Desert Succulents Combine Beauty and Utility

Desert succulents are beautiful and desirable plants that are popular with homeowners and landscapers in a variety of climatic conditions. The category “succulent” includes any plant that stores water in its leaves, stems or roots for use by the plant in time of drought. The category includes all varieties of cacti, but not all succulents are cacti.
Some of the most well-known and commonly used succulents are aloe, prickly pear, Christmas cactus, crown of thorns, jade plant, Joshua tree, moss rose, poinsettia, Spanish bayonet, yucca, star flower, salvia divinorum, portulaca and sedum. These plants are found in nurseries around the world and are used by gardeners to beautify home gardens in many different climates.

Desert succulents grow all over the world and belong to a number of different plant families. Cacti belong to the Cactaceae family and cacti are found in warm, arid regions of all continents. The plant families containing succulents include fragrant woody trees and shrubs, vines, bulbs and rhizomatous. They grow in temperate, tropical and subtropical areas of Africa, Arabia, the Indian subcontinent and the Americas.

Desert succulents are prized by plant lovers and gardeners for many reasons. They are uniquely able to survive extreme weather conditions, such as drought, heat and cold. These plants suffer neglect valiantly and require fertilization only twice a year. They store water and can weather dry spells well, though they look their best when periodically watered in hot weather. They are also valued for their beautiful, bright flowers and unique foliage.

Many desert succulents, such as aloe and salvia divinorum, are known for their medicinal properties as well as for their beauty. Many people have used aloe gel on burns, sunburns and rashes. Salvia divinorum is used in many parts of the world as a natural treatment for depression. It is often take in the form of a capsule filled with powdered salvia divinorum. Aloe is commonly available in retail pharmacies and online and one can buy salvia divinorum online as well.

Since desert succulents are so easy to care for, they are perfect for use in recreational spaces, such as patio gardens or residential flower beds. The brilliantly-hued flowers make them desirable from an aesthetic view and their medicinal properties make many desert succulents ideal for having on hand at home. When planning a recreational garden, be sure to keep desert succulents in mind as low-maintenance, colorful and useful additions.