Succulents and More™

Most posts about our garden feature plants that attract attention – the stars and divas, you might say. But there are plenty of others that are less visible. They aren’t less pretty or less valuable, they just play a quieter role. They may not take center stage, but they would be sorely missed if they weren’t there. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I want to shine the spotlight on some of these unsung heroes and express my appreciation for their steadfastness and dependability. Many of these quiet characters are groundcovers – succulents, more often than not, but not exclusively. Echeveria minima I love echeverias, but many of them, especially the fancier hybrids, don’t do well in our hot summers. Through trial and experimentation, I’ve found a few that do. This includes Echeveria minima , a beautiful small species that slowly forms dense mats. Echeveria minima A larger form of Echeveria minima on the right Nearby are a few hybrid echeverias that have done really well: Echeveria  'L...

The first nursery I visited on my recent San Diego trip was OASIS Water Efficient Gardens in Escondido. Originally an independently owned nursery specializing in succulents, OASIS is now part of Altman Plants, one of the largest wholesale grower of ornamental plants in the U.S. Virtually every big box garden center carries Altman’s succulents, typically in 2- and 3-inch pots near the entrance—I’m sure you’ve seen the displays and you may even have bought a few of their plants yourselves. Altman is also responsible for monstrosities like spray-painted succulents and cacti with glued-on flowers , but that’s neither here nor there. OASIS sells a large variety of Altman succulents at prices that are about 25% lower than at the big box stores. The retail area is bare bones: Small plants are on tables inside a shade house, and larger plants (1 gallon and up) sit on the ground outside. You’re free to wander around without anybody breathing down your neck; the employees I saw were friendly ...