About Succulents

What are Succulents?

Ano nga ba ang mga succulents?

Succulents are drought-resistant plants. Meaning, kaya nilang mag-survive sa mga lugar na kakaunti lang ang water resources, o sa mga tuyong lugar.

Succulent leaves are fleshy and thick dahil nagre-retain sila ng water sa leaves para mas maka-survive sila sa mga lugar na may mala-disyertong klima or dry na environment. Kaya rin nilang kumuha ng water mula sa mga mist or dew.

The word succulent comes from the Latin word sucus which means juice or sap.

Karamihan sa mga plants families ng Crassulaceae and Cactaceae ay mga succulents. Most of these water-preserving plants ay matatagpuan natin sa mga habitats or areas na may high temperature and low rainfall.

Characteristics of Succulents

Here are some of the most common characteristics of succulents:

Fleshy and swollen appearance ng leaves dahil doon sila nag-i-store ng water (ang katangiang ito ay tinatawag ring succulence).
Sila ay gumagamit ng Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM photosynthesis) para ma-minimize ang water loss.
Ang stomata ng mga succulents ay sarado sa umaga at bukas tuwing gabi.
Ang stems nila ang main location ng photosynthesis nila, imbis na ang leaves.
Karamihan sa mga succulents ay mababaw lang ang roots, kaya they can take up moisture from the surface ng top soil kahit na ambon lang.
They can produce aerial roots as well para makakuha ng moisture sa atmosphere near the plant.

Crassulaceae Plant Family

Karamihan sa mga alam nating succulents ay under ng Crassulaceae plant family, kaya naman dito mag-fo-focus ang aking blog.

Heto ang ilan (pero hindi lahat) sa mga known genus / genera under the Crassulaceae family:

Aeonium
Aloe
Anacampseros
Aptenia
Aristaloe
Callisia
Corpuscularia
Cotyledon
Crassula
Cremnophila
Echeveria
Euphorbia
Gasteria
Graptopetalum
Haworthia
Haworthiopsis
Kalanchoe
Lithops
Opuntia
Orostachys
Pahyphytum
Pepermoia
Portulaca
Portulacaria
Sanseveria
Sedum
Sempervivum
Senecio
Sinocrassula
x Alworthia
x Cremneria
x Cremnosedum
x Gasteraloe
x Gasterhaworthia
x Graptophytum
x Graptosedum
x Graptoveria
x Pachyveria
x Sedeveria

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Echeveria agavoides 'Red Edge' (Lipstick Echeveria)

Echeveria agavoides 'Red Edge', commonly known as Lipstick Echeveria, is a cultivar of Echeveria agavoides succulent. Leaves can grow up to 3.2 inches long and up to 1.2 inches wide. Leaves are apple-green in color with a terminal spine. When they are stressed (or exposed to long periods of sunlight or cold temperature), the tips of the leaves shows off vivid red-pink edges. The flowers of Lipstick Echeveria are pinkish-red with dark yellow tips. TIP: When a leaf tip/apex forms a sharp point, it's commonly called terminal spine or botanically spinose . I bought my first Echeveria agavoides Lipstick succulent last December 21, 2021 from my favorite succulent grower, Jinky, from Benguet. It's so huge, it was approximately 7 inches in diameter. The flower stalk dried up while I was airdrying the succulent. I potted it on January 8, 2022 in Plant Culture PH's cultured soil plus and mixed it with vermicast, DE powder, pumice stones, and topped with lava rocks. I ...

Aeonium 'Bronze Medal'

Aeonium 'Bronze Medal' is a branching succulent that forms small and compact, medallion-like rosettes that turn into dark bronze color when stressed. It has yellow flowers. In general, Aeonium don't like hot or dry weather, so they may turn dormant in summer (hence, they don't need water, except in very dry conditions). In extreme heat, their leaves tend to curl to prevent excessive water loss. Aeonium 'Bronze Medal' is a U.S. hybrid but one of its parents is unknown. The red-marked glutinous leaves and hemispherical habit point to Aeonium sedifolium . This is my favorite Aeonium species. However, it's extremely difficult to take care in lowlands. Still, I'm trying to experiment on the right spot and potting mix for Bronze Medal that will make them thrive in my small garden. More Details: A. Bronze Medal on ICN

First Trip to Farmers Garden - Araneta Center: I Bought 7 Big-Size Succulents!

Hello, plantmates! It's been a while since I went to Metro Manila, and luckily, I had a chance to visit the Farmers Garden at Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City for the first time (last February 20th)! Nababasa ko lang sa TSCP group na maraming succulent stores dito. Some of the succulent growers in Benguet are also posting that they have physical stores in this area. Fortunately for me, mukhang kakadating lang ng new stocks ng Benida's Cacti & Succulents. The left rack is full as well as the crates in the middle of the shop. I wanna buy them all LOL! I can't carry them all, though, so I just handpicked 7 succulents (medyo nagpigil pa ako nun dahil kasama ko si PM at maiinip sya sa tagal kong pumili haha). Sobrang nakakatuwa dahil P50 each lang ung nasa left rack! 😍 So if you guys have time to visit the garden center, don't miss the opportunity! Madaming stocks and meron ring 3 for 100 succulents. Here's my plant haul from Farmers Garden: x Graptoveria '...

Fourth Succulent

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