31 Types of Succulents Worth Growing (2024)

Gardening

Houseplants

Types of Houseplants

• 01 of 31

  Jade Plant (Crassula ovata)

  

  The fleshy, oval leaves and thick, woody stems of this houseplant resemble tiny tree trunks. It grows slowly, about 2 inches per year, but can get up 3 and 6 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide. Jade can be toxic to pets.

  • Light: Bright indirect sunlight
  • Water needs: Moderate

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• 02 of 31

  Silver Dollar Plant (Crassula arborescens)

  

  This Crassula species is a multi-stemmed indoor shrub growing up to 4 feet tall. It has rounded blue-gray leaves with maroon edges. It is toxic to pets.

  • Light: Bright indirect light
  • Water needs: Low

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• 03 of 31

  Donkey's Tail (Sedum morganianum)

  

  With its rows of fleshy, tear-drop shaped blue-green leaves, this is a good choice for hanging plants indoors. It can reach trailing lengths of up to 4 feet but the average length is around 24 inches.

  • Light: Full to partial sun
  • Water needs: Low

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• 04 of 31

  Mexican Snowball (Echeveria elegans)

  

  This rosette-shaped succulent with thick, fleshy blue-green to silver-green leaves can be grown as a houseplant or as a garden plant. It grows up to 8 inches tall and 12 inches wide.

  • USDA zone: 9-11
  • Light: Full sun
  • Soil: Sandy, well-drained
  • Water needs: Low

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• 05 of 31

  Echeveria 'Perle von Nurnberg'

  

  It’s the striking color change that makes this echeveria hybrid so popular as a houseplant. The solitary rosette of paddle-shaped, pastel leaves has a dusty, muted grayish color in low light that turns bright purple and pink in direct sun.

  • Light: Bright light
  • Water needs: Low

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  See Also

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• 06 of 31

  String of Pearls (Senecio rowleyanus)

  

  For a hanging basket, either indoors or outdoors, consider this trailing Senecio variety with dangling stems of round leaves. It can reach a length of 3 to 5 feet if you let it grow.

  • USDA zone: 9-12
  • Light: Full to partial sun
  • Soil: Sandy, well-drained
  • Water Needs: Low

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• 07 of 31

  Candelabra Cactus ingens (Euphorbia ingens)

  

  The name of this plant comes from the dark green, four-lobed stems and a columnar growth structure that branches out as the plant matures. Indoors, it reaches 8 to 10 feet in heigh, outdoors it can grow to a towering 40 feet. It is toxic to humans and pets.

  • USDA zone: 10-11
  • Light: Full sun
  • Soil: Sandy, well-drained
  • Water needs: Low

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• 08 of 31

  Crown of Thorns (Euphorbia milii)

  

  If you are looking for a succulent with almost year-round bloom, this is it. The plant has thick, bright green leaves and showy bracts in red, orange, pink, yellow, or white but also thorns. It grows 3 to 6 feet tall outdoors, and 2 feet maximum indoors. It is toxic to humans and pets.

  • USDA zone: 9-11
  • Light: Full to partial sun
  • Soil: Well-drained
  • Water Needs: Low

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• 09 of 31

  Aloe Vera (Aloe barbadensis miller)

  

  Even though it may take years for it to develop its spiky flowers, the fleshy lance-shape leaves with jagged edges make this an attractive houseplant. Aloe vera grows 12 to 36 inches tall. It is toxic to pets.

  • Light: Bright natural light
  • Water Needs: Water regularly except during dormancy

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• 10 of 31

  Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera x buckleyi)

  

  In cold climates, Christmas cactus is usually grown as a houseplant, but you can bring it outdoors during the summer. It has fleshy flattened leaves that are slightly serrated on each side. The vibrant flowers of this holiday plant provide a welcome splash of color during the winter.

  • USDA zone: 10-12
  • Light: Partial shade or diffused light
  • Soil: Loamy, moist, well-drained
  • Water Needs: Moderate

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• 11 of 31

  Chocolate Soldier Plant (Kalanchoe tomentosa)

  

  The pale-green leaves of this houseplant are covered with grayish-white fuzz and rimmed with chocolate brown spots.It can grow up to 2 feet tall. The plant is toxic to pets.

