Succulents to Grow in Australia
Succulents store water in leaves or stems, but they do not all need the same sun or watering. In humid and high-rainfall areas, drainage and airflow are often as important as drought tolerance.
Succulent
Agave
Agaves are architectural succulents with sculptural rosettes and excellent drought tolerance once established. They range from compact plants for pots and edges to dramatic garden specimens.
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Succulent
Aloe vera
Aloe vera is a clumping succulent that needs very good drainage and plenty of light. Established plants need little routine care.
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Ornamental
Baby rubber plant
Baby rubber plant is a compact semi-succulent peperomia with thick glossy leaves and an easy indoor habit. Give it bright filtered light and a free-draining mix, then let the top of the pot dry a little between waterings.
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Succulent
Century plant
Century plant is a large architectural agave with a bold rosette of blue-green leaves and a towering flower spike at maturity. Agave americana suits hot sunny dry gardens where there is ample room for its broad rosette and sharp leaf tips.
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Succulent
Crown of thorns
A thorny semi-succulent shrub grown for repeated displays of colourful bracts around its tiny flowers. Crown of thorns suits warm Australian gardens, sunny courtyards and containers where drainage is excellent.
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Succulent
Desert rose
Desert rose combines a sculptural swollen trunk with gorgeous flowers in pink, red, white and other colours. It's a brilliant choice for a sunny, warm spot or a pot where you can admire that unusual shape. Give its roots an open, fast-draining mix and let the soil dry between waterings.
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Fruit & berry
Dragon fruit
Dragon fruit is a climbing cactus that needs a strong support, warmth, sun and good drainage. Regular pruning keeps mature plants manageable.
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Succulent
Jade plant
Jade plant is a long-lived succulent shrub with thick glossy leaves and a trunk-like stem as it ages. It thrives on bright light, excellent drainage and restraint with the watering can, indoors or outside in mild frost-free gardens.
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Succulent
Kalanchoe
Kalanchoe is a compact flowering succulent grown for fleshy green leaves and long-lasting clusters of bright flowers. Kalanchoe blossfeldiana is the familiar florist and garden species, performing best with bright light, free-draining soil and a drier interval between waterings.
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Succulent
Native pigface
Native pigface makes a low carpet of fleshy leaves and bright pink-purple flowers in hot, exposed sites. It handles salt, wind and dry soil, and the true native species also has edible fruit and leaves.
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Succulent
Pigface
A tough east-coast native succulent for exposed sunny ground, with thick triangular leaves and large pink-purple flowers. It is particularly useful on coastal banks and sandy sites.
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Let Light and Drainage Guide Care
Use a free-draining mix and a pot with a drainage hole. Water thoroughly when the plant needs it, then allow the mix to dry to the level suited to that species rather than giving frequent small splashes.
Some succulents colour well in strong sun, while others scorch in harsh afternoon heat. Move nursery-grown or indoor plants into stronger light gradually.
Watch Seasonal Changes
Growth and water use can slow in cold or very hot weather. Check the mix and the plant rather than watering on a fixed weekly schedule.
Heavy rain can be more damaging than a missed watering, especially in cool weather. Move small pots under cover when prolonged rain is likely if the species is prone to rot.
Common questions
- How often should succulents be watered?
- There is no single interval. Water use changes with species, pot size, light, temperature and season; check how far the mix has dried before watering again.
- Do all succulents need full sun?
- No. Some need strong direct light, while others prefer bright filtered light or protection from hot afternoon sun. Introduce stronger light gradually to reduce scorching.
- What potting mix suits succulents?
- Use a mix that drains freely and does not stay saturated. The right blend depends on your rainfall, humidity, pot and species, so very wet climates may need more mineral material and shelter from rain.