Selecting succulents for planting in the ground in the garden. Types of succulents with photos and names Garden succulents types
Ground cover plants that bloom all summer or cover the ground with a thick green carpet can emphasize the beauty of a garden or summer cottage, shade tall plants, and hide minor defects in a flower garden or alpine hill. Creeping flowers also look original in single compositions, complemented by stones, garden lanterns, conifers or hostas.
To choose groundcover perennials suitable for the landscape, varieties, photos and descriptions of which will be presented below, it is worth familiarizing yourself not only with the names, but also with the conditions for their cultivation.
Plants no more than 20 cm high are ideal for decorating a rock garden, alpine slide or ridge made of wooden boards in a small summer cottage. Low-growing groundcovers look especially beautiful in groups with fluffy hostas, junipers, thujas or against the background of tall flowers. To choose fast-growing groundcover perennials for your dacha or garden, it is worth studying the list of plants given below with photos and a brief description.
Creeping thyme (thyme)
Thyme is a perennial lodging subshrub with peduncles-semi-shoots 15-20 cm high. Its creeping stems take root at the base with age, become woody, forming a thick green carpet. The plant has hard oblong-oval leaves, forms pinkish-violet small flowers at the ends of the branches, collected in inflorescences, and after flowering - spherical fruits of black-brown color.
Creeping thyme (or thyme) is an unpretentious perennial that grows well even in poor soils. It is quite frost-resistant and easily tolerates drought and heat. It is better to plant it in a lighted place, protected from winds and drafts.
Omphalodes (umbilical cord)
These are low-growing perennial groundcover with lanceolate leaves collected in rosettes. Flowers of a bright blue hue form inflorescences. The thickets on the site grow due to the numerous tendrils produced by the plant after flowering.
There are 2 types of omphalodes:
- Cappadocian;
- spring.
The navelworm prefers to grow in partial shade from shrubs and trees, on loose, well-moistened soil. In the photo below you can see how it blooms in the garden in summer.
Sedum
This groundcover perennial belongs to a large group of low-growing plants that have the ability to grow very quickly. There are many types of sedum, the most popular names are:
- hare cabbage;
- prominent;
- Carpathian;
- Kamchatka;
- hybrid;
- hexagonal;
- false;
- caustic;
- Lydian.
Sedum flowers are small, collected in corymbose inflorescences, and can be pink, yellow, white or red. Sedum blooms from June to September. It is advisable to plant the plant in a sunny area with dry soil. The photo below shows 2 varieties - sedum Aureum and sedum Kamchatsky.
Saxifrage
Saxifraga is a herbaceous rhizomatous plant that grows in natural conditions in alpine meadows. Usually reaches a height of 15-20 cm. It is distinguished by a powerful root system, creeping stems with rounded leaves collected in rosettes. Saxifraga blooms with white or pinkish-red flowers; it is undemanding to soil and watering. Requires good lighting and a small amount of crushed limestone in the soil.
Shade-loving groundcover perennials
Natural grass mats help change the appearance of any unsightly shaded area and are therefore indispensable in the modern landscape. Such thick carpets are used to create alpine slides, rockeries, and for decorating garden paths. Even in the shade, cover ornamental plants look beautiful and impressive, attracting the eye with their unusual foliage or small flowers.
Creeping tenacious
This creeping rhizomatous perennial features dark green leaves, blue candle-shaped inflorescences and easily rooted shoots. It quickly covers any areas of the soil, forming a dense carpet. The plant looks most beautiful in the shade or partial shade under trees. Red tenacious is valued by gardeners for its purple leaves, variegated for its creamy-yellow splashes on the foliage.
When grown in the sun, the leaves lose their decorative properties and the flowers become pale. It is better to plant tenacious on loamy soil, propagating by seeds or rosettes. There is no need to water and loosen the seedlings often.
Yasnotka
This perennial has long, recumbent stems that form a continuous carpet in the meadow. The leaves are heart-shaped, covered with a marble pattern. Flowers are collected in leaf axils. Lamia grows well in partial shade and loves cool and moist soil. After the soil dries out, the plant quickly restores its decorative properties if the stems are watered abundantly. Requires pruning after flowering.
Kopyten
It is a shade-tolerant plant that produces dense, slow-growing mats of round, dark green leaves. Small dark red flowers are hidden under them and are not decorative. The following types of hooves are known:
- European;
- caudate;
- Canadian.
The bushes need to be replanted every 3-4 years, as they die in one place. Hooves are cold-resistant, love slightly acidic or acidic soils, shade and infrequent watering.
Zelenchuk
Yellow Zelenchuk looks like a low bush with jagged leaves along the edges. It blooms at the end of May, forming yellow flowers collected in whorls of 6 pieces. In summer it produces creeping shoots that grow 1-1.5 m in length. Varieties with silver spots on the leaves or along the edges are popular. Zelenchuk prefers shady and semi-shady places, loves fertile soil and moderate watering. Propagated by shoots.
Plants creeping on the ground
When choosing creeping flowers for your garden, you should pay attention to creeping perennials with decorative leaves or beautiful flowers. Forming dense mats along paths, gazebos or in corners of the garden, such ground covers can fill voids in the area and divert attention from uneven terrain. Creeping plants can also be planted along the fence and added to garden compositions with stones and conifers.
Iberis evergreen
Iberia or Iberis is a herbaceous perennial that forms dense semi-bushes up to 30 cm high, up to 1 m in diameter. The leaves are evergreen, white flowers reach a size of 1.5 cm. Up to 1000 flowers can bloom on one plant, turning Iberis into a white cloud in the middle of a rockery or flower garden Flowering lasts from April to the end of May. Semi-shrubs prefer to grow on loose, dry soil and do not like even light shading.
Budra
Budra ivy is a perennial with creeping shoots covered with rounded leaves. Small lilac flowers are collected in whorls in the axils. In summer it produces numerous creeping shoots. The cover that is formed is short-lived, but budra grows well in the sand, in containers or near the foundation of a house. Propagates by self-sowing.
Gerbil (arenaria)
Forms low-growing mats of creeping shoots covered with greenish-glossy leaves and white star-shaped flowers collected in inflorescences. It grows quickly, resembling moss in appearance. Common varieties of gerbil include:
- mountain;
- turfy;
- purple.
