25 Types of Succulents: A Closer Look at the Best Succulent Plants

The term “succulents” is widely used to refer to any plants that have thick, fleshy tissues or leaves in which they store water.

These plants are special in that they actually have adapted to be able to survive in most climates out there, that’s how they are typically resistant to any type of drought or dry land out there.

Because of this, succulents are the perfect choice for any new home gardener, that has just now started his (or her) journey towards turning their garden into a constantly improving work of art.

But, the problem with choosing which succulents are the absolute best for you is that there are just too many to choose from. Because of this we decided to bring you a list with the many different types of succulent plants you could pick.

So, in no real order whatsoever, here are the best succulent plants that you could easily to add to your garden when the season starts:

1. Aloe Vera (Aloe Barbadensis Miller)

Aloe vera is pretty much a must have for anyone out there who wants to add a succulent to their garden simply because of its long history of use in traditional medicine, the beauty industry and nutrition.

Even if you are not looking to get a medicinal herb added to your garden anytime, soon you can still reap the benefits of it as you can find aloe vera almost everywhere you look nowadays.

It is a very easy plant to take care of also, all you need to do is to make sure that you don’t overwater it and you’ve got yourself a healthy new succulent ready to be picked.

2. Burro’s Tail (Sedum Morganianum)

Commonly referred to as the donkey tail plant, this is one of the easiest plants for you to grow and take care of, which is why it is also one of the most popular houseplants for anyone that has just now gotten into growing plants.

Since it is a cactus, it is pretty much impossible to mistreat it as all you need to do is you will need to put it in a well-drained container and water it every now and then to get it going. It will handle the rest with ease.

3. Crown of Thorns (Euphorbia Milii)

The reason why the Crown of Thorns is so good for beginners is the fact that it can easily adjust even to dry indoor environments and it is one of the few plants that instantly begins to thrive in room temperatures.

Just make sure to keep it near a window for three to four hours a day to get in that sunlight and it should be able to survive anything else, provided you water it when its soil is completely dry.

4. Jade Plant (Crassula Ovata)

Commonly referred to as the Money Tree or even the Money Plant in some cases, the Jade Plant is a very beautiful succulent that is known for its shiny green leaves and the wedge-shaped tips that you can see from the pictures here.

They are very easy to take care of for the most part, just keep the room temperature around 65 to 75F and you should be just fine.

5. Zebra Plant (Fasciated Haworthia)

The zebra plant is known for being an absolute treat to grow, due to the white or silvery bands that you can see clearly on its green leaves.

It is known for having very thick and fleshy leaves too and if you want a plant that can really take any sort of conditions whatsoever this may be the best succulent for you.

Just keep in mind that it does require exposure to bright light, regardless of whether that light comes from a lightbulb or from the sun itself which makes it perfect for indoor gardens.

6. Snake Plant (Dracaena Trifasciata)

Many people don’t realize this but Snake Plants are actually succulents. Despite the fact that their leaves are pointed straight up, they still collect water on their own and are very proficient at it also.

The only way that you can actually ruin your snake plant is by overwatering it, so take your time and only give it water when it ran out of it unless you want to see its leaves turn yellow or go limp altogether.

7. African Milk Tree (Euphorbia Trigona)

Another common misconception that many people have is that succulents can’t have traditional leaves on them, but this fact is clearly disproven by the African milk tree.

This plant is known for being very proficient at surviving in the native climate of Central Africa, but it is this resiliency that also makes it extremely good for beginners that don’t want to spend too much time watering them.

8. Flaming Katy (Kalanchoe Blossfeldiana)

This succulent is an absolute joy to see around your home due to its bright red color. It instantly pops out from most other succulents and as such it is a great choice for anyone who wants a low-maintenance plant, that also looks like a high-maintenance plant altogether.

You need to keep it in the sunlight for about eight to ten hours a day and while it does have a hard time during the coldest season, it is able to bounce back in no time, as long as you water it every now and then and you keep it nice and warm at around 60 to 85 degrees.

9. Echeveria 

Being one of the largest succulents from the Crassulaceae family, Echeveria is definitely a great choice for anyone who wants a big plant that makes your jaw drop the moment you enter the room.

This leafy plant is great because it can be kept in a container all of its life and it will thrive through it because of how resilient it really is.

Another reason as to why you may want to invest into an Echeveria plant is the fact that its pointed leaves grow in the shape of a rose which is always interesting to see in a household.

10. Plush Plant (Echeveria pulvinate)

This Mexican plant is known for its ovate green leaves, alongside its pink tinged edges, that just immediately demand your attention the moment you see it. On top of that, this plant also features a lot of fine hairs on its leaves which makes it very fuzzy to the touch.

What’s great about it is the fact that as long as you keep it in the sunlight it should be able to produce some absolutely gorgeous orange flowers when its blooming process starts.

11. Graptoveria Opalina (Echeveria colorata)

Despite the fact that many people have said that this plant is just a poor man’s echeveria, we do have to say that we still love seeing these plants in any household and regardless of how basic it may look, it is still absolutely stunning to say the least.

You can also get a lot out of it by doing practically nothing, just make sure to keep it in the sunlight or in partial sun and you will see great results by the end of the day from it.

12. Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera)

The Christmas cactus is an absolute joy to grow in your garden due to its extreme blooming capacity. We’re talking about every color of the rainbow growing on it, including red, yellow, white, purple and even pink all at the same time.

While this process may take several weeks to unfold, it will be very easy for you to get to this point since all you really need is a little bit of light and that’s about it.

