How to Identify Flowering Succulents

Write down the month or season when you see the succulent produce flowers. Plants such as the hedgehog cactus bloom from April to June, while the desert night-blooming cereus only blossoms one summer night per year.

Mark the location where you find the flowering succulent. The barrel cactus, for instance, is found in parts of California, Arizona and Texas.

Inspect the color(s) and the form of the flowers to note their distinct characteristics. For example, the aloe vera has yellowish-gold blooms that grow in clusters of tube forms on upright stems.

Look at the shape of the plant to help pinpoint the succulent variety. Some plants, like the soaptree yucca, have a leafy shrub at the base of the plant with an upright tree growing out of the center. The white flowers grow in clusters at the end of the tree stalks.

Point your Internet browser to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) website's "Advanced Search" page to enter your findings (see Resources). Use the menus to choose the options that match your notes, then click the "Display Results" button to generate a list of links that help you identify your flowering succulent.