Hi Tiffany, typically it is a generalized guideline to provide good light, water and let dry or approach dryness before watering again.

I guess you would want to know if it is a cacti or succulent, if you are hoping to get blooms, aside from enjoying its foliage or lack of.
Cacti are flowering plants when they are mature. So it really needs that good amount of direct light to encourage it to bloom. Some succulents can bloom too, but most of them are just cute and leafless, and a greater part prefer just bright light not direct sun.

Next would be being able to understand how it will propagate itself..you can gather seeds from the flowering varieties..but some don't have flowers, so you will only hope for the plant to make little pups or new growth later on.

Then as you further delve into their life cycle, you will then realize that although you can prolong the interval of watering since they can hold water, you cannot just do it on a whim. Eventually you will observe their dormancy..and it varies...some succulents being summer dormant..and some winter dormant. Next, will be temperature tolerances to extreme heat or to cold temps. Cacti can take the higher heat levels, other succulents, would go into high temp induced dormancy, shutting down till favorable temps return. They have water in their leaves/stems/roots so they can afford to do it. On the flipside, when it is getting too cold, Cacti may survive, provided it is kept dry. Other succulents can show its nicer colors when cold stressed, but there is a limit as always, hard freeze may do them in. But I have seen some in the brink of death, but as long as there is an iota of green remaining, you can still try to pull it in and just wait for it to recover when warmer temps return.

Then the aspect of knowing if they are desert types, tropical types, alpine types. Most cacti are desert types. Succulents on the other hand is a mixed bag..some have preference for tropical conditions, some love the cooler alpine conditions.

The fun world of C & S..I am also learning as I go!

That all gels with what I've been reading - probably a lot of it from you, TYVM for the detailed thoughts.

Alpine, good one, a word that alerts me that a plant can't live in south AL, way too hot, humid - and oxygen-y, very close to sea level. I finagle a covering to reduce exposure to rain, but not fight the other things.

Sedeveria 'Sorrento' See the dew?! This is why I don't water often, and since I use rain water, it's usually more toward the sip-side than a good soaking. OK, I confess, I usually water during the middle of the day 'cuz there's less mosquitoes. I make an effort not to get foliage wet, just the 'dirt.' Am I in danger from a visit from the plant police?


And, LOL! I've been propagating like a mad scientist. Might as well make more while they're small...!



Ledebouria socialis, this hasn't made seeds before, can they?:


Portulaca amilis found in the yard. Stuck them in pots, definitely lots of seeds. This plant seems much more suited to be a lawn than the grasses we have, but unfortunately too ephemeral to do that alone. Daggone cute too!


I uploaded this as a multi-plant pic earlier today. It's my fav pot - today.


Root ball of sad looking clearance Portulaca grandiflora (moss rose) I didn't want to try to separate from its' peat, or stick that peat in any of my pots. Been adding other various cuttings over here to see what might come back up next year. The Tradescantia pallida (purple heart) is hardy here. Should like this dry, sunny spot and prevent having to weed-wack around the carport.

Oh I also do that at times..when a leaf falls off due to the winds..so impromptu propagation.

Sometimes one just have to grow them, to truly understand if it is the type of succulent you wish to have around..some are so hard to tame..if it won't be tamed..I just let them do what it wants..and if I cannot stand it anymore..chopping block it goes..then I get new little ones to grow

I am bad with seeds...so I do not attempt anymore..I have better chances with cuttings.

When I have a succulent that blooms and I know its ID, I try to research again if it is the type that goes monocarpic or not....so if I cannot get the seeds..I can attempt to get some leaves or rosettes to try and root.

Yes, I think you have to learn what each plant prefers. Unfortunately, that learning process may result in some plant death before the lessons sink in.

What's being left out in this discussion is a persons own schedule. I usually water in the late afternoon because it suits my schedule. Also, some plants prefer it because it gets too hot in the daytime and the moisture is available to the plant longer. It doesn't cool off a lot overnight, but it's cooler than days. Places that have cool nights might be different, but heat combined with low humidity and windy conditions cause things to dry out really fast. That's the norm here.

Yes, Tiffany, Ledebouria socialis will make seeds. Last year I had a pot hanging under the tree and thought I had a nest of crabgrass coming up in the mulch underneath and around the pot. When I went to pull it out, I saw that there were several hundred tiny Ledbouria socialis seedlings. There was quite a patch up and growing well by the time we had freezing weather which they didn't survive. The basket is over grass this year, so I wouldn't be able to see them if there are any, but it bloomed heavily as usual.