It grows in sunny, well-dried areas, loves regular moisture, and is propagated by dividing the bush in late spring or early summer.
Periwinkle
The subshrub forms a low, dense cover of creeping shoots up to 20 cm high. It blooms profusely, for a long time, with pink, blue or white flowers. The leaves are oval, dark green, shiny, and can be variegated. The pubescent or herbaceous periwinkle grows most quickly, but these varieties do not overwinter in our latitudes. The plant prefers semi-shaded dry areas, fertile loose soil, and good drainage.
Beautiful low-growing flowers for the garden
Perennial ground cover flowers for the garden or cottage are chosen by those who want to give the site originality and brightness. These plants can be planted along paths, borders, in the foreground of flower beds and at the edge of the lawn. Long-flowering ground covers are also irreplaceable in compositions in the middle of a rock garden, an alpine hill, or on a rocky slope.
Purslane
This is a perennial plant that reproduces well by self-sowing. Having planted it on the site, every year you will be able to admire a multi-colored mat that blooms beautifully throughout the summer. The ground cover “for the lazy” does not require frequent watering, grows on any type of soil, loves sunny places, and is drought-resistant. Looks great in low flower beds, along the edges of garden paths, near a gazebo or porch of a house.
Phlox subulate
A beautifully flowering ground cover with needle-shaped leaves blooms from early spring, covering the ground in summer with a carpet of blue, pink or white flowers. Both one variety for uniformity and a mixture of subulate-shaped phlox are planted in one place, creating original compositions near stones, in lowlands, on slopes. The plant grows quickly and is propagated by seeds and cuttings.
Gardeners also plant another species in mixborders and ridges - splayed phlox. Its flowering is more rare, but the flowers are larger. The flower grows best in illuminated areas with any soil; it prefers moderate watering.
Carnation
Two types of carnations are usually planted in gardens - garden and grass, but sometimes Turkish, Chinese, and the Shabo variety are grown. This is a fragrant, beautiful flower with many shades. The plant is considered unpretentious, requiring only regular watering and weeding. The perennial garden carnation serves as an excellent decoration for the garden; in landscape design it is used to decorate flower beds, rockeries, and alpine slides.
The grass carnation feels good among pebbles, crushed stone, sand, and in illuminated places. It can be planted as a single ground cover or combined with other plants. Does not bloom in the shade.
Aubrietta
The long-flowering aubrietta likes to grow on dry soil, prefers sunny areas of the garden, with plenty of watering in hot weather. It rarely blooms in the shade and requires shelter for the winter. It is most often planted near artificial reservoirs, “dry” streams, in tall flowerpots and rock gardens, on fertile, well-dug soil. Chalk, lime, and a little sand are added to the soil. If you trim the stems after flowering has finished, you can get shoots to re-emerge with new bright purple flowers.
Primrose (primrose)
About 500 species of this beautifully flowering primrose with rosettes of evergreen leaves and umbrella-shaped spherical inflorescences are known. The most popular among gardeners are the common, spring, rejected, fine-toothed and tall primrose. The ground cover is quite unpretentious in care and cultivation, has many colors, from white to yellow-cream, red and pinkish-burgundy.
Often in gardens there is a multi-flowered hybrid with fragrant large flowers in an umbrella-shaped inflorescence. The plant feels good in the sun and partial shade and grows on any type of soil. Does not tolerate soil drying out and needs to be replanted every 4 years.
You can plant in your garden or dacha not only the above-mentioned ground cover perennials, but also other plants, including spicy and coniferous plants:
- peppermint;
- lemon balm;
- low-growing or creeping juniper;
- rezuhu;
- moneywort;
- young;
- edelweiss;
- bergenia;
- tar;
- lumbago;
- daisies.
The choice of perennial low-growing plants depends on the soil on the site, the lighting of the place, the preferences of the gardener and the terrain. You can easily combine green or flowering mats on slopes, in ravines and on flat lawns, and supplement them with tall flowers, annuals, and shrubs.
Since their decorative nature allows you to realize truly amazing ideas.
Or the Iberian can be called one of the first heralds of the onset of spring. Quite often you can see how its green bushes make their way out from under the thickness of the snow.
In catalogs of garden plants you can find ground cover perennials and their photos, but the perennial called Iberis stands out especially among them. This genus of herbaceous plants includes 40 species of plants that are included in the family.
Iberis evergreen forms dense and lush semi-bushes reaching 30 cm in height. As a rule, the bushes grow very abundantly, which is why their diameter can reach one meter. The leaves are evergreen, leathery.
During the flowering period, white flowers with a diameter of approximately 1.5 cm bloom. Despite such small sizes, the number of flowers is quite large. About a thousand flowers can develop simultaneously on just one plant, which is why the blooming Iberis becomes like a white cloud. The flowering period begins at the end of April and ends at the end of May.
Iberis evergreen loves sunlight and can only tolerate slight shading. With a lack of light, flowering is noticeably reduced. It can be grown in almost any environment, the main thing is that it is not overly moistened.
It is also necessary to fertilize with special additives for flowers. Fertilizing is applied three times: in the spring, when the first buds appear and when the flowers bloom. After the carnation has faded, you need to carefully cut off the heads and shorten the stems a little.
Carnation is an ideal perennial for landscape design, since it can be used to decorate various flower gardens, rockeries, etc.
Also known as thyme, it is a perennial, lodging subshrub. It has numerous, thin, creeping stems that take root near the base with age. After this, they become lignified, forming ascending or erect flowering shoots 15-20 cm high.
Thyme leaves are oblong-oval, petiolate, hard with strongly protruding glands and veins. The flowers are small, have a pinkish-purple hue, and are collected at the ends of the branches, forming capitate, loose inflorescences. The fruits are small, spherical nuts of a black-brown hue.
This perennial is undemanding to soil and tolerates summer drought and winter frost well. The area for planting thyme should be well lit by sunlight, protected from cold winds and cleared of any.
Creeping thyme is a ground cover plant that forms a real green “carpet”. During the flowering period, it is completely covered with numerous lilac-pink inflorescences. Flowering lasts 2-2.5 months, during which thyme exudes a unique aroma.
