What to Do With Flowers That Grow From Succulent Plants?

Life Cycle

• Succulents that bloom once and die include hens and chicks (Sempervivums) and century plants (Agave Americana). Century plants are grown for their architectural height and foliage. It takes up to 10 years before the plants produce a flower stalk and bloom. Once it has bloomed, the plant dies. Fortunately, both hens and chicks and century plants propagate via shoots. They send off shoots that propagate new plants. Even after flowers bloom and plants die, the offshoots will continue producing new plants, and the life cycle goes on. When flowers and plants die, cut them back, or dig them up and discard the detritus.

Growing Conditions

• To encourage blooming, indoor growers must ensure that their succulents receive adequate light and periods of dormancy, as well as temperature dips. Most succulents require 12 to 16 hours of bright light per day. Some succulents, such as Christmas cactus, prefer filtered shade. Their daylight periods must be shortened during the winter months. They should only be exposed to light for six hours per day, and they must also experience temperatures within the 50-degree Fahrenheit range. If these conditions are met, the cactus blooms for several weeks and can be enjoyed throughout the holiday season.

Display

• Succulent plants are available in a range of sizes and shapes. Small succulents, such as Sedum sieboldii var. "October Daphne," are used in terrariums and indoor plantings where their blooms can be enjoyed in combination with other plants. Outdoor succulents, including the yucca and snake plants, are not known for their flowers. Instead, their foliage is the main attraction. The same can be said for sedum and other ground cover succulents. Floral succulents such as ice plants (Delosperma) and alpines such as D. basuticum var. "White Nugget" and D. sphalmanthoides varieties are used in outdoor beds and borders, where their color provides contrast against lawns and brick.

Considerations

• Control the development and spread of scales, mites and other insects by removing dead portions of the plant and keeping the understory clear. Once flowers have bloomed and faded, you may choose to pinch off the spent blooms and discard them.