The popularity of succulent plants is a thrill that won’t lose steam any time soon. What with amateurs jumping on the bandwagon to try their hand in gardening? However, if your knowledge of succulents is limited, you will be surprised to note a rare group of succulents, some with unusual features. These don’t mature quite easily and may fail to grow roots or even propagate. In contrast to the popular indoor and outdoor plants like Burro’s Tail, Flaming Katy, Aeonium, and Agave that can thrive on neglect, some of the uncommon succulents require a little attention to thrive.
So what are the unusual types of succulents? There about sixty family plants that can be categorized as succulents. Unusual succulents are termed to thanks to their uniqueness in growth, size, shape and maturity. The term rare succulents came about not because they are unavailable but because they were difficult to grow, propagate or even produce roots at a certain point. Some of the uncommon types of succulents include the following:
1.Pig’s Ear Plant( Cotyledon orbiculata)
2. Plover Eggs
3. Aeonium haworthii ‘kiwi’
4. Graptoveria ‘Topsy Debbie’
5. Pebbled Tiger Jaws
6. Mexican Hens and Chicks
7. Baseball plant
8. Kalanchoe rhombopilosa
This article will take a look at each of these unusual types of succulents. It will also consider their characteristics, origins, and ideal conditions for growth.
1. Pig’s Ears Plant( Cotyledon orbiculata)
This plant, also called round-leafed navel-wort, is native to the Arabian Peninsula and South Africa. The name Pig’s Ears came about because its fleshy grey-green leaves resemble a swine’s ear. The plant can grow up to 4.3 feet or 1.3 meters in height. Its small and bell-shaped leaves are coated with a whitish substance that helps the succulent to reflect sunlight and conserve moisture. Depending on the variety, this succulent can have either orange-red or, in rare varieties, yellow leaves.
To care for Pig’s Ear, plant it in a dry space, whether indoors or in the garden. You can also put it on hanging baskets, pots, window baskets, and any suitable container. Even though it can do well in partial shades, a sunny location that mimics its natural habitat is ideal. Before watering your plant, ensure the soil is well-draining. Rotting is a common problem, not to mention that snails and slugs make the plant their favorite playground. If possible, use a snail trap or a slug bait to get rid of them.
2. Plover Eggs Plant
This succulent with pudgy silvery-green leaves dotted with purplish speckles is native to South Africa. Its scientific name is Adromischus cooperi from the family Crassulaceae, but the name Plover Egg Plant is used because the leaves have a mottled appearance. You can see the copper marks on the leaves against the green leaves. When mature, it stands at 4 inches or 10 centimeters tall, with delicate, sky-facing flowers on a slender stem. The Plover Eggs Plant is known to be a slow-growing succulent.
The propagation of this succulent is possible either by seeds, leaves, or cuttings. If the species drops off its leaves, you can simply place it against the side of the container, and it will grow into a new plant. However, you can also cut the leaves using a camping knife. For planting purposes, fill the container with gritty sand before adding humus. The sand ensures that the water will drain. Every month, feed it with a cactus fertilizer for optimum growth.
3. Aeonium haworthii ‘kiwi’
This plant is also known as Kiwi Verde, Aeonium Kiwi, or simply Kiwi. Its origin is a mystery, and people believe it could be a hybrid of Aeonium haworthii from the Canary Islands. With yellow and green variegated and spoon-shaped leaves, this succulent is surely a beauty to look at when fully grown. The edges have a tinge of rose-red. Under the right conditions, it can grow to as high as 2 feet.
To grow it successfully, water it under excessively dry conditions only in well-drained soil, preferably every two to three weeks. The kiwi Verde can be propagated, but for you to achieve that, make sure you do so from healthy leaves only. Use a sharp knife or scissors to do so and let it callous for five days, if not a week, before planting.
4. Graptoveria ‘Topsy Debbie’
Another unique succulent is a hybrid of Topsy turvy and Debbie, all from the Crassulaceae family. The plant is also known as Lilac spoons because of its color. It has thick, spoon-shaped leaves in seamless rosettes. When mature, this plant can grow up to 15 centimeters tall and produces flowers in Spring.
If you plant it in a container, mix sand, grit, topsoil. Add humus for optimum growth. Besides, it needs the full sun, so when you plant it indoors, ensure you move it with the sun. Shrivelled leaves or a finger that goes several inches into the soil means you need to water.
5. Pebbled Tiger Jaws
This succulent, native to South Africa, was named so because of its intimidating, fang-shaped leaves. It has also been named Shark jaws and Faucaria tuberculosis. Interestingly, the Pebbled Tiger Jaws is quite harmless and soft to the touch despite the spikes. It is no wonder that the Royal Horticultural Society awarded it the Award of Garden Merit based on its performance in the United Kingdom.
The Pebbled tiger jaws has fleshy leaves that are triangular and produce bright yellow flowers during cooler months. When fully grown, it stands to a height of 15 centimeters, or 6 inches tall.
6. Mexican Hens and Chicks
The fact that this succulent is native to Mexico has seen it attract such names as the Mexican gem, the Mexican snowball, and White Mexican rose. The term hens and chicks is used thanks to the mother plant that produces numerous tiny baby offsets that surround its base. It is a perennial evergreen succulent belonging to the genus echeveria and Crassulaceae family.
Mexican Hens and Chicks grows up to 4 inches or 10 centimeters tall when mature. Its leaves are pale green and fleshy. It has long pink stalks and flowers. The flowers with yellow tips appear during Spring and winter. To propagate the plant, you can use either the offsets, leaves, or stem cuttings. These are cut carefully using a sharp razor blade.
7. Baseball plant
If you were wondering about its name, the Baseball plant, also known as Euphorbia obesa, has a shape that resembles a ball. It grows wildly in arid regions in the Cape Province of South Africa. The succulent has become popular as a houseplant since its discovery in the 1800s, for they have thanks to their unique shape and low maintenance requirements.
The Baseball plant can have a diameter of 6 to 15 centimeters. Its diameter usually depends on age. When the green succulent is exposed to direct sunlight, either red or purple areas are visible.
You can grow the Baseball plant alone or choose to grow it together with other succulents. When doing so, avoid moving the plant because it easily gets stressed, leading to poor health. It is unnecessary to use fertilizer, but cactus food will be ideal when tempted to use it. Use it only once at the onset of growth.
8. Kalanchoe Rhombopilosa
This darling of collectors is also named Pies of Heaven because the leaves have an almost triangular shape, just like a pie. It is native to Itampolo in southwest Madagascar. When fully grown, this succulent can stand to a height of 10 to 30 centimeters on its silvery stem.
The grey-green leaves are mottled and pinched at the edges. The Kalanchoe usually peaks during Spring and Autumn. However, they are dormant during summer. It is during Spring that the succulent is ideal for propagation. The flowers are usually small and greenish-yellow with red lines. As an ideal container succulent, the Pie requires more water during winter.
These unusual types of succulents are a great addition to any garden or home as they add both personality and distinction. Taking care of these succulents is a good way of expanding your knowledge on them as a whole as they are both fascinating and diverse. Getting an unusual succulent and caring it to maturity is a source of pride for any succulent enthusiast. While there are tens of other succulents with unique characteristics, these top the list, and it also helps that they can be grown indoors.
Last update on 2023-10-05 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