The shiny foliage of the cotula contrasts very nicely with the flowers. As a rule, it blooms only once per season. During the flowering period, cotula flowers become a source of wonderful aroma. The maximum height is 20-25 cm.
This perennial will feel comfortable in open sun or in slight shade. Grows well in sandy, loamy or clay soil and tolerates high humidity.
Important! Kotula does not tolerate stagnant water very well in the winter and spring.
There are 6 species found in the wild in Europe, the Mediterranean, Africa and Asia Minor. Periwinkles are groundcover perennials with shiny, leathery leaves. Single flowers are located in the axils of the leaves.
Such ground cover perennials, blooming in summer, retain their fresh appearance even under a layer of snow. Thanks to this quality, periwinkle has become a true symbol of vitality. The tribes of the ancient Celts even endowed this plant with mystical properties and called it “witch’s violet.”
Periwinkles are undemanding to location; they can easily tolerate both bright sun and heavy shade. But it is best to grow them in light partial shade. This variety grows well in fertile, loose, well-drained soil.
For feeding you can use or. It is best to use or fallen leaves as an organic fertilizer. This species is quite resistant to cold, but autumn frosts can harm young shoots. You can also cover the periwinkle with a small layer of leaves for the winter.
It is a perennial herbaceous rhizomatous plant. In the wild it grows in temperate latitudes of the northern hemisphere, in the mountains (alpine meadows). Typically, saxifrage reaches 15-20 cm in height. The root system is powerful and has a complex structure. Creeping stems are covered with rounded leaves that form a decorative rosette. The leaves can be covered with a small fluff; the color has both a light and dark green tint.
Saxifragas need good lighting. They are undemanding to the soil, since in the wild they grow both on dense sandstones and on gravelly mountain slopes. The main thing is that the soil allows moisture to pass through well and does not dry out.
Important! When planting saxifrage, you can add a little crushed limestone to the soil.
It received this name because of its similarity to leaves. Gardeners value this plant because of its ease of planting and ease of subsequent care. Great for group planting. Loosestrife also allows you to create various combinations in the form of decorated alpine slides, rockeries, borders and other elements of landscape design.
Loosestrife has a straight stem and oval leaves, and can reach a height of one meter. Flowering begins at the end of June. The flowers resemble small pyramids in appearance. It is best to plant in shade and in areas with high humidity levels.
Thick, water-filled leaves and stems of sedums are designed in such a way that they are able to retain the resulting moisture for a long time. The name of the Crassulaceae family is interpreted as “eternally living,” and indeed, these succulents are extremely adaptable creatures to the gardener’s inattention. And the propagation of these plants is not particularly difficult. Let's get to know them better
In the modern classification from sedums, or sedums (Sedum), a group of plants separated with taller straight stems (50-70cm), paniculate inflorescences in the shape of a dome, with bell-shaped flowers that did not open to the stars, which received name sedum (Hylotelephium). Sedum blooms from late July to September, making worthy company for summer and autumn garden plants.
The most recognizable representatives of the genus are Sedum spectabile (Hylotelephium spectabile) and found in forests and glades of the Non-Black Earth Region Sedum telephium (Hylotelephium telephium). A wide variety of garden varieties and hybrids have been created with pink, purple-red, beige or white flowers, differing in height and leaf color. The textured leaf pattern supports the decorative appearance of green-leaved sedum (Brilliant, O. telephium).
Throughout the season, their compact bushes harmonize with the linear leaves of cereals, irises, and daylilies. Speaking about the green leaves of sedum, it should be noted that most of them have a more or less pronounced bluish bloom, which is most clear at dawn and practically disappears in the warm colors of the sunset rays. Ornamental leaf plants can produce single species stems with green leaves, which should be removed so that the bush does not turn into a progenitor. Variegated bushes of Frosty Morn or Mediovariegatum can be used to dilute a border of hostas or to edge a flower arrangement, interspersing them with green-leaved varieties.
You should not plant them only with other variegated plants. Filling the garden with sedums with green-red, purple and brownish leaves such as Purple Emperor should also be treated with caution. Otherwise, it’s easy to get a dark, failed spot in the flower garden or make gloomy borders. At the same time, this color gives win-win options in combination with beige, yellow, silver, dark green and crimson, lilac-pink.
Read also: DIY mini garden of succulents
Plant astilbes, early-blooming chrysanthemums, and chrysanthemums with these sedum plants.
You have to wait half the summer for the sedum to bloom - during this time its leafy attire becomes so familiar that the flowering is perceived as an unexpected gift. The violent opening of inflorescences, present even on the smallest and youngest shoots, turns the bush into a blooming bouquet.
To complete the golden leaf border, choose a sedum variety with bright pink, red or crimson ( Red Cauli with dark green leaves on reddish stems) inflorescences, and for green leaves - with white ( Gooseberry Fool and Iceberg with dark green leaves), light green-lemon inflorescences (low border variety with green leaves, Citrus Twist).
THE VIBRANT OPENING OF THE BLOWERS OF THE SCRUM, PRESENT EVEN IN THE SMALLEST AND YOUNGEST SHOOTS, TURN THE BUSH INTO A FLOWING BOUQUET
Based on shades of pink and crimson, with the participation of sedum Rosenteller, Korean chrysanthemum and paniculata hydrangea, it is easy to create an autumn trio that will decorate any corner of the garden until October. If you like more contrasting solutions, then plant sedum Matrona next to spirea Golden Princess, add yellow Korean chrysanthemum flowers and purple heuchera leaves to the first row, and as a background plant choose any shrub with green leaves, such as openwork and translucent dwarf birch. White-beige flowers with greenish-lemon centers on bright crimson sedum stems look elegant. Hab Gray(dark green leaves with a dark purple-red center, spreading out into a reddish mist towards the edges).
In a garden that needs to be decorative throughout the season, it is better to combine them with gray fescue. It will delicately dilute the dark color during the period of growth and budding of sedum. Types of sedums with star flowers, forming thickets pressed to the ground, are, as before, classified as sedums.
Blooming half as tall as sedum false sedum (Sedum spurium).
