20 ideas for succulents in containers

Floral accent

Potted Echeveria and Senecio mix well with other low-water, sun-loving perennials such as African Daisy. Keep single plants in individual pots to easily change the grouping with the seasons

Keep it simple

A top dressing of blue glass mulch elevates a simple Echeveria ‘Lola’ to a stand-alone accent container. Place a line of small potted succulents down the center of an outdoor table as a living tableau.

Urban chic

Hang a vertical planter by your front door to give a hip, urban feel to your doorstep. The living picture is dripping with ‘String of Pearls’ succulents (Senecio rowleyanus) and bronze-tipped aeonium.

Go for green

A cluster of bright green aeonium rosettes in a glossy black pot makes a statement against a brightly colored door. Aeonium ‘Jolly Green’ has a compact form well suited for containers.

Under-plant with succulents

A container of false arelia is top-dressed with a living mulch of Echeveria, Sempervivum, and Senecio creating a miniature living landscape. As plants grow to be too crowded, pinch off pups to make more room and use in other containers.

Succulent side-board

Designer and co-owner of L.A.-based nursery Potted, Annette Gutierrez uses a weathered wood sideboard to display a collection of potted plants, such as ‘Sunburst’ aeonium with sedum (in red pot) and a tiny succulent landscape in a low white bowl

Succulent patio

A bougainvillea and a citrus tree were not enough to cover the back fence, so Potted's Annette Gutierrez filled the understory with potted succulents including Graptoveria ‘Fred Ives’ (in orange pot), Aeonium (light green pot), Echeveria ‘Afterglow’ (low blue-green pot), Agave attenuata (tall green pot) and sword fern (far right).

Bold and bright

Use brightly colored vessels to make small succulents stand out.

Green chandelier

Group a collection of hanging planters filled with Echeveria above an outdoor lounge for vertical interest.

Succulent boat

Create a living centerpiece by planting a colorful mix of Echeveria, Sempervivum, and trailing Sedum in a narrow container.

Light highlights

Glazed ceramic containers filed with a pale green agave (Agave attenuata) and trailing silver dichondra (Dichondra argentea ‘Silver Falls’) pop against a dark painted wood background.

Tiny treasures

Costa Mesa garden designer Molly Wood fills vintage metal chicken feeders with tiny succulents for a rustic centerpiece. Hen and chickens (Sempervivums), echeverias, and a dainty stonecrop grow in cactus mix in a 4 1/2-inch-deep trough.

Jewel tones

A shallow bowl measuring about 2 feet across and 6 inches deep provides just enough room to show off a rainbow of succulent colors. A mix of bright green Sedum ‘Angelina’, pink rosette-shaped Ghost plants (Graptopetalum pentandrum), and fleshy green Crassula argenta ‘Gollum’ pick up the more subtle tones of large grey-green and pink Echeveria.

Bold texture

“I almost always include something lacy, something hanging, and something architectural,” says Oakland landscape designer Joshua Stenzel. Then “throw in one thing that’s unexpected,” such as the Sempervivum succulents dripping out of a low pot here.

The plants: Upright Euphorbia tirucalli (back left); feathery Acacia iteaphylla (back right); Yucca aloifolia ‘Purpurea’ (left); strappy bromeliad (Vriesea philippo-coburgii, center); variegated ‘Cornelius’ agave (bottom right); cascading mistletoe cactus (Rhipsalis, bottom left).

Bigger, better

Make an impact by including one tall planting and repeating one strong color in either the foliage or the pots. “One thing I’ve learned with small-space designs is to skip the dainty little pots and go for big and bold,” says designer Josh Stenzel.

Color coordinated

Start with a plant or pot you love and let it lead the rest of the design. For this quartet, Oakland landscape designer Joshua Stenzel first chose earthy ceramic pots, then selected plants in a complementary palette of coral and pale green.

Bowl of succulents

A crush of silvery Echeveria, pale purple ghost plants, and trailing Sedum ‘Angelina’ make a colorful container display perfect for dressing up an outdoor table.

Wine punch

Pops of icy blue in cooling contrast with warm combos of bright pinks and deep purples makes for a striking color scheme. Start with the plants, then pick a container that will extend the color theme. Here, a 16-inch-wide olive green pot makes the brighter foliage pop.

Transformed nursery box

Paint and stenciling transform a nursery box into a house number. A large potted succulent takes it up a notch.

