Succulents are nature's gift to lazy gardeners! They need little or no water. They thrive in hot and dry spots. They are so easy to propagate - cut and plant!
We had such an unloved spot at the back of the house. It is a sunny spot but the neighbour's trees don't allow a single drop of rain to reach the soil. It was the perfect spot for us to try out a new species of plants called Succulents. Succulents are quite attractive and come in great variety.
Echeveria Elegans 'Mexican Snowball' had a nice rosette of pale green fleshy leaves. The leaves were rounded at the edges. It also has a a tall pink stem growing out of the rosette which has a flower at the end. Unfortunately, that flower died all too soon.
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| Echeveria |
Aeonium Schwarzkopf is a maroon coloured succulent with leaves arranged in a rosette on a taller stem. These leaves were much thinner than the other succulents and the stem was much taller too.
Sempervium are the most organised looking succulents to my mind! They are perfectly symmetrical and have layers of fleshy leaves. Their leaves are pointed at the end so they look more formal than the Echeveria. And it started sending out 'pups', or new shoots, very soon!
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| Sempervium 1 |
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| Sempervium 2 |
Sedum Jelly Bean had fleshy beans on a stem, with a tinge of red at the tip of the bean.
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| Jelly Bean |
Crassula Surprise Party is a hairy bluish green succulent.
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| Crassula Surprise Party |
Crassula Gollum is very interesting to look at! It has green fingers that resemble an underwater plant.
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| Gollum |
Mesembryanthemum White Pig Face has an interesting name, but I am not sure why it is called 'Pig Face'. The plant has spikey, fleshy leaves and has equally spikey flowers.
Actinotus helianthi Starbright looks like the whole plant has been made by velvet cloth! The leaves look unreal and are shaped perfectly. The flower is the same colour as the rest of the plant and also feels like velvet.
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| Starbright |
Kalanchoe is a difficult to pronounce succulent! We ended up confusing one of the younger staff at the nursery when we asked for this plant. It has round fleshy leaves and very compact flowers that grow in a bunch.
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| Kalanchoe |
Our succulent planting area is not fully setup yet. Their hardy nature and ability to withstand anything has made us a bit complacent in finding them a settled spot in the garden bed.