Its overwintering fleshy leaves can be green, variegated ( Tricolor), purple ( Purple Carpet). Flowers, depending on the variety, range from pink to crimson and purple-red.
Sedum Rural (Sedum selskianum) differs in the shape of the leaves and yellow flowers. Their place is in rocky compositions, on hills among gravel; They are not suitable for the border and foreground of a flower garden due to uncontrolled growth in different directions.
U Sedum Kamchatka (Sedum kamtschaticum), as with s. false, there is a variegated variety Variegatum, but the leaves do not overwinter. The shoots of the plant become woody and in the spring they appear as reddish hard cords, which are beautifully overgrown with succulent young leaves, especially bright in the decorative leaf form. The lush clumps of the plant resemble compact bushes that can be successfully grown along paved paths exposed to the sun.
Sedum's Jackets CAN BECOME AN UNpretentious HIGH EDGE AND A GOOD SECOND ROW OF A FLOWER BED. PLANT FLOWERS FROM LATE JULY TO SEPTEMBER
Sedum reflexus (Sedum reflexum) from a distance it looks like a miniature forest of fir trees. The height of the plant is 15-20 cm, and the creeping and rooting stems along the entire length are longer and form cushion-shaped thickets that easily “absorb” small and medium-sized stones encountered along the way. Variety Cristatum with originally curved leaves that look like light green scallops, it is quite whimsical.
It does not always please with truly solid large ridges, which, as they grow, turn into strange shoulder blades lying on the ground. It is interesting that the inflorescences of the variety partially turn into comb-like processes with a row of flowers at the top. When planting these sedums, do not forget that they create large spots of color, which are especially noticeable in decorative leaf forms and during flowering.
True, their short stature makes it possible to take into account their color combinations only with the closest neighboring plants. They look great on rocky hills, next to creeping coniferous plants, and they benefit when combined with forms with blue and dove, as well as with golden needles.
All sedums absolutely cannot stand the proximity of crops with more aggressive roots, and the smaller the plant, the more sensitive it is. It is not without reason that it is found in nature almost throughout the entire territory of Russia. sedum acrid (Sedum acre) not only finds vegetation-free sandbanks of rivers, roadsides, and light pine forests, but also releases toxic substances that oppress neighboring plants. In garden compositions with. caustic forms a low golden mat that completely covers the soil. There are forms with white (f. alba) and yellow (f. aureum) leaves.
Looks more lacy white sedum (Sedum album). The species plant resembles the previous species; its fleshy leaves also do not exceed 5 cm in height; It is only during flowering that the difference becomes apparent. White sedum blooms with white stars, collected in large paniculate inflorescences on almost bare crimson stems. The purple anthers give the flowers a slight pinkish tint.
U f. atropurpurea chocolate red leaves and stems. Another covering covering is sedum spanish (Sedum hispanicum). This plant is loved for its cloud of snow-white blooms and for the diamond-like shine of dew or raindrops on its delicate, thin, fleshy bluish leaves. Unfortunately, s. Spanish is not a perennial and dies after flowering. This significant drawback is often compensated for by active self-seeding, and in this case gardeners do not even notice the change of generations. Otherwise, it is not inferior to the previous species and is actively used as a ground cover plant with a height of only 5-6 cm.
For more whimsical exotic small fry, it is advisable to arrange gravel gardens in flowerpots, free up the best spots in rock gardens, where to place them in a motley mosaic.
Oregon sedum (Sedum oreganum) Procumbens refers to such highlights. The amount of red in the color of this variety varies depending on the lighting - even slight shading can turn the variety into a species-specific green-leaved plant.
This is a highly decorative, relatively winter-hardy perennial with evergreen leaves that look like candy canes. It blooms extremely rarely with yellow flowers. Sedum spatulafolia (Sedum spathulifolium) it looks more intriguing in the form of a subspecies, the leaves of which, like mold, are covered with a white powdery coating. A distinct representative with bluish-purple and white leaves is the variety Cape Blanco .
No less original are the varieties in which red flashes shine through the white coating on the greenish leaves; the Purpureum variety is very interesting with young leaves in the form of white roses and old ones - purple. If you are lucky, the plant will delight you with low, up to 10 cm, flower stalks with yellow star flowers. Evergreen sockets thick-branched sedum (Sedum pachyclados) resemble plants of the genera Rhodiola and Molodilo.
The species is rarely found in gardens, as it grows poorly and often freezes, and blooms even less often. In central Russia, flowering is a great success, so even a small number of white stars appearing on the side of the rosettes is truly a huge achievement.
ALL Sedums ABSOLUTELY CANNOT TOLERATE THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF CROPS WITH MORE AGGRESSIVE ROOTS, AND THE SMALLER THE PLANT, THE MORE SENSITIVE IT IS
EVERYONE HAS HEARD OF CACTi, CASTLES, ALOE, LIVING STONES AND OTHER INDOOR HEAT-LOVING REPRESENTATIVES OF SUCCULENTS. IN ACTUALITY THIS GROUP IS MUCH MORE DIVERSE AND NUMEROUS. THESE HARDY PLANTS ARE FOUND IN ALMOST EVERY GARDEN OF THE MIDDLE LANDSCAPE, BUT FEW PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THEIR TRUE ORIGIN. SO, MEET: GARDEN SUCCULENTS
Succulents are a very large group of plants found naturally throughout the globe, excluding permafrost areas. Let us omit the heat-loving natives of hot countries in our story and devote this story only to plants close to our harsh conditions. You will be surprised, but a huge number of succulents grow in central Russia.
Typical appearance of a succulent plant
Despite all the diversity of succulents, their main quality is common - they are all unpretentious and lead a truly Spartan lifestyle. Perhaps this is the most undemanding group of garden crops. Many of them have thickened and modified fleshy leaves, some have a thick underground caudex - both “devices” help store moisture for future use so that the plants can survive long dry periods without damage to life and loss of decorativeness.
Succulents also vary in their growth form. These can be rosette-shaped plants that reproduce by daughter rosettes. There are bush-like representatives. Often creeping species with numerous small shoots, which quite quickly form a continuous cover and juicy multi-colored mats. In addition, among succulents there are plants with long creeping shoots that grow in dense clumps.
