16 Types of Succulents That Are a Beautiful Addition to Your Garden

Hens-and-Chicks (Sempervivium)

These mini succulents stay small, multiply quickly, and come in various colors, according to Sonya Query, master gardener and marketing director for Love, Plants, Inc. "Since they multiply quickly, they are great starts to a succulent garden that you would like to spread," she says, adding that they are very low maintenance, can handle frost, and thrive in full sun or part shade.

• Zones: 3 to 8
• Size: 6 to 12 inches tall x 6 to 18 inches wide
• Care requirements: Full sun, part shade, light fertilizing

Stonecrop (Sedum)

Query says sedums make a beautiful flowering addition to any succulent garden. "There are many different varieties and colors, so choose what suits your garden best," she says. "They range from ground-hugging to 2 feet tall, boasting colorful foliage and starry flowers."

• Zones: 3 to 9
• Size: Low growing to 2 feet
• Care requirements: Full sun, allow to dry out between watering, light fertilizing 
  

Agave

Agave is a big, bold statement plant, according to Query, who says that some varieties can grow many feet wide and tall. "They love the sun, need little water, and add an exotic touch," she says.

• Zones: 8 to 10
• Size: 1 to 20 feet tall x 1 to 10 feet wide
• Care requirements: Full sun, allow to dry out between watering, light fertilizing 
  

Aloe vera

Famous for their medicinal gel, Query says aloe vera plants can be helpful to have in your garden to help treat burns and scrapes. "They vary in size, love the sun, and require minimal watering," she says, adding that in some climates, they can be planted directly into the ground but that they should be overwintered in regions that experience freezing temperatures. 

• Zones: 9 to 10
• Size: 12 to 24 inches tall x 6 to 12 inches wide
• Care requirements: Full sun, allow to dry out between watering, light fertilizing

Portulaca

Laura Janney, gardening expert, botanical stylist, and founder of The Inspired Garden, says that portulaca is her favorite succulent for gardens. "Portulaca thrives in hot environments and looks stunning against rocks—ideal for pool areas and pots," she says. "As an annual, it maintains blooms and vibrant colors throughout the season,” Janney says. "Portulaca requires sunlight and well-draining loamy soil, though it can tolerate garden soil if not overwatered and allowed to dry out between waterings," she says.

• Zones: 2 to 11
• Size: 6 to 10 inches tall x 12 inches wide
• Care requirements: Full sun, allow to dry out between watering, light fertilizing

Snake Plant

This popular indoor plant also makes an excellent addition to outdoor gardens, according to Janney, who says it provides vertical interest and a striking contrast to rounder-leaved plants. "It's perfect for varying climates as it can be brought indoors during cold winters," she says.

"It should be planted in cactus soil or sandy, loamy soil with good drainage and paired with plants that have similar needs,” says Janney. This versatile plant can grow in both sun and shade.

• Zones: 9 to 12
• Size: 1 to 12 feet tall
• Care requirements: Full to partial sunlight, allow to dry out between waterings, light fertilizing 
  

Echeveria

If you’re looking to add "flowers" to your garden, Janney says you should consider echeveria. "Available in a myriad of colors, heights, and varieties, it brings a unique flair to any succulent garden," she says. "It's perfect for borders or clustered plantings and thrives in bright sunlight and well-draining loamy soil."

• Zones: 9 to 11
• Size: 1 to 4 inches tall x 2 to 12 inches wide
• Care requirements: Full sunlight, allow to dry out between waterings, light fertilizing

Yucca

For a touch of drama, Janney says Yucca makes a standout choice. "It adapts well across various climates," she says. "While most varieties prefer warm temperatures, Yucca glauca is suitable for colder climates and will regrow each year."

For those living in warmer climates, Janney recommends the 'Silver Anniversary' variety. "Yuccas need full sun and well-draining loamy soil, ranging in size from compact 2 to 3 feet to towering varieties of 6 to 30 feet," says Janney.

