What is a succulent?

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While such diversity in so large a plant group sounds great, you might be wondering exactly what to look for when you go to the nursery. That's not as simple as it might sound. Botanists don't agree on the definition of a succulent.

One thing they do agree on is that succulents are much more than cactus. Perhaps that's why succulent growers are fond of this saying: All cactus are succulents but not all succulents are cactus. To keep it simple, perhaps the best way to think of succulents is to think of them as plants that store water in their tissues.

How to decide what's hardy

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Treehugger / Lexie Doehner

With that thought in mind, perhaps the best way to decide which succulents to grow is to divide them into two main types:

Hardy comes with an asterisk of sorts — be sure to choose succulents for the landscape based on their hardiness for your USDA zone.

Page: Types of succulents

There are several ways to determine which ones will make it through the winter where you live.

One way is to visit your local nursery or the plant section of a box store and ask the people working there. They can advise you about which of the succulents can go in the landscape and which should be grown in pots. They can also tell you the lowest temperatures the varieties can tolerate.

Another source of information would be an affiliate CSSA club near you. Club members could also share tips and tricks on various aspects of succulent culture in your area that they've learned through trial and error.

Succulents types:

peperomia graveolens

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mother of thousands

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