Many succulents have compact root systems that can squeeze out even the smallest amount of soil. In some species it is the other way around: fleshy vertical rhizomes that make their way through stones into the depths of the soil. They are securely attached to it and extract moisture.
A caudex is a short, thickened trunk or stem that serves as a kind of reservoir for storing water. It can be located both underground and on its surface.
The variety of leaf shapes and their colors is amazing, but succulents attract gardeners not only for these qualities, but also for their colorful flowering. In spring or summer, our persistent garden workers delight with a variety of whimsical flowers of all shades - crimson, yellow, white, pink, purple.
Sunny corner
Euphorbia
Few people at first glance recognize succulents in the next group, they look so unusual compared to their peers. This group of rather tall plants stands apart.
Let's mention first Euphorbia multicolor (Euphorbia polychroma). It is indispensable in the spring garden - in May the tops of the shoots are covered with contrasting light yellow bracts. Retains the beautiful shape of the bush until late autumn, when the leaves turn yellow and fall off. Before winter, shoots are cut off at soil level.
Compared to other species it looks quite exotic Euphorbia myrtifolia (Eu. myrsinites). Its thick shoots creeping along the ground, as if dotted with pointed leaves in a spiral, resemble dense scales. For several years now I have been observing the self-seeding of this species in my garden, sometimes in places far from the mother plant: the tasty seeds are taken away by ants. M. cypress (Eu. cyparissias), which blooms in May-June with greenish-yellow flowers, also looks excellent in the garden.
Rejuvenated
Perhaps the most famous, recognizable and beloved group of garden cold-resistant succulents is juveniles. With all their appearance they talk about belonging to this group. Unpretentious, reliable and resilient - they are not afraid of either drought or severe frosts without snow.
These plants amaze with their variety of varieties, shapes and colors - amateur gardeners collect entire collections from them.
It is worth noting that juveniles are very popular in pot culture and are indispensable when creating garden paintings, carpet plantings of different varieties and multi-colored borders among stones.
The very name of the first type that we will talk about speaks about its purpose. The inhabitants of medieval Europe and England completely planted roofing rejuvenation (Sempervivumtectorum) the roofs of their houses. Until now, this technique is often used by professionals in landscape design to design the slopes of garden houses, gazebos and canopies.
Green roofs are all the rage right now.
A very unusual look - molo dilo cobwebby (Sempervivum arachnoideum). The entire plant is densely pubescent and covered with white thread-like hairs, as if covered in a web, hence its name. The rosettes are planted so tightly together that they resemble a mini-mountain relief.
Also on sale there are plants united by the capacious name rejuvenated hybrid (Sempervivum x hyhriihim). Their appearance is so diverse and variable that it defies description.
Rarities among garden succulents
In a separate chapter we will talk about outlandish and rarely found succulents in ornamental gardening. These include rare mountain species, valuable medicinal plants, and even whimsical sissies, the cultivation of which requires some effort.
One of these rarities is Rhodiola rosea (Rhodioia rosea). It has been known as a medicinal plant since ancient times. Popularly, Rhodiola is often called the golden root, which speaks of its value. It is a rare crop in gardens, often grown for its medicinal rather than ornamental properties. However, she has a non-trivial beauty and extravagant appearance.
Hairy rosularia (Prometheum pilosum)- a rare alpine succulent plant, better known among lovers and collectors of alpine crops. To protect against winter soaking and preserve the plant, it is necessary to build a dry shelter, for example, cover it with a transparent jar.
Another garden curiosity is the beetroot. This is a rarely found succulent in culture, which botanists alternately assigned to the genus Molodil and Sedumov. One species is common in Russia - Ball beetle (Jovibarba globifera).
REFERENCE
Monocarpacic plants, or monocarpics, as gardeners affectionately call them, are species that bloom only once in their life and die after fruiting. New flower stalks are formed on young plants of the next generation.
Succulents - photos and descriptions
False sedum (Sedum spurium)
A creeping perennial plant with creeping or erect shoots. Semicircular leaves of green and reddish hue, sometimes with teeth, sit loosely on the shoots. Inflorescences appear on longer shoots (up to 20 cm). The flowers are small, star-shaped, collected in corymbose inflorescences. There are many varieties with different colors of leaves and flowers.
Sedum acre
A ground cover plant with branched stems up to 10 cm long, completely covered with small, oblong, fleshy leaves of a dark green color. During flowering, it is covered with small yellow star-shaped flowers so that the greenery is literally invisible. It grows into small tufts that can merge with each other and form a continuous carpet.
Spanish sedum (Sedum hispanicum)
A ground cover species that forms very dense mats. The shoots are creeping, studded with small, oblong, palmate leaves. The foliage is covered with a bluish waxy coating, giving the entire plant an exotic bluish tint. Some garden forms may have reddish or yellowish leaf tips. The flowers are white and pink in loose inflorescences.
Euphorbia polychroma
A perennial plant that forms a fairly compact bush with erect stems 40 - 50 cm high. The bush is neat, spherical in shape. It blooms in spring for a month: in May, bright yellow leaves of bracts bloom on the shoots. The ‘Bonfire’ variety is very impressive with reddish-burgundy shoots that retain their rich color until the end of the season.
Euphorbia myrsinites
A perennial species with creeping or ascending shoots up to 2 cm long. Diamond-shaped leaves sit densely on the stems. Their bluish tint and the waxy coating that covers them give the entire plant a southern flavor. Flowering occurs in May-June for two to three weeks. The flowers are small and have no decorative value. The plant is grown for its unusual foliage.
Cypress spurge (Euphorbia cyparissias)
Perennial spurge, forming a loose bush up to 40 cm tall. The shoots are thin, strong, covered with needle-shaped bluish-green leaves. Blooms in May-June. Flowers with greenish-yellow spathes. The plant remains decorative even after flowering until late autumn. On light soils it grows quickly due to underground rhizomes, capturing new territories and forming dense clumps.