Miniature desert garden

Asymmetrically arranged golden barrel cactus (Echinocactus grusonii) and pale clusters of thimble cactus (Mammillaria gracilis fragilis) create a pint-sized desert landscape. Top dress with a dark gravel mulch to show off the pale cacti colors.

Succulent Plants for the Home at Top 10 Snake plant (Sansevieria trifasciata)

Snake plant (Sansevieria trifasciata)

This succulent can take a beating. Stories abound about forgotten, dead-looking snake plants coming back to life upon watering. Long, pointed leaves grow with patterned markings reminiscent of a snake. You can leave this plant in a pot for many years, allowing the rhizomes to multiply into a thick clump.

Allow the soil to dry out slightly between waterings. Overwatering causes leaf and crown rot. It tolerates low light but performs best with medium or high light. It doesn't need fertilizer, but if you insist you can apply 10-10-10 once a year.

Snake plant tolerates neglect but thrives on attention. Prune out any damaged leaves so the overall plant looks better.

Succulent Plants for the Home at Top 10 Ponytail Palm (Beaucarnea recurvata)

Ponytail Palm (Beaucarnea recurvata)

Ponytail palms are not palm trees at all, but their feathery mops of green leaves atop a leathery-looking trunk resemble them. The ponytail palm doesn't look like a succulent, even though it is related to the agave plant. Its water-storage unit is the swollen, bulbous base of the trunk that gives the plant its other common name: elephant foot.

Long, sometimes curly, straplike leaves have very little surface to lose moisture, a boon in its native areas in the southwestern United States and Mexico.

This succulent is the perfect houseplant for a neglectful gardener because it doesn't need a lot of watering. Allow the soil to dry almost completely before watering, and keep low humidity if possible. Grow it in high light and direct sun if possible, but the plant will adapt to medium light. Remembering ponytail palm's native habitat, keep it hot or medium temperature. If it must be kept cool, water less often.
Ponytail palms grow slowly, reaching 12-20 feet indoors. Repot when the plant gets too top-heavy for its container. Fertilize only about once a year, using a balanced fertilizer such as 10-10-10.

Succulent Plants for the Home at Top 10 Pincushion Cactus (Mammillaria)

Pincushion Cactus (Mammillaria)

Pincushions form a group of about 200 species of ball-shape cacti that are among the most common cacti grown in the home. Most hail from Mexico, where they grow in full sun. Pincushion cacti can remain small and may take the form of single balls or clumps, often flowering indoors.
Be careful: The spines look delicate but have hooked ends that are difficult to pull out of skin.

To grow a pincushion cactus, provide the highest light possible. Allow the soil to dry out almost completely between waterings, and withhold water entirely in the winter to give it a cool, dormant period needed for flowering. Fertilize three times in summer only, using a balanced 10-10-10 fertilizer.

Succulent Plants for the Home at Top 10 Panda Plant (Kalanchoe tomentosa)

Panda Plant (Kalanchoe tomentosa)

There are dozens of kinds of Kalanchoe plants, but the panda plant is among the most common. A native of Madagascar, panda plant is grown strictly for its foliage. (Grow K. blossfeldiana if you want flowers.) Thick green leaves are covered with soft silver hairs, giving the plant a fuzzy, blue-gray appearance. The edges of the leaves are tipped with brown or rust-color hairs.

Allow the top 2 inches of soil to dry out between waterings. During dormancy in winter, water only enough to keep the soil from drying out completely. Grow in medium to bright filtered light. Fertilize three times in summer with a 10-10-10 fertilizer.
Although it can be pruned, panda plant seldom needs grooming except to remove any wayward stems.

Succulent Plants for the Home at Top 10 Medicine Plant (Aloe vera)

Medicine Plant (Aloe vera)

The healing sap of this familiar medicinal plant has been used for centuries to treat wounds and sunburn. However, the sharp "teeth" along the leaf margins can cut an unsuspecting passerby, so place it where it can't be brushed accidentally.

Allow the soil to dry out between soakings. Don't let the plant stand in water. Keep it in direct sunlight or the greatest amount of light possible. Fertilize three times in summer with a balanced 10-10-10 fertilizer; avoid fertilizing in winter. You don't need to repot unless the roots are obviously pushing their way out of a pot. If so, use a potting mix designed for cactus.

Succulent Plants for the Home at Top 10 Jade Plant (Crassula ovata)

Jade Plant (Crassula ovata)

The jade plant is an old-fashioned favorite for a reason: It's so easy to grow! This long-lived South African native grows thick stems and thick, glossy green leaves tinged with red.

