Facts About Succulents

Succulents are more interesting than you think! Get to know succulents with these fun and fascinating facts.

1. What Is a Succculent?

One of our facts about succulents might surprise you. "Succulent" is a loose term with no single definition. It refers to any plant that has fleshy leaves, stems, or roots that store moisture to withstand drought.

2. Succulent flowers once a decade

The name century plant might make you think it blooms every 100 years, but it actually blooms every 10 to 15 years.

3. Some Gardeners Can Grow Succulents Outdoors

Some say the echeveria is the most impressive of all succulents. If you live in zones 9 through 11, try this beauty in the garden; It is a classic drought tolerant rosette succulent. Everyone else? Grow it as a houseplant or in an outdoor container during the warmer months.

4. Aloe vera attracts hummingbirds

There are more than 250 species of cactus plants in the world. In the United States, cacti are commonly grown outdoors only in Florida, California, and Texas. Residents of those states may notice hummingbirds stopping by flowering cactus plants to sip nectar!

5. Are Cacti and Succulents the Same?

Cacti alone make up more than 1,300 species of the succulent group. However, keep one of our truths about succulents in mind: All cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are cacti.

6. Succulents are versatile garden plants

Succulents are amazingly diverse because they can be used in so many ways across the landscape. Try one of these five ways: container, roof gardens, vertical gardens, garden beds and borders, and rock gardens.

7. Some Succulents Are Cold Hardy

Living in the North doesn't mean you can't attract a little desert to the backyard. Cultivars from these three hardy groups are great options for cold-weather gardeners.