Succulents

Barbara A Maaskant, Shenandoah Rose Garden Club

What are they?

Succulents Store water in leaves, stems and roots

Adapted to hot dry environments

Ability to retain water inside the plant

Stems are modified to perform photosynthesis

Shallow widespread roots

Cacti are succulent plants most with leaves modified into spines Cacti stems perform photosynthesis, no leaves but areoles

Spines trap moisture near the surface of the stem

All CACTI are succulents, bot not all succulents are cacti

Aeonium

Euphorbia tirucallii 'Sticks on Fire'.

Sedum, rubrotinctum, ‘Aurura’

Popular in plant decorations

Crassula – watch chain plant

Sedum *

Bottom – 2nd Family: Crassulacae, Genus: Sedum, species: rubrotinctum , cultivar ‘Aurora’

Sedum reflexum Angelina

Family: Crassulacae, Genus: Sedum, species: reflexum , cultivar Angelina

Haworthia*

Family: Aloaceae, Genus Haworthia, species

Hen and Chicks*

(bottom right) Family: Crassulacae, Genus: Sempervivium, species: limelight

Green Wheel *

(bottom right) Family: Crassulacae, Genus: Sempervivium, species (?) calcareum

Thymus-elfin*

Succulent Stepable Creeping thyme

Family: Lamiaceae, Genus Thymus, Species: praecox, Cultivar: Elfin

Wavy Jade *

Family: Crassulaceae. Genus: Crassula species: ovata c.v. ‘Blue Surprise”

Jade

Crassula ovata*

Family: Crassulaceae. Genus: Crassula species: ovata

echeveria sp.

• Crassula

Terrarium

Unique and Tiny

• Echeverias (g) are some of the most attractive of all succulents and they are highly valued by plant enthusiasts for their gorgeous colors and beautiful rosette shapes

• Native to Central America, Mexico and NY South America

Crassulaceae

EASY TO PLANT

Prepare the soil

Remove bottom leave to expose ½ “ stem

Pull off anything that looks like a flower

Gently push into growing medium

Give them lots of growing room

Leaves can also be planted by gently pressing firm ends into the soil

Water them and be sure to keep the soil moist Look for new growth in 4 – 6 weeks.

Some succulents are edible Dragonfruit - orchid cactus

Nopales Prickly Pear

Caralluma

Vegetable in India Weight loss

Aloe Ferox

Aloe ferox: (Kaapse aalwyn - Cape Aloe, bitter aloe) Medicinal Uses: Parts Used: Leaf sap, resinous solid known as aloe lump or Cape aloe. Cape aloes or aloe lump is used as a laxative. Leaves or roots that are boiled in water are taken as a laxative, arthritis, eczema, conjunctivitus, hypertension and stress.

Aloe arborescens

The leaf sap of other species, like A. arborescens and A.greatheadii, is applied externally to treat skin ailments, bruises and burns.

A.marlothii

The Dried leaves of A.marlothii is a popular ingredient in some snuffs.

Grows to 8 – 10 feet

Blooms fall/winter

Jade Plant in Folk Medicine

Warts

Nausea

Epilepsy

Corns

Diarrhea

Adansonia digitata LARGEST succulent in the world

Bulging trunk for water storage sometimes called upside down tree.

African deciduous tree – 60 ft Leaves have antihistamine

properties; fruit pulp for fevers, haemoptysis and antiperspirant; seeds for hiccups

Rainwater collects in the clefts of

large branches and is used as a source of water.

Honeybees build hives in the tree. Link to pdf of .ppt presentation http://www.baobabdirect.com/newsitems/2002_06

_HealthPropertiesOfBaobab_UNIV_Ferrara.pdf

)

Crassula: Cotyledon orbiculata: (Pig's Ear)

The fleshy part of the leaf is applied to warts and corns to soften and remove them. A single leaf is eaten as a vermifuge (expels intestinal worms). The leaf juice is warmed and used as drops for earache and toothache. A hot poultice is used to treat boils, earache or inflammation. The juice has also been used as a treatment for epilepsy

Haworthia reinwardtii Haworth 1821 Triangular dark-green leaves with white tuberculate spots are packed densely around the stem to form a neat column. These succulent plants clump up by offsetting the the base. Native to the Eastern Cape of South Africa.