Roofing sapling (Sempervivum tectorum)
A perennial consisting of spherical rosettes with a diameter from 3 to 18 cm. The leaves are fleshy, green, often with a reddish border and jagged edge. In July-August, tall (up to 25 cm) flower stalks appear from the rosettes. The flowers are small, star-shaped, collected in small but spectacular corymbose inflorescences. Garden forms have rosettes of different colors and diameters.
Cobweb Juvenile (Sempervivum arachnoideum)
A ground cover perennial that forms monocarpic rosettes (from 5 mm to 2 cm in diameter), which form entire colonies. The leaves are green, sometimes reddish at the tips, with noticeable cobwebby pubescence. Pink rather large star-shaped flowers on high stolons decorate this species of juvenile and give it a special zest. Flowering begins in the second half of July.
Hybrid young (Sempervivum x hybridum)
This name hides a huge number of varieties obtained by crossing different species. Their number has long exceeded a thousand. These are plants of all shapes and sizes, the main decoration of which is the varied color of the leaves. There are all colors from green, yellowish, red, burgundy and pink to marble, gray and silver.
Rhodiola rosea
A perennial plant that forms very decorative small (up to 40 cm tall) bushes. The shoots are powerful, directed upward. The leaves are juicy, fleshy, arranged alternately. It blooms in June-July with medium-sized corymbose inflorescences, which consist of yellow-green flowers. The specific name “pink” was given due to the fact that the smell of the rhizome is somewhat reminiscent of the aroma of a rose.
Hairy rosularia (Prometheum pilosum)
This is a perennial monocarpic plant - after flowering, the mother rosette dies off, giving way to young offspring. Due to the daughter rosettes, rosularia forms small groups-colonies. Prefers to grow among stones and in crevices. The rosettes look like juveniles; in this type of rosularia they are pubescent. It blooms in summer with small pink flowers.
Ball beetle (Jovibarba globifera)
The plant forms low turfs from rosettes of basal leaves with a diameter of 2 - 3 cm, spherical in shape. As soon as you touch it with your hand, numerous babies easily roll to the sides, as the specific name hints at. And in July-August, tall flowering stems with dense corymbose inflorescences up to 5 - 7 cm in diameter appear. A rare species - both in nature and in collections.
Succulents - planting and care: tips and reviews
Hoyas
Hoya - photo These succulent vines offer an incredible variety of both flowers and leaves. A lot of them “passed” through my hands, in the end I left about 25 species and varieties that either readily bloom or delight with beautiful foliage. I root cuttings with several nodes, mainly in water, the best time for this is spring. I wait for the roots to appear and plant them without delay. It also worked well to root cuttings in coco-soil.
When the leaves of an adult hoya begin to dry out and the substrate dries out too quickly, it is time to replant the plant. In general, I try not to disturb hoyas often, since a relatively poor soil mixture and a cramped pot stimulate flowering. I’ll tell you briefly about some of the species from the collection. Hoya muitiflora blooms in my conditions even in winter, I assume due to the lighting. The variegated Hoya carnosa lives on the balcony all year round. Its leaves are mostly variegated. I don’t cut off the completely green ones yet, I left them for plant nutrition. Hoya retusa is unusual for its ampelous shape. It has been living with me for about seven years in a hanging plant pot. Friends complain that this species grows poorly in their country. Perhaps due to lack of lighting. I keep the plant no more than a meter from the south window. In summer, its leaves even lighten a little, as if they “burn out”, but this is not scary, the sun is only good for this hoya: it regularly blooms with single large “stars”.
Of the specimens with unusual foliage, Hoya sp. is surprising. Square - blooms with white “balls”, and its leaves have an almost perfect rectangular shape. The beautiful Noua caudata has large and very hard leaf blades, like stone ones. It turned into a large vine Noua kerrii, grown from a leaf - a “heart”. While the shoot formed, it sat in the ground for 4 years.
Cotyledon photo Cotyledon
Of the cotyledons, perhaps Cotyledon undulata is the most popular for its amazing foliage with a wavy edge and a “mealy” bluish bloom. When I let it grow into a large tree, it blooms. But usually I keep the plant small and rejuvenate it - it looks better when it’s more compact.
Aloe
I keep some plants of this genus on the window sills in my room, and some on the balcony all year round, such as Aloe deltoideodonta. Many species tolerate low temperatures above zero in dry soil and do not freeze.
But the endemic o. Madagascar Baker's aloe (Aloe bakeri) is quite thermophilic. By the way, the plant is included in the list of endangered species in nature, for this reason it is not available for sale. She brought a cutting from the University Botanical Garden of Kiel (Germany). I love it for its thin, long, speckled leaves. In summer, when there is a lot of sun, they turn red.
It changes color amazingly depending on the lighting and Aloe’ Black Gem’; it literally turns black in the sun. In the ‘Pink Panther’ variety, the pink border becomes brighter.
Xerositsios – photo Xerositsios
The original and rare in collections Xerosicyos danguyi with rounded leaves like coins was also brought from Kiel. Easy to propagate - both stem cuttings and leaves take root well. I practically don’t feed it so that it doesn’t grow, so it grows in size quite slowly. Although the more food there is, the more powerful and thick the leaves grow.
Kalanchoe
Kalanchoe beharensis needs large volumes of soil and does not like when there is not enough room for roots. I replant when I notice that the leaves are starting to shrink. The plant can become a large floor tapeworm; mine somehow reached almost 2 m. To prevent it from growing “to the ceiling,” I renewed it. It bushes reluctantly, at most it branches in two. The plant was also once brought from the Botanical Garden (Kiel). There it was a huge tree.
Succulent plants - planting and care: video: Indoor aichrizon or tree of love...
Succulents are plants that have the ability to retain a large supply of water in their tissues. Externally, the leaves of succulents appear to be filled with water. These plants first appeared in countries with arid climates. Succulents are often very easy to care for and unpretentious. Succulents should not be overlooked when choosing indoor plants, as there are a number of flowering leaf and stem succulents that bring a lot of positive emotions to their owners.
Agave americana
Perennial leaf succulent. The plant consists of basal, green-variegated or plain green, thick, narrowed upward, hard, linear-lanceolate leaves. The leaves grow in a circle of one central leaf. The edges of the leaves are covered with small spines. It blooms rarely, with green-yellow inconspicuous flowers on a high stalk. The room temperature acceptable for plant life should not be less than +8 o C. Watering and fertilizing once a month. Frequent replanting into specialized deciduous-turf-sandy soil is required.
