Succulents are supremely popular and come in an abundance of shapes and captivating colors — think pink Flaming Katy Kalanchoe, Aeonium ‘Sunburst’ (Copper Pinwheel ) and Red Velvet Echeveria.
Most important, they are hardy and low maintenance. Imagine a plant that, once established, doesn’t need fertilize, rarely wants water and isn’t bothered by pests?
For these and so many other reasons, succulents are welcomed gifts that can thrive indoors and out.
The person who sews in your life might appreciate a pincushion cactus (mammillaria crinita) while a budding zoologist might like panda plant (kalanchoe tomentosa), snake plant (sansevieria trifasciata) or zebra plant (haworthia fasciata).
Make someone laugh after receiving a pig’s ear (cotyledon orbiculata), burro’s tail (sedum morganianum) or whale’s tongue (agave ovatifolia).
FTD’s list of 20 popular succulents includes crown-of-thorns (euphorbia milii) and those that do well outdoors such as hens-and-chicks (sempervivum tectorum), ball cactus (parodia magnifica) and a torch plant (aloe aristata).
You can take a MasterClass by self-proclaimed “Gangster Gardener” Ron Finley to learn how to care for jade and aloe.
Or buy a book such as “The Gardener’s Guide to Succulents: A Handbook of Over 125 Exquisite Varieties of Succulents and Cacti” by horticulturist Misa Matsuyama ($15.63 at bookshop.org ).
Or you can select faux succulents. Nearly Natural has artificial succulent arrangements in planters and glass terrarium domes for a desk or small table, and larger trays and pots of cacti and agave plants for centerpieces.
World Market has faux succulents, botanicals and flowers, too.
