The Iowa Gardener: Jump on the succulent bandwagon

Succulents have been an old-fashioned favorite for decades. Think of your grandmother's hoya vine or Christmas cactus or hens-and-chicks.

Now, they’re all the rage. They’re the houseplant darlings of Instagram, readily available in astounding variety of shapes, sizes and gorgeous colors and displayed in all sorts of on-trend ways. (Plant wall, anyone?)

But Grandma and the social media influencers love succulents for the same reason — they don't take much water or care of any sort, are disease-resistant, require surprisingly little light for desert natives, and come in an astounding array of fascinating forms and colors.

Fake succulents are also popular, which is funny because succulents are so easy to grow. It begs the question of why you would need a fake instead.

Finding your perfect succulent

Live succulents are everywhere — discount stores, supermarkets, garden centers and online (their thick, fleshy leaves tend to ship well). Overall, they're a fine impulse buy — if you find a pretty one that looks healthy, go for it.

But if you really want to get something unusual, you'll need to look at a well-stocked, garden center or online. You can even find miniature succulents, downsized versions of the standards that are no bigger than your thumb. They're adorable.

While all succulents share the common characteristic of not needing very much water, do check the label or read up online on its light requirements. Many do fine in full sun, but some are subject to sun scald (the plant equivalent of sunburn) if they get too much.

Also, if you have pets or small children who tend to put everything they can reach in their mouths, check labels or research online how toxic that particular succulent is. Some are not toxic at all, some are moderately toxic, and a handful are very toxic.

How to use succulents in your home

Succulents look great with just one in a pot, but because they have such a beautiful variety of colors, growth habits, and textures, it's fun to mix and match several in a dish garden.

Some have distinctive shapes and sizes that will guide you on how to use and place them. Snake plant (Sansevieria), for example, has tall, sword like leaves with gorgeous markings that grow up to three feet tall. It's an excellent floor plant.

Jade plant (Crassula ovata) has a distinctive treelike shape that lends itself to a growing as a single specimen and training like an informal bonsai.

Succulents with trailing stems — there are hundreds — are the ideal plants to suspend in macrame or other hangers.

How to care for succulents

The only drawback to succulents is that you can kill them with kindness — that is, too much water. Avoid this by making sure it's in a pot with good drainage. Water it probably every other week or so, but check first by wiggling your finger into the soil an inch or so down to make sure the soil is very, very dry. Then give it a single, good drink, making sure all excess water is allowed to drain out of the pot. Think of a quick downpour in the desert.

If you repot a succulent, use a potting mix made specifically for cactuses and/or succulents. It will be lighter and faster draining than regular potting soil.

The biggest challenge of growing succulents isn't caring for them, it's choosing from the hundreds if not thousands available to find the one that's right for you. Or maybe handful or so that are right for you. Or dozen. Or maybe two dozen?

Once you grow a succulent or two, you just might join the ranks of crazy plant people who fill their home with these beautiful plants.

Veronica Lorson Fowler is co-publisher of the Iowa Gardener website at www.theiowagardener.com.