If you’ve been looking at my “Succulent of the Month” posts, you may have noticed that I include the name of the plant’s “variety” in its description. Because I’ve done a few of these posts now, I thought that I would be helpful to give you all a better understanding of what this means. One thing that is so amazing about succulents is their diversity. Within the name “succulent” there are hundreds of different kinds of plants of all color, shapes, textures, and sizes. Succulent varieties help us to organize all of these plants into smaller groups so that we can understand them better. Knowing a plant’s type will help tell you what shape that plant will have, how large it will be, common colors and how it reproduces. They are also just fun to learn about! There are many succulent varieties so I’m not going to cover them all. But, over the course of this post and the next, I plan on showing you some of the major ones and telling you a little bit about them. Enjoy! Echeverias are probably the most popular variety and what most people picture when they hear the word "succulent." They are every color of the rainbow even white (echeveria 'Lola') and black (echeveria 'Black Prince'). Echeverias all share a "rosette" or flower-like shape with fleshy leaves and reproduce by propagation (leaves which when removed grow baby plants). They are typically short plants and can get up to a few feet in diameter. However, most echeverias that you will find will be about the size of your palm. Echeverias are a sun-loving variety and will turn very colorful if you give them direct sunlight. However, if they don't get enough light they will stretch and lose their beautiful shape. Sempervivums are very similar to echeverias, and the two are often mixed up. The main difference is that sempervivums have thinner leaves and usually tighter rosettes. Sempervivums also tend to have more intense bold colors while echeverias are often pastels. They are also cold-hardy, which means that they can thrive outside all year round, even in Michigan! Sempervivum are sometimes called "Hens and Chicks" because the reproduced by off-shoots, baby plants that grow beside the mother. The Senecio variety is a weird one. There doesn't seem to be a main element that they have in common, although some of the individual members are definitely similar. This is because within the Senecio variety, there are other groupings. For example, 'String of Pearls' and 'String of Bananas' are trailing Senecios while 'Blue Chalk Sticks' are ground cover Senecio. All Senecios are shades or silver, blue or green and have small flowers. The Crassula variety is another one with lots of interesting shapes. One of the most famous Crassulas is the jade plant. Many Crassulas, like String of Buttons, have leaves that look like they are "stacked" on top of each other. They are mostly green with orange or white edges. I find that Crassulas make greats "fillers" in arrangements when they are clumped together or "thrillers" because of their height. Stay tuned for my next post where I'll introduce you to a few more varieties!
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Megan KamperHi! I am the creator of Thrive Living Art! I love to learn about how to help plants thrive, and then combine that knowledge with my creativity to make living art! On my blog, you'll learn more about taking care of succulents and other plants. You'll also find out what Thrive is up to, and where I'll be selling my art next! Buy your creation in person!Archives
December 2020
Are you struggling to keep your plants alive?Get some advice!
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