Queen Victoria Agave
Perennial leaf succulent. The plant consists of basal, hard, concave, triangular, matte dark green leaves with a white border. The leaves grow in a circle of one central leaf. All leaves have one long spine at the end. The plant does not bloom. Do not place agave in open sun or sunny windowsills. The room temperature should not exceed +21 o C.
Adenium
Perennial tree-like succulent. The stem of the plant is dense in the root zone, highly branched towards the top. The leaves are lanceolate, serrate, dissected, light green in color. The plant blooms rarely, but very profusely. The flowers are crimson with a light throat. The flowers are simple and double. When growing at home, you should ensure that the temperature does not fall below +12 o C. The plant requires daily spraying and watering every three days.
Adromiscus spotted
Perennial thick-leaved succulent. The plant consists of basal, green-spotted, thick, fleecy leaves. The edge of the leaves has a purple tint. The leaves grow from a dense small root stalk. The plant looks very saturated with water. When growing at home, it is worth watering the plant moderately every evening. Do not place the flower in the sun or sunny areas of the room. The temperature of normal growing conditions is not higher than +21 o C.
Aloe variegated
Perennial herbaceous leaf succulent. The plant cannot exceed 30 centimeters in height. Consists of basal, green-variegated with light waves, thick, narrowed upward, hard, linear-lanceolate leaves. The leaves form a rosette and grow in a circle. It blooms rarely, with orange flowers in a cluster of inflorescences. The plant is not picky about growing conditions and only requires constant watering.
Aloe squat
Perennial herbaceous leaf succulent. The plant is from 10 to 50 centimeters in height. Consists of basal, thin, hard, xiphoid, light green, pointed petals. The leaves are covered with small, rough thorns. The leaves grow in a circle of one central leaf. Young shoots appear around the perimeter of the old plant. The plant is famous for its many healing properties. Does not require special care at home.
Anacampseros
Perennial bushy climbing succulent. The plant consists of dense dark purple shoots. The leaves are small, dense, watery. symmetrically located along the branches. The flowers are regular, pink, on long succulent stalks. The main branch becomes a bare peduncle. Up to 5 flowers can bloom on one branch. The plant requires constant watering, unlimited growing space (for weaving), and a large amount of sunlight.
Apthenia
Perennial evergreen succulent plant. The stems are fleshy, spreading, creeping. The leaves are lanceolate, watery, light green, symmetrically arranged along the stem. The plant may curl. The flowers are small. pink or white. Flowers with small thin petals are located in the axils at the ends of the branches. Requires a high degree of illumination, average air temperature and abundant watering.
Argyroderma
Perennial succulent. It has a second name: “living stones”. The body of the plant looks like a pebble. The plant consists of a massive rosette, which consists of two very thick, fleshy leaves. The body of the plant is colored matte gray-green. The flowers of the plant appear at the center of contact of the leaves. The flowers are regular, bright pink, the petals are small and thin. It is necessary to provide the plant with a large flow of sunlight and abundant, timely watering. The succulent grows in drainage soil made of small stones.
Brighamy
Perennial leafy tree-like succulent. The stem of the plant is dense, mostly in the root zone. The stem is about 20-50 centimeters high. Small branches with a single leaf are formed from the top of the stem. Leaves are lanceolate, oval-elongated. The leaves are shiny, covered with a waxy coating. The succulent blooms with small yellow flowers on separate long stalks. The plant requires plenty of light and moderate regular watering.
Gasteria
Perennial leaf succulent. The plant consists of basal, green-spotted, thick, slightly flattened sword-shaped leaves. The edges of the leaves are smooth, the end is sharp. The leaves are collected in numerous dense rosettes. It blooms with small, tubular-swollen flowers. The flowers are usually located on a long stalk in an apical one-sided inflorescence. The plant is not picky about light and heat. requires only regular watering and replanting every two years. It is also necessary to plant young rosettes.
Graptopetalum
Perennial herbaceous stemless succulent. The plant consists of small ones. dense, watery, heart-shaped leaves collected in a rose-shaped rosette. The leaves are dark green, matte, with a sharp tip. It blooms with large, pink, lily-shaped flowers on individual tall peduncles. Requires sufficient light and moisture. Grows best in well-drained soil made from small stones.
Dorstenia
Perennial leafy tree-like succulent. The stem of the plant is dense, mostly in the root zone. The stem is about 20-50 centimeters high. Single leaves are formed from the top of the stem. Leaves are lanceolate, oval-elongated. The flowers are green, in the form of a capsule with seeds, on a separate stalk. The plant is not picky about light and heat. Requires only constant regular watering and spraying. Once a month it is necessary to fertilize.
Zamioculcas
Perennial leaf succulent. The plant consists of numerous stems with symmetrically arranged, dark green, oval, lanceolate, shiny leaves. The stems in the root zone are thick and watery, becoming thinner towards the top. The plant rarely blooms. It shoots out a small arrow at the base of the stems and opens into a simple cob. Zamioculcas needs to be watered once every two days, providing the plant with plenty of light. The succulent does not tolerate low temperatures; the room temperature should be at least +8 o C.
Conophytum
Perennial succulent. Each plant consists of round, fused leaves. The leaves form a spherical, heart-shaped body of the plant. The stem of the plant is very short and is located in the ground. The body color of the plant varies from bluish-gray-green to brown. The plant is very small, no higher than 5-10 centimeters. The flowers are small, regular, narrow-leaved, yellow. The flowers emerge on short stalks from the fusion of leaves. It is necessary to provide the plant with a large flow of sunlight and abundant, timely watering. The succulent grows exclusively in soil made of small stones.
Cotyledon
Perennial semi-shrub succulent. The stem is single, woody. In the first year there is only one stem, and in subsequent years it bushes. The height of the plant can reach 50-180 centimeters. The leaves are thick, watery, numerous, symmetrical, oval, dark green, shiny with a reddish edge. It blooms rarely in winter, with light pink or white star-shaped flowers. The plant tolerates cold well. The succulent does not tolerate excess moisture in the soil and air.