Allow the soil to dry completely between waterings. Although some gardeners water jade only when the leaves begin to pucker or lose their shine, these are signs the plant is already stressed, so it may begin to drop leaves. Jades are most commonly killed by overwatering. A plant may adopt a weeping form if chronically overwatered.

Fertilize three times in summer only with 10-10-10 fertilizer. Keep jade plants potted in terra-cotta for good air movement through the soil and to help balance a top-heavy plant. Repotting is seldom necessary because of the small root system, but if you do repot, use a mix for cactus or well-draining potting soil.

Prune jade as necessary to keep it symmetrical, so one side doesn't cause the entire pot to topple. Simply cut off a branch or leaf, and plant it to create new plants. Rooting new plants around the base of a plant creates the look of a shrubby thicket. For an architectural look, some gardeners pinch all the leaves along the thick stems, leaving only the leaves at the top.

Succulent Plants for the Home at Top 10 Hens-and-Chicks (Sempervivum tectorum or Echeveria elegans)

Hens-and-Chicks (Sempervivum tectorum or Echeveria elegans)

Two succulent plants share the common name of hens-and-chicks. They're closely related but look different. Both produce "chicks" -- small, identical plants that are slightly offset from the mother (the hen).
Echeveria elegans forms flat, flowerlike rosettes with rounded edges. Sempervivum tectorum also forms in rosettes, but each leaf tends to be flatter and more pointed. The flowering patterns are different. Echeveria grows arching, smooth, bell-shape blooms every year. Individual Sempervivum grows pink star-shape flowers on plants that die after flowering. Usually by this time the plant has produced so many offsets that the loss is not great. After all, the Latin translation of sempervivum means "ever living."

When grown as houseplants, the two perform the same way. Both should be allowed to dry slightly between waterings, as overwatering causes rotting. Water very little during winter dormancy.

Fertilize three times in summer with 10-10-10 balanced fertilizer. Propagate by removing offsets and potting them. Although they look tough, they can easily be scarred if water touches the foliage or if bumped.

Succulent Tip: Hens-and-chicks work well in succulent wreaths.

Succulent Plants for the Home at Top 10 Crown of Thorns (Euphorbia milii)

Crown of Thorns (Euphorbia milii)

A popular import from Madagascar, crown of thorns can bloom year-round if given enough light. Long, spoon-shape leaves appear at the ends of spiky branches, along with clusters of tiny flowers. You might not notice the flowers because they're so small, but you will see the red, salmon, or yellow bracts that surround them.

When the plant is in bloom, allow only the top inch or so of soil to dry out between waterings. When the plant is not blooming, be sure the top half of the pot's soil is dry before watering. Don't let the entire pot dry out, however, or the plant will drop its leaves. If your plant dries out and loses its leaves, it will grow new ones in a few weeks after you begin watering.
Direct sun produces the best bloom, but crown of thorns adapts to medium light. Fertilize three times in summer using a bloom-booster fertilizer of 10-30-10.

All euphorbia contain a skin-irritating sap. Wash your hands thoroughly after handling.

Succulent Plants for the Home at Top 10 Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera x buckleyi)

Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera x buckleyi)

To grow, allow the top 2 inches of soil to dry out between waterings. Keep it drier in the winter. When the plant is in bud, pay close attention, because even slight dehydration or overwatering may cause buds to drop. Provide medium to high light, and fertilize three times in summer using a 10-30-10 fertilizer to promote blooms.

To initiate flower bud formation in the fall, drop the indoor temperature to 55 degrees F. Or move your plants outdoors to a shaded spot in summer and leave them out as temperatures fall. Move them indoors before the temperature reaches 45 degrees F. To prune, pinch off stem segments where necessary to keep the plant stubby.

Succulent Plants for the Home at Top 10 Burro's Tail (Sedum morganianum)

Burro's Tail (Sedum morganianum)

Burro's tail is shown to its best advantage planted in a hanging basket. Overlapping, gray-green or gray-blue leaves grow up to 3 feet long. A native of Mexico, it prefers medium to high light for best performance.

Succulent Growing Tip: Allow the soil to dry slightly between waterings, and keep soil on the dry side during winter dormancy. Fertilize once in summer with a balanced 10-10-10 fertilizer. Although burro's tail rarely blooms, pink or red flowers may appear at the end of the stems in summer.

The leaves fall off with even a light touch, so keep burro's tail where it won't be disturbed. If you move a houseplant outside for summer, keep it in a shaded location. Even though burro's tail likes bright light, sudden exposure to direct sunlight may cause sunburn.