13. Pincushion Cactus (Mammillaria)

This cactus is very popular today which is why you see it in pretty much every household.

It comes in a ton of different shapes and sizes too, with the most popular ones being its cylindrical and conical shapes.

14. String of Pearls (Curio rowleyanus)

This is a great addition to any indoor garden, especially if you’re looking for a plant that grows very quickly and is also very easy to take care of.

While you will need to pay attention to the light sources it gets, as long as you keep it in the shade during the afternoon and you don’t go overboard with the sunlight it should be fine.

15. Roseum (Sedum spurium)

Being a low-growing succulent that can only grow to be around four to six inches tall, Roseum often gets overlooked by gardeners as they are usually looking for big and bright plants to add to their selection.

But if you want a low maintenance plant that can really brighten your mood every time you see it, you can’t go wrong with the Roseum plant, as it is just the right amount of colorful to make your home décor stand out.

16. Hens-and-Chicks (Sempervivum tectorum)

With a name like this, you may think that this plant is a bit of a joke, but from the moment that you see one blooming in your garden you will instantly know just how good of a choice you made.

Considering the fact that there are well over 3,000 different species for you to choose from when it comes to the sempervivum species, you can really make your garden special by mixing and matching them to bring more personality to your home.

17. Lithops

These are by far some of the most unusually looking plants that you will ever see and while this may deter a lot of people from getting them, we just have to say that we’ve absolutely fallen in love with them, from the moment we first laid our eyes on them.

From our point of view, these plants are very cool, they’re super unique and they give your garden a very intriguing look as you can never tell if these are actually plants or if they’re weirdly shaped stones placed on the side.

18. Bear’s Paw Succulent (Cotyledon Ladismithiensis)

The main reason as to why this plant is known as the Bear’s Paw is because of its many tiny hairs that make it very eerie to touch. On top of that, the leaves also look a lot like teeth which make them stand out very easily.

Growing a Bear’s Paw Succulent is also very easy though as all you need to do is you will need to get it a container big enough to store all of the root system that it will be growing over its lifetime and that’s about it, really.

19. Transparent Succulent (Haworthia cooperi)

The only real downside with getting a transparent succulent is the fact that they aren’t all that easy to come by, since it’s a very rare plant that only a few shops have in store.

But if you do get your hands on one, you deserve a round of applause, as you now have in your possession one of the most unique looking plants in the world, and on top of that it is also equally easy to take care of.

Just make sure to water it every time it runs dry and that’s about it, the sunlight is appreciated but not a requirement that you will always have to look out for during its blooming season.

20. Lucky Heart (Hoya Kerrii)

Also commonly referred to as the Sweetheart Plant, the Lucky Heart plant is a very cool looking succulent that should not be missing from any household whatsoever. Its heart-shaped leaves are absolutely stunning to look at and as such they make for great additions to a freshly married couple.

It thrives in bright direct light and well-drained soil, but just make sure that you still water it every now and then to keep it nice and moist during the growing season.

21. Succulent Bush Senecio

This is yet another uniquely looking succulent that immediately stands out because of how strange it looks.

Its pointy leaves and bright yellow flowers are always a joy to see and the best part about it is the fact that this plant can easily grow as tall as 6 feet, which is why it is heavily recommended that you keep it as an outdoor plant, unless you have the room to accommodate it.

It is very drought-resistant which is always great to see and as long as it is able to take in 4 to 6 hours of sunlight it should have no problem growing even through the coldest of winters.

22. Ponytail Palm (Beaucarnea recurvata)

This plant gets its name directly from its strange look, and specifically due to its rather long and curled leaves, which resemble strands of hair the more you look at them.

But, while the name may have gotten that part right, it also deeply failed when you realize the fact that you’re not looking at a palm to begin with, but an agave instead.

Even so, if you’re looking for a miniature tree lookalike that is also extremely easy to take care of this may be the perfect choice for you.

23. Stonecrop (sedum spp.)

The best part about the stonecrop is the fact that this plant comes in all sorts of different colors, so you can really go wild and be as creative as possible, while adding multiple succulents from this family to the mix.

Do keep in mind though that the tall sedums do have long stems which tend to grow quite tall, as tall as one to three feet in total, so if you don’t have the room for that then make sure to keep them outside for now.

24. Whale’s Tongue Agave (Agave ovatifolia)

The Whale’s Tongue Agave really lives up to the hype because it was heavily built up as one of the best succulents in all of Mexico and from the moment you see one with your own eyes you will instantly understand why that is too.

It is an absolutely gorgeous looking succulent, and while it may seem like a neat addition to your garden for now, we do urge you to keep in mind that you are also looking at a rather massive plant, that can grow up to five feet tall and around six feet wide.

25. Zwartkop (Aeonium arboreum ‘Zwartkop’)

This may very well be the most gorgeous plant we’ve ever laid our eyes on, and can you really blame us? Just look at how colorful and bright this plant is, and while you’re at it also check out how incredible its rosette shape is to begin with.

While we shouldn’t play favorites with this article, we will say that this is definitely the first choice for us, but even so, we’re sure that we’re not alone on this just based on how popular this plant has really gotten over the past couple of years now.

Conclusion

Succulent plants are absolutely wonderful additions to any indoor or outdoor garden. As long as you make sure to keep them in the sunlight and you make sure to water them whenever they run completely dry you should not have any trouble with them.

While some are more beautiful than others, what really sets them apart is the fact that they are very low maintenance plants and even so, they really shine brighter than most others with how strange, unique and stunning they all look even if you only dedicate several minutes per week to them.