  • Light: Bright indirect light
  • Water Needs: Low

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• 12 of 31

  Flapjack (Kalanchoe luciae)

  

  Because of the paddle- or clam-like shape of its leaves, this plant is also known as the paddle plant. It can be grown as a houseplant or outdoors, growing1 to 2 feet tall and spreading in wide rosette clusters of 2 to 3 feet. It is toxic to pets.

  • USDA zone: 9-11
  • Light: Full to partial sun
  • Soil: Loamy, sandy, well-drained
  • Water Needs: Low

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• 13 of 31

  Flaming Katy (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana)

  

  Its repeated bloom is one of the reasons why this is a popular houseplant, which is on the smaller size with 6 to 18 inches in height and width. The flower clusters extend above the scallop-shaped leaves. It is toxic to pets.

  • Light: Bright natural light
  • Water Needs: Low

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• 14 of 31

  Ponytail Palm (Beaucarnea recurvata)

  

  The tuft of strappy green leaves emerging from a bulbous stemmakes this look like a palm but it’s a succulent that can be grown outdoors or indoors, where is stays much smaller, about 6 to 8 feet in height.

  • USDA zone: 10-11
  • Light: Full sun, bright indirect light indoors
  • Soil: Sandy, well-drained
  • Water Needs: Low

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• 15 of 31

  Snake Plant (Dracaena trifasciata)

  

  Nearly indestructible is a common description used for this houseplant with stiff, sword-like leaves. It can reach up to 8 feet in height but it’s a slow grower. The plant is toxic to pets.

  • Light: Indirect light with some direct sun
  • Water Needs: Low

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• 16 of 31

  Zebra Haworthia's (Haworthia fasciata)

  

  The thick dark green leaves with horizontal white stripes gave this houseplant plant its name. Like most Haworthias, this is a small plant, reachingonly 5 to 8 inches in height.

  • Light: Bright light near an east- or west-facing window
  • Water Needs: Low

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• 17 of 31

  Mother of Thousands (Kalanchoe daigremontiana)

  

  If you grow this plant, which got its name from the many baby plantlets that grow along the edges of its serrated leaves, as a houseplant, you might not see it bloom. Outdoors, it develops dangling pinkish-gray flowers after a few years. The mature size is 3 feet. The plant is toxic to pets.

  • USDA zone: 9-11
  • Light: Full sun, partial shade outdoors, indirect light indoors
  • Soil: Well-drained
  • Water Needs: Needs regular watering

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• 18 of 31

  Pink Quill (Tillandsia cyanea)

  

  This small houseplant—it only grows 10 inches tall—can be grown in a pot or as an air plant. Its large, long-lasting, showy pink bracts resemble ink quills. They start out pink and turn green over time.

  • Light: Partial sun in east or west-facing window
  • Water Needs: Low

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• 19 of 31

  Ghost Plant (Graptopetalum paraguayense)

  

  In a warm climate, you can grow this low-growing succulent outdoors, otherwise as a potted houseplant. It has whiteish-grey pointed leaves and trailing rosette form, 6 to 12 inches tall. The rosettes take a blue-gray hue in partial shade or a pinkish-yellow tone in full sun.

  • USDA zone: 9-11
  • Light: Full to partial sun, south- or east-facing window
  • Soil: Sandy, well-drained
  • Water Needs: Low

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• 20 of 31

  Jelly Bean Succulents (Sedum rubrotinctum)

  

  When grown as a potted houseplant, this cute low-growing sedum that is native to Mexico is more contained than outdoors where it sprawls so it can be planted as a groundcover.

  • USDA zone: 9-11
  • Light: Full sun
  • Soil: Sandy, well-drained
  • Water Needs: Low

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• 21 of 31

  Living Stones (Lithops spp.)

  

  In warm climates, these ground-hugging succulents from Africa can be grown outdoors. In cold climates, plant them in pots so you can bring them indoors for the winter. There are many different types of living stones, which all grow extremely slowly.

