The Textures of a Succulent Garden

The blooming aloe is drawing all eyes to the succulent garden in our Tree Grove this week. This garden is tucked away at the south entrance next to the Andersonville Magnolia. We’ve been working recently to add a variety of plants to this little garden to showcase the amazing colors and textures that succulents have to offer.

Succulents plants are those that have adapted to arid conditions by developing the ability to retain water during extended dry periods. Water storage often gives these plants a fleshy, swollen appearance – giving rise to the descriptive name “succulent”. Succulents often have reduced or even absent leaves, and many use their stems for photosynthesis instead. They have shallow root systems, allowing them to soak up any moisture available on the surface, and you’ll often find them growing out of a crack in the rock with little or no soil nearby.

The most commonly recognized succulent is the cactus. However, there are a great many more varieties of succulents, all with their own fascinating shapes, colors, and adaptations. The larger succulents in our garden include prickly pear cactus, yucca, and aloe. We also have a variety of smaller sedums, and portulaca in several colors.

Succulent gardens have become very popular as part of the water-saving trend of xeriscaping, but Florida’s hot and humid summers can present problems for succulents if they are planted in areas where the soil retains too much moisture after heavy rains. If you notice your succulents starting to rot, they need to be moved to a different area. Give them lots of sun and the poorest, driest soil you have… they couldn’t be happier! 

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