Succulent garden

Discussion in 'Cacti and Succulents' started by jeanneaxler, May 27, 2008.

  1. jeanneaxler

    jeanneaxler Active Member

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    I am want to plant a succulent garden in the shade. Plenty of light. No sun.
    I have killed a few- not over watering (at least I don't think so!)-
    Wrong variety? I need help.
    PS. I do very well with cacti in the sun (I live in Los Angeles)
     
  2. joclyn

    joclyn Rising Contributor

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    most succulents are sun-lovers, so they wouldn't do too well in a shaded spot.

    what did you want to put in that spot?
     
  3. jeanneaxler

    jeanneaxler Active Member

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    I am looking at using as many plants as possible that need little water. The spot is small, under a palm tree on the north/northeast corner of the house.
    I have failed to keep Christmas cactus blooming or even looking alive!
     
  4. cjjulian

    cjjulian Active Member

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    hey there, Im no expert at this but i actually found this echiveria under rose bushes when i moved into my home (NorCal SF Area). Maybe that can help you out. Even tho, i do not tend to these as i do to my other succulents, Im surprised that its still living, since the auto-sprinkler goes on every other day! (i dont recommend that kind of watering for your succulents) its just an idea how hardy these guys are doing!

    here is a recent picture that i took of it. Still waiting for it to bloom! http://cjjulian.smugmug.com/photos/299715295_z4Eyx-M.jpg

    and also, I found that some Aeonium's are very hardy! check some out and do some homework on it! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeonium

    I will be (hopefully) going to Ruth Bancroft Gardens out in my area and will see what succulents do well in different areas. I shall report back and maybe can help out more from my findings. http://www.ruthbancroftgarden.org/index.html
     
  5. jeanneaxler

    jeanneaxler Active Member

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    Thanks cjjulian this is very helpful. Hardy and adaptable is what I am looking for.
     
  6. lorax

    lorax Rising Contributor 10 Years

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    You could check out Crown of Thorns (Euphorbia milii and/or its hybrids) - I grew this successfully in bright shade in a semidesert location, and it only got watered when it rained. The Red Bird spurges (Pedilanthus tithymaloides) are also quite attractive and shade tolerant; I had the variegated cultivar, and while it lost its leaves fairly rapidly under xeriscape conditions, the canes survived just fine and bloomed after the rain. Some Aloes will also tolerate shade fairly well - look to A. vera for this; I had it in shade beds and it thrived. Actually, most of the species with spotted leaves will do well in shade. A. arborescens will also work, but if it doesn't get sun it won't bloom, and I tend to think that the flowers are one of the more attractive things about it. Especially if you have hummingbirds in your area...

    (So maybe don't think Succulents in terms of, say Grapteverias, Hens and Chicks, etc, but rather in terms of the Euphorbs and Aloes....)
     
  7. jeanneaxler

    jeanneaxler Active Member

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    Thanks Iorax. I will keep your suggestions in mind. I am partial to flowering .
    I never thought of the aloes and don't find them very attractive but I will explore the family more carefully. The Euphorbs are a great idea if they flower.
     
  8. lorax

    lorax Rising Contributor 10 Years

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    (it's Lorax)

    Many of the Euphorbs flower; I suggested Crown of Thorns because it's a very distinctive and beautiful plant, both in leaf and in bloom, and because it's a shade and xero-tolerant cultivar. Euphorbs also tend to be slug and snail-resistant, which is a bonus if I'm reading the other thread correctly....

    If you don't like aloes, there is more than enough variety within Euphorbia that you could conceivably have 10 or 15 different species growing at once and only be aware at a very basic level that they are related. There are well over 2000 different species, and there are also hybrids and cultivars.

    For Example: Red Bird Spurge, Pencil Trees, Poinsettias, and Ferox, are all Euphorbs.
     
  9. jeanneaxler

    jeanneaxler Active Member

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    Hi Lorax . Sorry I misspelled your name.
    I looked online and found a very large variety of Euphorbs. I am very excited.
    I have found that there are a lot of them at the Huntington gardens and they are having a sale end of June.
    I can't wait.
    Thanks for your help
     
  10. lorax

    lorax Rising Contributor 10 Years

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    No worries! Glad to have pointed you in a good direction.
     

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