  • USDA zone: 10-11
  • Light: Full sun
  • Soil: Sandy, well-drained
  • Water Needs: Low

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• 22 of 31

  Hens and Chicks (Sempervivum tectorum)

  

  One of the hardiest succulents, hens and chicks can be planted outdoors in a wide climate range. They also make good potting plants, but there is no need to bring them indoors for the winter.

  • USDA zone: 3-11
  • Light: Full sun
  • Soil: Sandy, well-drained
  • Water Needs: Low

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• 23 of 31

  Parry’s Agave (Agave parryi)

  

  This handsome agave for outdoor settings has slate gray-bluish rosettes. It has a clump-forming growth habit and grows up to 3 feet in height. The flower stalk can reach up to 20 feet.

  • USDA zone: 7-10
  • Light: Full sun
  • Soil: Sandy, loamy, well-drained
  • Water Needs: Moderate

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• 24 of 31

  Propeller Plant (Senecio crassissimus)

  

  While other Senecio varieties are not cold-hardy, this type can handle some frost.It has bluish, flattened leaves on an upright plant that grows 18 to 24 inches tall and wide.

  • USDA zone: 10-11
  • Light: Full to partial sun
  • Soil: Sandy, well-drained
  • Water Needs: Low

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• 25 of 31

  Autumn Joy Stonecrop (Hylotelephium telephium ‘Autumn Joy’)

  

  One of the most popular sedums for landscaping, this stonecrop (which was previously classified as a sedum) has gray-green, rounded, succulent-like leaves. The plant, which grows up to 2 feet tall, blooms in the late summer to fall with tiny, pink, star-shaped flowers.

  • USDA zone: 3-9
  • Light: Full sun
  • Soil: Sandy, well-drained
  • Water Needs: Low

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• 26 of 31

  Angelina Stonecrop (Sedum rupestre 'Angelina')

  

  This groundcover sedum forms a low-growing mat with tiny yellow flowers throughout the summer.In the fall, the foliage turns an orange rust color. It can be grown in containers but it does not need to be overwintered indoors.

  • USDA zone: 5-9
  • Light: Full to partial sun
  • Soil: Well-drained
  • Water Needs: Moderate

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• 27 of 31

  Hardy Ice Plant (Delosperma cooperi)

  

  The name is a bit misleading—most ice plants are warm-climate perennials. Hardy ice plant is a species at the more cold-hardy end of the spectrum. It grows only 3 to 6 inches tall and has magenta flowers.

  • USDA zone: 6-10
  • Light: Full sun
  • Soil: Sandy, well-drained
  • Water Needs: Low

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• 28 of 31

  Eastern Prickly Pear (Opuntia humifusa)

  

  One of the most popular prickly pear species for outdoors is also one of the hardiest. Eastern prickly pear is a sprawling, ground-hugging cactus that grows up to 12 inches tall and wide. It produces yellow flowers with an orange or red center from May through July.

  • USDA zone: 4-9
  • Light: Full sun
  • Soil: Sandy, well-drained
  • Water Needs: Low

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• 29 of 31

  Giant Chalk Dudleya (Dudleya brittonii)

  

  The 12- to 18-inch wide, whitish blue-green rosette is an eye catcher in any landscape. This is a non-branching Dudleya variety that produces a tall, vibrant red stalk and bright yellow flowers when in bloom.

  • USDA zone: 9-10
  • Light: Full sun
  • Soil: Sandy, well-drained
  • Water Needs: Low

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• 30 of 31

  Tree Aeonium (Aeonium arboretum)

  

  With its bright green rosettes on a branching stem, the growth habit of this tall succulent is more like a shrub than a tree. In a warm climate, you can plant it outdoors where it will grow to about 6 feet. In colder climate, plant it in a container so you can overwinter it indoors. Potted plants max out at a height of about 3 feet.

  • USDA zone: 9-11
  • Light: Full sun to part shade
  • Soil: Sandy loam, well-drained
  • Water Needs: Moderate

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• 31 of 31

  African Milk Tree (Euphorbia trigona)

  

  Although you can grow it as a houseplant, due to its vigorous growth (1 to 2 feet per year), an outdoor setting works better for this lush plant. It is toxic to humans and pets.

  • USDA zone: 9-11
  • Light: Partial sun
  • Soil: Loamy, well-drained
  • Water Needs: Low