Succulents come in all colors, shapes, and textures. Landscape artists love them because of their breathtaking and eye-catching impact on any garden. But succulents are not a specific type of plant.
Instead, succulents are a category of plants from different families that have the ability to store water in the leaves and stems.
Growing succulent plants has become a popular hobby because they are easy to care for. Succulents are also very durable. They can survive harsh weather conditions such as drought and frost.
Certainly, succulents have everything you would want in a decorative plant – beauty, ease of care, and convenience.
Are you thinking of growing succulent plants? We’ve taken away the guesswork by creating this list of the best types of succulents from A to Z for you to choose from.
Aizoaceae
Although a few species of Aizoaceae were found in Australia, it is considered to be native to South Africa. Its resemblance to pebbles has earned Aizoaceae the name Stone Plant.
Popular varieties – Livingstone Daisy, Fairy Elephant’s Feet, and Orange Ice Plant.
Aloaceae
Native to Africa, Madagascar, and the Arabian Peninsula, Aloeceae is a type of succulent that is also grown for skincare purposes.
Popular Varieties – Blue Elf, Cape Aloe, and Mountain Aloe
Amaryllidaceae
A family of perennial flowering plants of the bulbous nature, Amaryllidaceae can be found in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Presently, there are 1,600 species that have been identified.
Popular Varieties – Blood Lily, Dwarf Haemanthus, and Paint Brush.
Asteraceae
Asteraceae has more than 23,000 known species that are distributed throughout an estimated 12 sub-families. They tend to grow in tropical and sub-tropical regions such as Brazil, Central America, South Africa, and Southwestern China.
Popular Varieties – Candle Plant, Blue Chalk Sticks, and String of Pearls.
Basella
A type of climbing succulent plant from the Basellaceae family, Basella can be found in Madagascar and Southeastern Africa.
Popular Varieties – Malabar Spinach
Brassicaceae
This is a type of cruciferous succulent and is commonly referred to as a mustard plant that can be found almost everywhere except in Antarctica, the Congo Basin, and the Mediterranean.
Popular Varieties – Daggerpod, American Searocket, and European Searocket.
Cactaceae
This family is broken down into 4 subfamilies that have 1,500 varieties of flowering succulents with the capacity to store water in their stems.
Popular Varieties – Brady’s Pincushion Cactus, Erect Prickly Pear, and Balloon Cactus.
Crassulaceae
Popularly categorized under the Stonecrop family, Crassulaceae can be found anywhere but mostly in South Africa and the Western Hemisphere.
Popular Varieties – Sempervivum Red Lion, Jade Plant, and Donkey’s Tail.
Cephalocereus
A variety of succulent plant that is slow-growing, columnar-shaped with a predominantly blue-green color and is native to Mexico.
Popular Varieties – Old Man Cactus
Commelinaceae
Often referred to as members of the Spiderwort and Dayflower families, this flowering succulent has 650 species and is known to have originated from Africa.
Popular Varieties – Moses-in-the-Cradle, Turtle Vine, and Pussy Ears.
Didiereaceae
A popular ornamental succulent among growers, Didiereaceae are identified by their spiny thickets and are native to Madagascar.
Popular Varieties – Alluaudia montagnacil, Fantsiolotse, and Madagascar Ocotillo.
Euphorbiaceae
Categorized under the Spurge family, Euphorbiaceae is a flowering plant that can either be found as a herb, tree, or shrub. This succulent variety grows in the tropical region and has its roots in the Indo-Malayan region.
Popular Varieties – Indian Spurge Tree, Pencil Tree, and Green African Milk Bush.
Geraniaceae
This is a type of flowering succulent that has over 800 varieties and found in temperate, warm temperate, and tropical regions.
Popular Varieties – Bushman’s Candle, Old Father Liver Forever, and Candle Bush.
Gymnocalycium
Loosely translated, its name means “Naked Bud” and can be found in Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Brazil, and Bolivia.
Popular Varieties – Giant Chin Cactus, Ruby Ball, and Spider Cactus
Lamiaceae
Identified from the Deadnettle and Mint families, Lamiaceae is a flowering succulent that has a cosmopolitan distribution and can found in parts of the world with the conditions to support its growth.
Popular Varieties – Vicks Plant, Swedish Ivy, and Lobster Flower.
Malvaceae
A family of flowering succulents with 4,225 known varieties and is native to South America.
Popular Varieties – Silk Floss Tree, Grandidier’s Baobab, and Baobab.
Mammillaria
This type of succulent forms the largest portion of the Cactaceae family and is native to Mexico. Mammillaria means “Nipple” or “Teat”.
Popular Varieties – Powder Puff Cactus, Ladyfinger Cactus, and Button Cactus.
Oxalidaceae
Also known as the Wood Sorrel Family, this is a small genus with 5 varieties of plants that can be found as herbs, shrubs, or trees. Its leaves have been observed to have “sleep movements” – they open up in the day and close at night.
Popular Varieties – Purple Heart, Palm Leaf False Shamrock, and Silver Shamrock.
Passifloraceae
A family of flowering plants that are either herbs, shrubs, trees, climbing plants, or lianas and can be found in tropical regions.
Popular Varieties – Bottle Tree, Candlestick Plant, and Adenia Glauca.
Piperaceae
A genus that belongs to the Pepper family has about 3,600 species distributed throughout 13 sub-families and is native to Southeast Asia.
Popular Varieties – Baby Rubber Plant, Emerald Ripple Peperomia, and String of Turtles.
Portulacaceae
A family of flowering plants with over 500 known species that are most commonly found in the semiarid regions such as South America, Africa, and Australia.
Popular Varieties – Hana Misteria, Kiss Me Quick, and Wingpod Purslane.
Schlumbergera
Belongs to a small genus of cacti that grow on trees and rocks or places characterized by high levels of humidity. There are six species of Schlumbergera that can be found in Southeastern Brazil.
Popular Varieties – Bridgeport, Thanksgiving Cactus, and Christmas Cactus.
Urticaceae
Popularly known as the Nettle family, Urticaceae has 2,625 known species and can be found in different parts of the world.
Popular Varieties – Chinese Money Plant
Violaceae
A group of flowering plants with 806 known species and is native to North America.
Popular Varieties – Viola Petraea, Volcanic Violet, and Viola Coronofera.
Xanthorrhoeaceae
Originates from the Asparagales family of flowering plants and is known to grow in tropical and temperate climates.
Popular Varieties – Coral Fire, Firebird Aloe, and Cape Speckled Aloe.
Zygophyllaceae
A family of flowering plants that are popularly found as herbs and are native to the Mediterranean.
Popular Varieties – Syrian Bean Caper and Sea Grape
Conclusion
Which type of succulent is for you?
As mentioned, a big part of the appeal of succulents is their durability. However, you should be mindful of the temperature changes in your region.
If your region experiences freezing temperatures, it would be best to grow succulents that can survive frost such as Sempervivums from the Crassulaceae family.
You can also choose succulents like Christmas Cactus, Donkey’s Tail, and Jade Plant which can be grown in pots and brought indoors.
Regardless of the type of succulent that you decide to grow, always give them proper care and attention. Succulents are wonderful home and garden plants that can give you several years of happiness.
Last Updated on June 27, 2022 by Sofia Lara
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