Stylish Succulents

3 min read | Jun 3, 2014 | Plants

Succulents, with their striking forms, unusual colors, and easy care reputation, are becoming an increasingly important design element in many gardens. Whether planted in mass, as specimens in the garden, or featured in containers, they have much to offer any gardener. The great variety and forms of succulents make them extremely attractive and useful for the gardener with a dry area to cope with. Most succulents thrive in dry sunny areas and tolerate a greater degree of neglect than any other plants. They do show their appreciation of a little tender loving care by growing stronger and with better texture, form and color, although over watering and over feeding should be avoided. An easy care guide for most all succulents is as follows:

Give succulents full sun (6 or more hours of direct sun)
Allow them to moderately dry out between waterings
A slow release fertilizer such as Osmocote is recommended every few months.
If using a liquid fertilizer such as Miracle Gro, apply once every two to four weeks.
In containers, use a light soil that drains well and doesn’t hold moisture for long periods such as Fafards Complete Container Mix.
And be sure to pair succulents with other plants that can tolerate less moisture so that you avoid over-watering.

Some of our favorite succulents here at Fairview include:

Mezoo Trailing Red (Dorotheanthus bellidiformis ‘Mezoo Trailing Red’)

Fast growing annual succulent that can take drought like conditions but prefers more moist soil to flower. Blooms spring to fall.

4” Tall X 18” Wide
Full/Part Sun
Annual
Small red flowers

Sedum cultivars

All stonecrop sedum are semi-evergreen and bloom in mid-late summer. They can stand hot, dry areas with poor soil.

6” – 10” Tall
Full Sun
Perennial

Hens and Chicks (Sempervivum ctvs.)

Striking evergreen foliage in shades of black, reds and greens. Grows well in full sun and in any soil with good drainage. Deer and rabbit resistant and drought tolerant. Blooming varieties attract butterflies. Hens and Chicks are fun to grow in strawberry jars or other containers, miniature gardens, rock gardens and walls.