also pest-resistant. Although, you may experience bacterial or fungal diseases if you overwater them indoors. Rare cases of pests may include scale, mealybugs or spider mites.

Highly adaptable

They can thrive in either high light and low moisture, to wet and humid environments.

Dynamic plants

These plants double as healing tools. Not only are they great for medical use (they can reduce high blood pressure, cure sore throats and skin ailments) — but also act as a mood booster! Their colourful presence uplifts spaces and assists in aiding focus. Altogether a delightful decoration or thoughtful gift.