Succulent plants, specifically cactus and agaves, are a great addition to any Arizona landscape. These decorative plants tend to thrive in the valley because they can handle the high temps and don’t require a lot of rain. Plus, their striking features add a tropical look to the desert landscape.
A succulent plant by definition is a plant that stores water in the stems, roots and leaves. It stems from the Latin word “sucus” meaning juice or sap. Succulent plants come in a variety of styles and in a number of different shapes, sizes, colors and textures.
The most popular succulents found in Arizona are cactus. They are known to survive the extreme heat without needing much water. Most succulents love the sun, but it is still smart to try to plant them in an area where they do get some shade and not always getting direct sunlight. Succulents usually stay green all year round and some even have bright colors, which make them a great addition to your lawn to mix in with other plants and trees.
One of the best things about succulent plants is that they are easy to care for. You can put them pretty much anywhere, like on your patio or even around the pool. All you really need to have a thriving succulent is to use soil with good drainage.
If for some reason your soil seems to be too dry, try mixing in potting soil to help retain water. If Arizona is seeing extremely dry weather, try to water succulents once a week and wait for the soil the to be completely dry before watering it. This will help prevent any overwatering.
With a lot of plants, there are some safety issues when it comes to those beautiful succulents. Many of them have spikes and thorns and they can cause some painful injuries. Try not to put these plants in areas where you will see a lot of traffic or where they can get in the pool easily. Be careful when dealing with the sap as well because it could cause a rash and is toxic if ingested.
There are a variety of succulent plants to choose from and since they are so easy to care for, you might want to add quite a few of these plants around your yard!
Helpful Tip: We don’t see cold of temperatures often in the valley, but when we do, cover your succulent because they don’t do well with frost!