There’s a good reason holiday cacti are among the most popular succulents. Easter cacti (a.k.a. spring cacti) are relatively easy and undemanding houseplants, non-toxic to pets and small children, and if cared for properly, produce a dazzling array of flowers that brighten up the months when most plants look drab. Holiday cacti (so named because … Read more
Succulents are beloved as houseplants not only because of their interesting foliage but also for their flowers – although it is usually small or less interesting than the leaves. You’ll also need patience as many succulents do not flower until they reach maturity. Some may even need to be coaxed to flower under the … Read more
While many other houseplants are content with commercially available potting soil, succulents want excellent drainage, better than you’ll find in any pre-mixed product from the store. Making your own potting mix is easy, saves you money, and grows robust succulents quickly, free from pests and disease. Beyond providing the basics (sun and water), there is … Read more
Visual illusions, anything from shadow puppets to the art of M.C. Escher, have an entrancing quality. Many plant lovers enjoy the visual pun-play involved in raising plants that mimic other plants or animals, such as string of pearls (a.k.a. string of peas), Psychotria elata (a.k.a. hooker’s lips), or Orchis italica (the naked man orchid). If … Read more
In the 1970s, a man named Gary Dahl became a millionaire selling Pet Rocks. This “toy” was literally a smooth gray stone that came nestled into a straw bed inside a cardboard box perforated with “breathing holes,” along with a 32-page tongue-in-cheek instruction manual for its proper care and feeding. While the original Pet Rock … Read more
It can be just as difficult to figure out how to feed your succulents as it is to decide how to feed yourself. If you’ve researched succulents, you’ve probably come across opinions ranging from “succulents never need to be fertilized” to “fertilize with Miracle Grow monthly” and everything in between. In this article, we’ll explain … Read more
Since the 1980s, a hens and chicks plant has been growing on an old tree stump in my grandmother’s flower bed in Indiana, USDA zone 6. It has survived forty years or more despite annual snowstorms, without any maintenance, fertilizer, or even soil to grow in. Sempervivum is just as attractive as it is resilient, … Read more
Don’t eat these peas! The succulent known as string of pearls—otherwise known as string of beads or string of peas, for obvious reasons once you’ve seen it—is poisonous. However, in a pet and toddler-free household string of pearls makes an ideal houseplant. The long trailing stems festooned with round green leaves that look just like … Read more
Does your succulent look like an adolescent—tall, gangly, and awkward, with limbs that look thin as toothpicks? Does it resemble a Charlie Brown Christmas tree more than it does than the bushy succulent you brought home from the store? What did you do wrong? The simple answer is that your succulent is leggy (or, in … Read more
If your succulents are covered in little white crumbs, it isn’t because your significant other was eating crackers over them. The problem is more likely mealybugs , a species of scale. And, they are the most common pest that infests succulents. Eliminating mealybugs can be a daunting challenge, but there are some good strategies you … Read more
Many people have a love-hate relationship with their mother, so it makes sense that Mother of Thousands, Kalanchoe daigremontiana, is considered both a charming and beloved houseplant and a toxic invasive weed. Its bluish-green foliage is eye-catching, mainly because it grows dozens of adorable baby plantlets along the edges of its leaves. Once they fall … Read more
Bear Paw, Cotyledon tomentosa, is an adorable and easy to grow succulent known for its chubby, hairy paws with ridges at the tip reminiscent of little claws. It can also produce small bell-shaped flowers that vary in color from yellow-green to red-orange. But how do you grow and care for this succulent? If you aren’t … Read more
There’s a common misconception that succulents are idiot-proof. Succulents are mostly low maintenance and resilient to neglect, but that doesn’t make them immortal. Growing a plant from a semi-desert and in a north-facing window in Wisconsin is asking a lot. So if your succulent is wilting, discolored, or covered in bugs, don’t take it personally; … Read more
There is no one perfect succulent pot. The truth is most pots and planters will work, but there are advantages and disadvantages to each. Different kinds of pots will create slightly different care needs for your succulents (for example, affecting how often you water). This guide will help you choose the best pot for your … Read more
You (yes, you!) are definitely capable of growing a healthy succulent. After all, succulents are resilient, low-maintenance plants that grow abundantly in environments that would challenge most plants. However, when you take a plant from Mozambique or Mexico and grow it in Maine or Minnesota, some challenges are inevitable. And, for many houseplant lovers, it … Read more
The word propagation may sound intimidatingly scientific, but take heart. Reproducing your succulents couldn’t be easier. The joints of succulent leaves and stems contain special “meristem” tissue–like human stem cells–designed to replicate the plant when a leaf drops off a plant and falls to the ground. In other words, succulents easily replicate themselves without human … Read more
For many people, a house isn’t really a home without two things: pets and plants. Flora and fauna can be compatible cohabitants, but not all plants are pet-safe. Even the most well-behaved pets will occasionally snack on a succulent. And, many popular, attractive succulents are highly poisonous that can lead to medical emergencies and the … Read more
Succulents are supposed to be so easy to grow that anyone can do it. But if you’ve killed a succulent with root rot or let it dehydrate to a crisp, you aren’t the only one. Watering succulents isn’t as easy as it seems because they do not drink water the same as most other plants. … Read more
Coppertone Sedum has a split personality. It is a dramatic, gold, and coral succulent that grows into short bushes and spreads as ground cover when grown outdoors. Indoors, it is a cute but easily overlooked succulent, with leaves like green bananas just beginning to ripen. Wherever you grow it, Coppertone succulent is a resilient, low-maintenance … Read more
Lipstick echeveria is a popular, attractive, low-maintenance succulent. It grows well in an arrangement with other potted succulents and looks great in warm-weather gardens, on its own in a small pot, or even in warm-weather rock gardens. Plus, you don’t even need a green thumb to grow lipstick echeveria – all it requires is a … Read more
