Succulents come in endless varieties. We have searched for the most popular and beautiful types of succulents for you.
Most people have a few succulents in their house, and they come in all sorts of shapes. The term "succulent" originally derives from the Latin "suculentus", which means something like "juicy" or "rich in juice". The unusual plants take advantage of this water-storing property to defy even extreme drought in their natural environment. The variety of desert plants is immense, so we present the most important types of succulents below.
Succulent species: Identify safely and correctly
Succulents have the property that they store water in their tissues. This allows them to survive for a long time in areas where it rains very little or only periodically at long intervals. In these regions there are usually special climate and soil conditions, so the different growth forms of succulents are no wonder.
The different types of succulents can be divided into three large groups: depending on where their water storage tissue is located, a distinction is made between trunks -, root and leaf succulents. An exact determination is usually quite difficult, since there are a large number of families, genera and species with succulent growth and they are very similar. This can be remedied by special identification books for succulents, which provide detailed information about the special species.
Succulent species: The 10 most popular and beautiful species
- Aloe Vera: A true classic among succulents, characterized by its thick-fleshed leaves and desert-like appearance; can be used as a sunburn remedy.
- Acanthocalycium spiniflorum: Small but spiny cactus; one of the best-selling cacti in the trade; the spherical cactus plant is perfect for pot culture.
- Disocactusackermannii: popular leaf cactus with long-growing shoots; suitable as a hanging plant; also known as Epiphyllum ackermannii.
- Echeveria: Includes several species, all of which belong to the succulent family (Crassulaceae); easy-care rosette plant; perfect for the house.
- Gastariums: Popular succulents for indoor cultivation; small stature and thick leaves.
- Gymnocalycium: Classic, small, round cactus; very spreading flowers compared to the size of the plant; long spikes.
- Lithops: Also known as "Living Stones"; easy to care for and small growth.
- Opuntias: prickly pear cacti with sometimes very tall growth; popular for their sweet fruits and classic looks.
- Schlumbergera: Also known as the Christmas cactus; bushy growth with thick fleshy leaves and red to pink flowers.
- Sempervivum: In German referred to as houseleek; very diverse genus and extremely resistant to heat and cold.
Succulents: hardy and hardy species
Even though succulents like cacti have the reputation of being a classic desert plant, some species are still able to cope with the frosty winter temperatures in this country. Keep in mind that succulents are generally masters of adaptation, which is why they evolved their signature growth habit.
You can easily cultivate the following species in the garden all year round without fear of the succulents dying off:
- Opuntias: The classic American cacti not only feel good in the heat, but sometimes also endure the frosty winters in Germany. Hardy species are for example Opuntia engelmanii and Opuntia cymochila.
- Yucca: The prickly palm lilies are not only a popular plant in the home, but depending on the species, are also suitable for overwintering in the garden. The following species are hardy: Yucca filamentosa and Yucca gloriosa.
- Supervivum: This very hardy succulent easily withstands temperature extremes in both directions and requires little care. Example: Supervivum tectorum.
- Escobaria: The cactus, which originates from Canada to Mexico, is one of the particularly cold-resistant succulents and easily withstands the winter in Central Europe. Example: Escobaria vivipara.
Most people know succulents as green and hardy plants that require little maintenance. But did you know that there are also flowering representatives? Introducing some succulents with flowers.