• Zones: 4 to 11
• Size: 6 to 30 feet tall x 2 to 3 wide
• Care requirements: Full sunlight, allow to dry between watering

Delosperma

As a versatile, cold-tolerant ground cover, Janney says delosperma is ideal for rock gardens and produces vibrant flowers, enhancing any succulent landscape. "It pairs well with other succulents that share similar growing conditions," she says, adding that you can arrange these succulents in a bowl to create a striking centerpiece. "Be sure to use cactus soil for optimal growth."

• Zones: 5 to 10
• Size: 3 to 6 inches tall x 12 to 24 inches wide
• Care requirements: Full sunlight, allow to dry between waterings

String of Tears (Senecio herreanus)

This plant performs best in filtered light and with little watering, according to Sara Abbass, owner of Sara Mairead Landscape Design. "But be aware that these gorgeous additions can be finicky with conditions," she says, adding that these succulents have to be very happy to bloom. "Use succulent soil for this plant as well."

• Zones: 9 to 11
• Size: 1 foot long
• Care requirements: Filtered sunlight, allow to dry out between waterings

Dancing Bones Cactus (Hatiora salicornioides)

Abbas says that the dancing bones cactus is another one that loves to be ignored, benefiting from infrequent watering and a little benign neglect. "It can trail/grow large arching stems and has long, bottle-shaped stems," she says. 

• Zones: 10 to 12
• Size: 12 to 18 inches tall
• Care requirements: Filtered sunlight, infrequent watering 
  

Ruby Glow (Peperomia graveolens)

Popular indoors due to needing less maintenance, Abbas says that with Ruby Glow, you’ll enjoy deep red and green stems in a 'v' shape formation. "It's easy to propagate; let this plant dry out between watering," she says, adding that the peperomia likes a consistent temperature, so it should be kept somewhere without a strong draft if you choose to overwinter it indoors. She says that it offers beautiful structure when grouped in a container.

• Zones: 10 to 12
• Size: 10 inches tall x 10 inches wide
• Care requirements: Full sunlight, allow to dry out between waterings
  

String of Hearts (Ceropegia woodii)

The string of hearts loves indirect sunlight, according to Abbas, who says it will still do pretty well when exposed to a few hours of direct sunlight in the morning. "String of Hearts performs best with less watering and a few hours of light each day but can tolerate lower light conditions," she says, adding that it has a variety of colors but that you can expect to see less vibrant shades when it’s kept in more shaded conditions. 

• Zones: 9 to 12
• Size: Up to 12 inches long
• Care requirements: Filtered sunlight, allow to dry between watering
  

Eastern Prickly Pear Cactus (Opunita humifosa)

Eastern prickly pear cactus is a native cactus, according to Abbas, who says this plant begins as a succulent and eventually shrubs out. "Opuntia varies in size in nature, native through much of the United States; this can also be added in a planter on your patio," she says. 

This plant gets yellow blooms in early summer that will turn to fruits. Abbas says these treats are great when added to a cocktail or pan-fried.

• Zones: 4 to 9
• Size: 6 to 12 inches tall x 10 to 15 feet wide
• Care requirements: Full sunlight, allow to dry between waterings

Peanut Cactus (Echinopsis chamaecereus)

The peanut cactus is an easy-to-grow succulent with long stems and an elongated finger or peanut shape, according to Abbas. It thrives in full sun but needs more water during the summer months. A happy peanut cactus will give you orange-red blooms.  

• Zones: 9 to 11
• Size: 6 to 12 inches tall x up to 12 inches wide
• Care requirements: Full to partial sunlight, allow to dry out between waterings

Thanksgiving and Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera truncate and schlumbergera bridgesii)

These succulents are favored among florists, who sell them as indoor plants around the holidays. Abbas says you can tell the difference between the two because the Thanksgiving cactus has sharper-edged leaves, and it blooms in the late fall. 

On the other hand, Abbas says that the Christmas cactus has more round/scalloped shaped leaves, and it blooms in mid to late winter. "Important to note that these plants require 'short days' upon entering bloom time in addition to cooler night temps," she says, explaining that those periods begin in early fall for the Thanksgiving cactus and early winter for the Christmas cactus. "This will set the blooms and allow for peak bloom performance."

• Zones: 10 to 12
• Size: 6 to 12 inches tall x 12 to 24 inches wide
• Care requirements: Partial sun, allow to dry out between waterings