Biological Identification of Succulents

Succulent Characteristics

• The term succulent means juicy. Succulent plants have thickened leaves, stems or roots. The thickened tissues serve as storage places for water. This means the plant can survive for a period of time without outside moisture. Almost all succulent plants go partially dormant in dry seasons and produce a flush of growth when rains come. There are no hard and fast rules on the type of leaves or stems or even the appearance of the plants. Some may be spiny, and some are smooth. The only uniting characteristics are the ability to store moisture in some form and regenerate after drought.

Families

• The succulent group of plants lists 68 families that fall under the general definition. Many of these are recognizable, such as Agavaceae, which has yucca and agave as some of its members. Others are surprising, such as Lamiaceae, which has several genera with succulent plants but also comprises rosemary, mint, basil and other important culinary herbs. We tend to think of succulent plants as arid plants, but the vast majority of them are native to heavy rainfall areas in tropical to subtropical zones.

Cacti

• Cacti require their own explanation for their membership in the succulent clan. When we think succulent, often we envision aloes or even jade plants, both of which are succulents. These types of plants have quite a different appearance from the cacti, which are almost all spiny and thorned. Their classic look as barrel-shaped and ribbed is not necessarily a standard. Cacti are leafless in the traditional sense, where the spines are substitutes for the foliage. Cactus are obviously succulent because they store water.

Identifying Different Succulents

• Because the group is so large and diverse, some system of basic identification had to be developed to start narrowing down the species. Body type is one key classifying characteristic. Some succulents have stick figures, barrel bodies or low squat blob-like shapes. Another feature is the flower type, time of bloom and fruit. Spines are not a huge identifying feature among the different groups of succulents because there are cacti with no spines, and Euphorbia and other families who have members with spines. However, the number and size of the spines are important clues to classification. The methods of reproduction and propagation from seed or vegetatively can also lend some knowledge as to what succulent plant you are dealing with.