Succulents: Have You Ever Heard of These Things?
A succulent moment is in the air right now, that is for sure. But since they are so easy to care for, come in just about any color, and are quite adorable, we think their popularity has long overdue. This is what you need to know before you buy stonecrops or agave plants:
Succulents come from dry, desert regions.
In areas with long dry seasons (such as Africa), succulents emerged first because their leaves retain water.
Their name comes from the thick leaves that are filled with sap.
A succulent is defined by the Latin word sucus, which means to produce juice or sap. These plants thrive in sunlight and dry air, so you only have to water them once a week since they thrive in sun and nutrients from their leaves.
About 60 plant families contain succulents.
This includes Cactaceae (cacti) and Xanthorrhoeaeceae (which contain aloe vera).
There are 'em in just about every color of the rainbow.
It's common to see succulents in green shades, but you can also find succulents in blue, purple, pink, orange, and red!
Generally, fuzzy cactus types are pest resistent.
Another reason these plants are so easy to care for. (If you experience issues with your succulent and it's outside, you may be dealing with scale or aphids. If it is inside, then fungus gnats, mealybugs, woolly aphids, or spider mites could be to blame.
Cuttings of succulent plants can be used to grow new plants.
It's called propagating. Simply snip off a succulent leaf, let it dry in the sun, and plant it in dirt and water.
Succulents are often mistaken for cacti.
All succulents are cacti, but not all cacti are succulents. Its thorns are what makes it a cactus, which are basically its leaves.
Succulents have been named after donkey tails.
Do you think it's remarkably sophisticated?
An actual Christmas cactus looks rather like a succulent poinsettia.
Because they bloom just in time for Christmas, their name is very festive.
Succulent jewelry grows with you when you wear it.
With these low maintenance plants, you can show off your green thumb for weeks at a time.