OK I owe you all some pictures. I have been super busy the past few days with other projects. but now it's raining so I have no excuse.
Here are some of the succulents I currently have. I realize that some of the pictures may be of the same kind of plant in different places.

some more.

I only know the names of a few, and then generally only if they are 'Aloe' or 'Agave' or 'Cactus' so not too brilliant there. I have a lot still to learn about succulents!

the pictures are sometimes a little blurry - it was early morning.

last batch!

Hetty those are wonderful. Looks like you have what we call Tender Perenials. They would love your climate. This are much different in requirements than the Hardy Succulents (Sempervivum, hardy sedum and Jovibarba).

I am going to split this off and put these posts over in the Tender Succulent thread where they won't get lost.

Well, I don't want to sound ignorant but how can you tell the difference between hardy and tender?

With time and experience you will see the difference. I really don't know how to explain it to you.

Sempervivum 'Abba' is one you might confuse with a tender succulent such as this Echeveria. But if you see them in person you will see the difference in texture and leaf structure. When they bloom is a real give away that they are different from each other.


Sempervivum bloom and an Echeveria bloom. Sorry the echie bloom is not a very good photo. Maybe some one has a better photo of an echie bloom they can post for Hetty to see.


Here is a better explaination quoted from UBC Botanical http://www.botanicalgarden.ubc...
Both genera are usually rosulate perennials but some Echeveria species are shrubby.

When you see the two in bloom there is no mistaking them.

Echeveria have flower stems that arise from the sides of the rosettes and have tubular five parted flowers. The rosettes can produce flower stems for years without dying.

Sempervivum have star-like flowers with many more than five petals. The flower stems arise directly from the center of the rosette and the entire plant dies after flowering.

"Hardy" succulents don't tend to freeze and "tender" succulents do. The latter aren't outside plants in cold temperatures below about 40º and definitely won't tolerate freezing weather. Some can't tolerate temps even over freezing-50º or so. Kinda like the plumeria thing.

Sorry, Lynn, but that's the simplest explanation I know. Not that I'm an expert. Certainly not.

well, I think I have passed 'Hardy Succulents 101' and am ready for Class 201...

Yep, differentiating between those that will freeze and those that won't (Semps, Sedums, Jovibarba, etc.) is the easy part. Figuring out what species all those tender succulents are gets a bit more tricky. But you have the aptitude for it because you've learned all those Plumeria names and the info.

Great explanation Tee. I just didn't want anyone to find out the hard way by freezing their Tender Succulents.

Here is a photo of a semp in bloom as compared to the echeveria in bloom. See how the bloom stalks are coming up from the center of the Sempervivum? The rosette will eventually dwindle away to nothing as it puts all of it's energy to producing the blooms and latter the seeds. the Echeveria puts the bloom stalks out the sides from between it's leaves and will not die after blooming.



A fun thing to do is place some semps next to your tender succulents and really look at them and compare the differences up close. The texture, shape of the leaves (as in how thick they are) and see what else you see that is different from each other.

We cross posted Tee. : )

SongofJoy said: Yep, differentiating between those that will freeze and those that won't (Semps, Sedums, Jovibarba, etc.) is the easy part. Figuring out what species all those tender succulents are gets a bit more tricky. But you have the aptitude for it because you've learned all those Plumeria names and the info.

Yes, Hetty's climate is such that she usually doesn't have to worry about which is tender and which is hardy. It's the same climate I had in Southern CA. She appears to be showing all tender succulents in the photos. Would you agree?

Yes, they do all appear to be tenders. One of them appears to be Graptopetalum paraguayense (Ghost Plant) and an Echeveria 'Topsy Turvy'.
What do you think Tee?

I had definitely noticed the more 'fleshy' appearance of my succulents.
Thanks also for identifying some of my plants and I will diligently try to learn their names.

You are so much fun Hetty.

I definitely agree on those two. A nice Graptopetalum paraguayense and a nice Echeveria TT. And I do believe I see a Gasteria or a Gasteraloe up there too. And a bright green Crassula.

Now, the picture in the third set, middle, anyone know that one? I need to go enlarge it.

That is a Kalanchoe

OK, several different varieties in that pot ... anyone know the one with the spots? Is it an Kalanchoe of some type? I love that entire planter. Way to go, Hetty.