Lampranthus
Perennial climbing succulent. The young stems of the plant are initially erect, then droop and creep. The plant reaches no more than 15 centimeters in height. The leaves are fleshy, triangular, smooth, bluish-green or light green. The leaves are arranged symmetrically along the stem. It blooms with small pink flowers on long stalks. You can plant it in a squat pot (it will trail down) or in a tall pot (it will trail and can be hung). The succulent is heat-loving and moisture-loving.
Rejuvenated
Perennial herbaceous stemless succulent. The plant consists of small, dense, watery, oblong leaves collected in a rose-shaped rosette. The leaves are dark green, matte, with a sharp brown tip. There are always a lot of outlets and it grows quickly. It blooms with small, regular, white flowers on separate tall peduncles, which consist of fused elongated leaves of the plant. Requires sufficient light and moisture. Grows best in well-drained soil made from small stones.
Oscularia
Perennial shrubby succulent. The leaves are succulent, bluish-gray-green, symmetrically opposite, triangular, fused at the base. The leaves expand upward. The edges of the leaves and the body of the plant itself are smooth. The flowers are regular, pink or red. The flowers emerge from the leaves on separate stalks. Heat-loving succulent. It is necessary to provide the plant with sufficient sunlight and abundant watering.
Portulacaria
Perennial shrubby succulent. Stems are solitary, woody with a red-brown tint. The leaves are small, juicy, symmetrical, dark green, lanceolate, oval. The leaves are collected in small rosettes of three to four leaves. It blooms rarely, with small regular pink flowers in spike-shaped inflorescences. Requires plenty of sunlight, fertilizing once a month and abundant regular watering.
Sansevieria
Perennial leaf succulent. The plant consists of basal, green-variegated or plain green, thick, narrowed upward, hard, linear-lanceolate leaves. Leaves grow chaotically along the permitted perimeter. The edges of the leaves are smooth with a golden-yellow edge. It blooms rarely, with green-yellow inconspicuous flowers on a high stalk. The temperature in the room acceptable for the life of the plant should not be less than +16 o C. Watering and fertilizing once a month.
Synadenium
Perennial shrubby succulent. The stems are juicy, fleshy, covered with light gray bark. The leaves are ovate, alternate, shiny, rich green with dark green veins, symmetrically arranged along the stem. Blooms with an umbrella inflorescence. Peduncles are small, short and thick. The flowers are bearing, small, closed, red in the form of inverted caps with feathers. The plant is thermophilic, the temperature should not be lower than +10 o C. The plant also requires a high degree of illumination. You can water the plant no more than once a month.
Stapelia
Perennial bushy low-growing succulent. The stems of the plant are numerous, tetrahedral, succulent, light green or bluish in color. The stems branch in the root zone. The edges of the stems are covered with teeth. The height of the plant can be 10-60 centimeters. The flowers are solitary, on curved pedicels. The flowers are covered with small soft fibers, burgundy in color and shaped like a five-pointed star. The flowers are very beautiful, but they emit an unpleasant smell of rotten meat. The plant should be placed in shaded areas. The temperature of normal growth of slipway should not be lower than +10 o C. Succulents can be watered no more than once every two weeks.
Crassula
Perennial tree-like succulent. The tree trunk is dense, can be either squat or tall (depending on the subspecies of the plant). The leaves are small, oval, juicy, dark green. The leaves are symmetrically arranged along the branches. According to Chinese beliefs, the leaves of the tree resemble coins, hence the second name “money tree”. The plant is not picky about light and heat. Requires only constant regular but moderate watering.
Phocaea
Perennial tree-like succulent. Phocea has a caudex trunk. The trunk can be elongated, round or oval; long, thin, branched stems grow from this base. At first the stems need support, later they become woody. the leaves are oval, shiny, dark green with a clearly visible central vein. The flowers are white, regular, small, inconspicuous, with a pleasant aroma. The plant is unpretentious to light and heat. The plant needs to be watered only when the soil is completely dry, and then sparingly.
Haworthia
Perennial herbaceous dwarf succulent. The plant consists of basal fleshy leaves. The leaves are sword-shaped, short, dark green with white stripes. The leaves form a circular rosette. They can grow upward in a circle. The edges of the leaves are covered with small teeth. Flowers appear rarely and not in all species. The white flowers are small and inconspicuous. When grown at home, succulents require a shaded growing area and abundant, timely watering. It grows best in soil made of small stones.
Cerochlamys
Perennial succulent. The plant consists of a massive rosette of very thick, faceted, fleshy leaves. The body of the plant is colored matte gray-green. The plant rarely exceeds 15 centimeters in height. The flowers of the plant appear at the center of contact of the leaves. The flowers are regular, bright pink, the petals are small and thin on a separate high stalk. It is necessary to provide the plant with a large flow of sunlight and abundant, timely watering. The succulent grows in drainage soil made of small stones.
Schlumberger
Perennial ampelous succulent. Abundantly branching cactus shrub. The branches are flat, jointed, without thorns, with jagged edges. The flowers are zygomorphic, tubular, located at the ends of the branches. Flowers can be crimson, pink, red and orange. When growing at home, you should place the succulent exclusively on the sunny side, water it once every two days and feed it once every two weeks.
Aeonium
Perennial herbaceous tree-like succulent. The plant consists of small, dense, watery, oblong, lanceolate leaves collected in a rose-shaped rosette. The leaves are dark green and shiny. There are always a lot of outlets and it grows quickly. All rosettes are placed on a branched stem. It blooms with small, regular, yellow flowers on individual tall peduncles, in a racemose inflorescence. Requires sufficient light and moisture. Grows best in well-drained soil made from small stones.
Echeveria
Perennial herbaceous succulent. It has a second name: “stone rose”. The plant consists of small, dense, watery, oval leaves with a sharp tip, collected in a pink rosette. The leaves are bluish-green, matte. There are always a lot of outlets and it grows quickly. It blooms with small, regular flowers, similar to bells, red on separate tall peduncles, which consist of fused elongated leaves of the plant. Rarely can a plant be a climbing plant. Requires sufficient light and moisture. Grows best in well-drained soil made from small stones.