Horticulture Principles and Practices

FIGURE 14–10 Stone crop (Sedum) (Source:
Jonathan Buckley © Dorling Kindersley)
FIGURE 14–11 Haworthia tessellate (Source: Deni
Brown © Dorling Kindersley)
is used as grounds covers or container plants. They are easy to propagate from leaves, as
well as from cuttings and seed, for example, S. spathulifolium, S. spurium, and S. procumbens.
456 Chapter 14 Growing Succulents
Faucaria
Native to South Africa, these plants are very good as “practice plants” for the novice who
wants to grow succulents at home. They are easy to propagate, rooting easily from vegetative
parts. Should the plant begin to rot as a result of improper care, the grower may
salvage the plant by retrieving a healthy part for planting in fresh soil. They are sunloving
plants. Their beauty is in their compact form, which is a challenge to keep since the
stem tends to elongate under improper care, especially low light and moisture in the rest
period. Their flowers are relatively large for their size.
Haworthia
These plants are native to South African and Namibia. They occur either as a solitary
plant or as short plants surrounded by a cluster of offshoots (Figure 14–11). They
bloom once a year. However, because the flowers are unattractive, some growers prefer
to cut the flower stalk when it emerges, to encourage more leaf growth. As houseplants,
they may be located in the window where the sunlight is indirect. They grow
mostly in the cool winter months and rarely outgrow their initial containers. They are
not exacting in their demands for growth factors and can tolerate improper watering
practices.
The plant families that contain succulents include Agavaceae, Aizoaceae, Asclepiadaceae,
Compositae, Crassulaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Liliaceae, and Cactaceae. Because
of their immense capacity to store water, succulents can survive as indoor plants with
minimum care. A list of various succulents is provided in Table 14–1.