Succulent plants are so curious that it is not difficult to use them to create beautiful compositions and/or decorate the balcony. Many of them are small, so they can always live in pots, and there are others that, on the contrary, are so large that they look magnificent in the garden.
Now, so that problems do not arise, it is important to know what are outdoor succulents and how to care for them. Thus, they can be kept for many years.
Selection of outdoor succulent plants
When you live in a place where there can be frost in winter, it is very important to choose well the plants that are going to be outside, since regardless of whether they will be in the garden or in a pot, they will be exposed to low temperatures and They must be able to bear them. For this reason, we recommend the following species:
Dudley
Image - Flickr / John Rusk
The Dudleya genus is made up of succulent shrubs that do not exceed one meter in height. There are about 40 varieties, such as D. brittonii, which has green leaves covered in white powder, or D. edulis, which has thin leaves. All of them need sun, but they can also be kept outdoors as they resist moderate frost.
Echinocereus rigidissimus
Image - Wikimedia / Michael Wolf
El Echinocereus rigidissimus It is a columnar cactus that reaches 30 centimeters in height by 11 centimeters in thickness. In spring it produces lilac flowers of about 4-5 centimeters in diameter, but it does need sun and little watering. It resists frost down to -12ºC.
viviparous escobaria
La viviparous escobaria It is a globular and spiny cactus that reaches a height of 10 centimeters. Its flowers are lilac, and measure approximately 5 centimeters in diameter. Although its growth rate is slow, it flowers at an early age. Also, you should know that it resists up to -15ºC.
Ferocactus glaucescens
Image - Wikimedia / Emőke Dénes
El Ferocactus glaucescens It is a bluish globular cactus with yellow spines that reaches a height of 40 centimeters at most. Its flowers are yellow, and they sprout from the upper part of its body. It resists drought, as well as soft frosts down to -2ºC.
Oreocereus celsianus
Image - Wikimedia / Luis Miguel Bugallo Sánchez (Lmbuga)
El Oreocereus celsianus It is a columnar cactus that reaches 2 meters in height, and develops spiny stems up to 12 centimeters thick. Its growth rate is rather slow, but it is interesting to plant in small gardens or even to have in a pot. It resists up to -10ºC.
Sedum x rubrotinctum
El Sedum x rubrotinctum It is a succulent perennial reaches a height of 10 centimeters at most, which develops stems with very small fleshy green and reddish leaves. It is perfect to have in pots, on balconies or terraces, since it does not need much care. In addition, it resists up to -5ºC.
Sempervivum
The semen, or evergreens, are succulent plants that grow in groups of small rosettes of leaves. They do not exceed 5 centimeters in height; however, they can reach 30 centimeters or more in width. They live in full sun, but if in Mediterranean climates they grow better in the shade. They resist up to -20ºC.
How do you care for outdoor succulents?
Now that we have seen some of the most recommended, let's see what care we must provide them so that they remain beautiful all year round:
- Location: most of them have to be in a sunny place, but you have to be careful with this, because if they were in the shade in the nursery we cannot expose them to the sun directly, but we must get them used little by little and gradually so that they do not they burn
- Soil or substrate: the earth must be light, and facilitate the drainage of water. Therefore, they should not be planted in compact or heavy soils, since otherwise the roots could suffocate. If they are going to be kept in pots, it is best to put high quality cacti and succulent soil, such as the brands Flower o box for example. If you wish, by clicking on the links you can buy them.
- Irrigation: you have to water rather little. Succulents are plants that are somewhat drought resistant, and fear excess water in their roots. For this reason, the soil must be allowed to dry between one irrigation and the next, so that no problems of any kind arise.
- Subscriber: It is interesting to fertilize outdoor succulents during spring and summer with a fertilizer for cacti and succulents. If they are in the ground, you can use those that are granular or powdered, but if they are in pots, it is preferable to use those that are liquid like this one from Compo. In any case, the instructions for use will be followed so that there are no problems.
As you can see, there are a few succulents that can be outdoors. They only have to receive minimal care and that's it. We hope that these tips will be useful for you to have a garden or a space with beautiful succulent plants.