Drought Tolerant Succulents take arid survival to a whole new extreme--even among the succulent plants! In their natural, desert habitats, these varieties have special adaptations to tolerate hot, dry, sunny environments where few plants could thrive. This makes them excellent choices for drought tolerant landscaping in a changing climate.
Care
As the name implies these plants require very little water. Many of them can go whole seasons without a drop and, during these dormancy periods, they are prone to rot if you do water them. They also like mineral soils for fast draining. Sunlight is a must for these plants and nearly all of them require full sun to grow properly.
The Plants
This list is primarily dominated by cacti, Agave and Aloe of all different shapes and sizes.
The cacti come in all different shapes and sizes and they come from many different genera. These plants are native primarily to the hotter, drier regions of the Americas and are unique in that most or all of their leaves have been heavily modified into spines. Their flowers are uniquely large and beautiful among succulents.
Agaves are native to much of the same areas as cacti are. These rosettes can grow into giants and are frequently armed with formidable spines and teeth. The bloom spikes they grow, just before death, are impressively tall, some easily passing 10 feet! These plants have been cultivated regularly for food, fiber and drink.
Aloes are native to Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and many islands in the Indian Ocean. They are very fleshy rosettes with beautiful tube shaped flowers. The most famous of these plants is Aloe vera, which is cultivated for its healing properties.
