10 Things You Never Knew About Succulents
Like how their name comes from the Latin word "sucus."
To say succulents are having a moment right now would be an understatement. But since they're extremely easy to care for, come in just about every color, and are so very cute, we think their popularity is long overdue. Before you pick up your next stonecrop or agave plant, here's what you should know:
Succulents originate from dry, desert locations.
Succulents first cropped up in areas with long dry seasons (such as Africa), since they store water in their leaves.
They get their name from their thick, sap-filled leaves.
Succulent comes from the Latin word "sucus," which means juice or sap. It's also a nod to the nourishing leaves that help these plants survive in extremely warm conditions (aka you only have to water yours once a week, since they thrive in sunlight and dry air).
Approximately 60 different plant families contain succulents.
Including families like Cactaceae (cacti) and Xanthorrhoeaeceae (which is also home to aloe vera).
You can find 'em in just about every color of the rainbow.
Shades of green are a given — but you can also find succulents that are blue, purple, pink, orange, and red!
Generally, succulents are pest resistent.
Just another reason why these plants are so easy to maintain. (If you do experience issues and your succulent is outside, you may be dealing with scale or aphids. If it's inside, the problem could be fungus gnats, mealybugs, woolly aphids, or spider mites.)
You can use succulent cuttings to grow new plants.
It's called "propagating." To do this, snip off a succulent leaf, let it dry in the sun, and plant it in dirt and water.
Succulents are often confused for cacti.
Cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are cacti. What makes a cactus a cactus: Its thorns, which is basically its version of leaves.
There's a succulent named after a donkey's tail.
And it's surprisingly sophisticated, don't you think?
A Christmas cactus is basically a succulent poinsettia.
They bloom just in time for Christmas, which is the reason for their very festive name.
Succulent jewelry is a thing — and it grows as you wear it.
Since these plants are so low-maintenance, you can show off your green thumb on your wrist, ears, or fingers for weeks at a time.
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