Our micro climates are such..so different..our lifestyles more so..

If that particular succulent is a prized one..hard to come by, expensive when you got it, or you are not just a hobbyist but compete as well in plant shows, or for whatever sentimental reason you want to keep it alive..one will find time to adjust to its needs.

Now, if it is the more common ones, so easy to get in any big box stores, you can afford to lose some.

I certainly cannot afford to buy and buy...

Oh, Tiffany & Tarev. All I know is that all cacti are succ, but not all succ are cactus. Still have faint idea of what kind of succ is not cactus? Let me list some I have and please tell me which one is real succ that is not a cactus: 1. Aloe Haworthioides, 2. Dyckias (Bromelaid family), 3. Pachyphytum, 4. Crassula Terragona, and 5. common aloes.

Thanks

All of them succulents Fiat but each belonging to its specific Genus.

I know they are all succ, but is any of them not a cactus?

Think of it this way Fiat..succulence is its property description. Cactacea is the Family of plants with similar properties being succulent, and spikes with areoles, etc. etc.

I think I may have got it: 3 & 4 are succ which are not cacti. Thanks

Fiat - none of what you listed are cacti - they are all succulents.

klc said:

I had to laugh at this Cinta!! I have gone through sooooo many plants that my Hubby says that plant stores have posters saying "DO NOT SELL PLANTS TO THIS PERSON!!!" with my picture on them!! Sad to say that I really deserved it!! FINALLY starting to get a few that will survive for me!!

I so identify with the statement about going through so many plants.... but we just try try again and enjoy them while they survive. I am going to have to consider everything annuals and just bid them goodbye at the end of the season (if they make it that long)

gg5 said:Fiat - none of what you listed are cacti - they are all succulents.

So all aloes have spines, but no areoles? I thought aloe's sap is kind of clear and watery?

Fiat - we seem to be going round and round...there isn't a logical reason for the plants to be called how and what they are...Cacti are almost exclusively from the americas...Aloes are almost all from africa and middle east. I find Wikipedia really helpful as a quick reading source. One thing it says specifically about aloe is that many have naturalized to other parts of the world (the americas and the mediterranean, but their origins are from africa)
For me the classifications seem somewhat random, because they're often based on botanists or field scientists personal ideas of what looked like what and therefor classing things together. This is being corrected via genetic tests for distinguishing which family they should be included in.
Hope that helps. Personally for me I go by if its smooth its probably a succulent if its spikey (not spines like on an aloe - I'm considering that smooth) but spikey like OUCH!! that's a cactus
To clarify though - as Tarev and Tiffany (I think) said - for me its all about what info is this information giving me about the plants needs...for example I'm just getting into aloes - now looking on Wikipedia I see that they are from southern africa, that tells me that they need warmth, and are probably less able to take cold than cacti or other plants from colder areas. (it happens that I chose several aloe though that are more cold hardy to try some outside year round for me here in Seattle) But the point in distinguishing between cacti or succulent is really just to give you another clue about needs. Same with knowing the USDA zones tolerances of a plant, that helps me often! Hope this helps

On the other website I frequent for succulents..at cactiguide.com , they have a wealth of information about distinguishing and id of various cacti and succulents. They have this Cactus and Succulent quiz..fun way to learn http://cactiguide.com/cactus_q...

Tarev thanks love the link!! Sadly - I didn't realize euphorbias aren't cacti!! haha so, I only got 13 out of 20
Fiat - guess my "ouch" idea isn't such an accurate one

I used to think too that Euphorbias were cacti! I thought just in a different Genus..well..now I know better Come to think of it, I find Euphorbias favor a bit more watering than Cacti..so that is another thing I learned as I handled them this last couple of years.

But I still use my own simple determination..if it has spines particularly on the main stem..maybe a cacti..if the correct name is given then I can truly research it and confirm..if not, ask around or compare photos. If pointy things just at the leafy edge..most of the time succulents.

Well, I maybe losing it... Greg, your "ouch" idea may not apply to all aloes, cause I just worked on those big aloes and I had quite some sharp wounds on my hands, fingers .. OUCH! But then those spines are just at the leafy edge as Tarev pointed out, not on areoles ... so not cacti.

I think you were handling Dyckias Fiat based on your photos..those ones really do look like mean succulents

I have some pachypodiums all but one I grew from seed. That is an example of a genus with species that have spines but are not cacti.