Low-Maintenance Succulent Plants to Grow
Are you a person who loves to grow plants, wasn’t gifted with a “green thumb”, or just doesn’t have a lot of extra time to garden? Succulents are the ideal choice for you! Not only are they effortless to care for, but they aren’t nearly as thirsty or hungry as other plants! Below is a low-maintenance succulent list to get you started!
The Coppertone sedum is a small, succulent plant with a light green or orange appearance. It grows best in sunny environments. Originally native to Mexico, the Coppertone sedum has spread around the world as a windowsill plant, and is especially popular in the Canary Islands and Italy.
Foxtail agave (Agave attenuata) is an agave species native to the State of Jalisco in central Mexico. Foxtail agave is a popular ornamental species in gardens in subtropical climates. This species grows best in loamy soil protected from direct sunlight. This species may die if it is exposed to prolonged periods of frost.
Aloe vera is an evergreen succulent species native to the Arabian Peninsula. The thick leaves are filled with gooey flesh that stores water for survival in its native desert territories. Aloe vera has become a popular houseplant and is also incorporated into a wide range of cosmetics and skin-care products.
Flaming katy (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana) originates from Madagascar and has been a popular houseplant since the 1930s. Unlike most other succulents that are grown for their interesting leaves, Kalanchoe blossfeldiana is valued for the colorful flowerheads it produces in autumn and winter. This is the reason it is commonly gifted during holidays, earning it another name – Christmas kalanchoe. It is toxic to pets.
“Sempervivum” means “always living” in Latin. Adapted to droughts, baking sun, and cold winters of their native south European mountains, the Common houseleek can truly live through almost anything. It has been grown for centuries on roofs of European houses as it was believed to deter lightning strikes. Young houseleeks grow around the mother plant, earning it the alternative name “Hens and Chicks.”
String of pearls is a succulent vine that looks like its common name, with small bubbles or pearls growing along its length. The String of pearls blooms with white flowers that have brightly colored stamens and a fragrance similar to cinnamon. With its cascading tendrils, the String of pearls makes a wonderful display in a hanging basket.
Ghost plant (Graptopetalum paraguayense) is a succulent native to the Mexican state of Tamaulipas and commonly grown as a houseplant or a garden plant. It features ornamental trailing rosettes that turn yellow-pink when grown in a sunny spot or greenish-to-bluish-grey in the shade. It is sometimes confused with another succulent, Echeveria.
Looking like a miniature fairytale tree, Jade plant is one of the world’s most popular succulents. Native to southern regions of Africa, it is well adapted to the dry warm air of modern homes. It grows slowly but lives for so long that plants get passed from generation to generation. It is toxic to dogs, cats, and horses, and even mildly toxic to humans.
Christmas cactus is a flowering plant that blooms around Christmastime. It has bright colors and a large number of flowers, creating a rich and cheerful holiday vibe. Its flowers are terminal on stalk apexes and have a long flowering season of up to 3 months. The flowers are multi-colored, usually purple, white, orange, and bright red. Its stalk is also peculiarly shaped like a crab leg.
Elephant bush (Portulacaria afra) is a succulent native to South Africa, easily recognized by its small, rounded green leaves and crimson stems. This cute semi-evergreen succulent is cultivated as an ornamental, most commonly in xeriscaping, and as a bonsai plant.