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The Succulent Plant Page
Families of Succulent Plants
Monocotyledons Agaves Dasylirion Nolinaceae Yuccas About Yuca & YuccaDicotyledons Asclepiadaceae Cactaceae Crassulaceae Euphorbiaceae Fouquieria splendensDesert Wildlife Out in the noon day sun USA 2003 Cactus Kitsch Glossary: botanical terms Email: webmaster |
Botanical BookmarksBotanical Glossary SITEMAP Email: webmaster
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North America conjures up images of cacti, but there are many other succulent plants to be found there. The most obvious are the succulent monocotyledons (Agavaceae, Nolinaceae). Some of these can grow to be too large to fit into a small collection. Agaves have a habit of flowering through the greenhouse roof, which may explain why many growers ignore such attractive plants. However, some Yuccas are sufficiently hardy to tolerate cold-wet winters, while others suit Mediterranean and dry tropical climates.
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 The BookstoreBooklist: Cacti Booklist: Succulent Plants Booklist: Arid Gardening Booklist: Webmaster's Choice |
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Agavaceae - Agaves (Century Plants), Yuccas |
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Left: Agave deserti - This Desert Agave was part of a fine stand of flowering plants in April 1995. Sometimes called the "century plant", in practice flowering occurs after 8 - 20 years. Although all the flowering rosettes will die, each group of plants at this site had plenty of offset non-flowering rosettes for other years. The leaves of the rosettes are armed with lethal stiff terminal spines, for which one rapidly aquires respect, and sharp marginal teeth. Desert Agave is one of the most drought-tolerant of the 136 species of agave found in North America, and grows on stony terrain from south-eastern California and south-western Arizona to Baja California and northern Sonora. Many species of agave are bat pollinated. |
Cactaceae |
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Cacti are one of the most distinctive groups of succulent plant growing throughout the American continent, with around 2500 species ranging in size from less than half an inch to tens of feet in height.
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 Opuntia engelmannii var. engelmannii |
 Ariocarpus fissuratus |
Crassulaceae: Dudleya & Echeveria |
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Dudleya is a genus of more than 50 small rosetted succulent plants native to Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, Baja California, Mexico and coastal islands and possibly extending into S. America. Many Dudleya species grow along the Californian coast.
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Crassulaceae: Sedum - stonecrops |
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It is often worth walking up rocky hillsides, paying careful attention to cracks in rocks, providing microclimates where Sedums and Dudleyas may flourish.
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Euphorbiaceae - spurge family |
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Top left:The candelilla plant (Euphorbia antisyphyllitica) growing at the Langtry visitor center, Texas. The epiphet antisyphyllitica refers to the plant's supposed medicinal properties. The flowers are relatively decorative by the standard of many Euphorbias. This plant is relatively common in the Big Bend country and the Rio Grande valley but in its natural habitat, where water may be scarce and the heat intense, the stems often have a bronzed appearance.
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FouquieriaceaeLeft: Fouquieria splendens |
Portulacaceae |
  Shaggy Portulaca Portulaca pilosa, Above Left: in the Big Bend National Park. Above Right: South of Shafter, Texas. |
Nolinaceae - beargrasses & sotol |
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The leaves of Dasylirions (Sotol) are furnished with sharp teeth. The starchy core of the developing inflorescence was traditionally roasted and eaten, the leaves used for weaving baskets and thatching and the dead inflorescence was a source of wood.
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Asclepiadaceae |
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Asclepias erosa |
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Many 
