Succulents And Miniatures Offer Variety And Easy Growing
Succulents and miniatures are great starter plants for brown-thumb gardeners. They deliver visual appeal, color and texture without a fuss. Here are some of the newest varieties on the market.
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Aloe 'Piranha' (Rancho Tissue Technologies)
The Fish Series of aloes exhibit great foliage, color and texture. Bred by Larry Weisel, they’re great in 4- to 8-inch pots. Perfect for patios and containers, ‘Piranha’ is a small- to mid-sized aloe with bright markings.
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Crassula rupestris (D.S. Cole Growers)
There are many crassula varieties, some of which are well known such as the Jade Plant. Crassula rupestris has a beautiful aqua color and interesting shaped leaves. The plant branches well and adds a different texture.
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Delosperma Wheels Of Wonder Series (North Creek Nurseries)
The Wheels of Wonder Series is a new introduction by Concept Plants. These delosperma flower continuously from spring until frost and form a dense mat of succulent foliage. They are sun-loving plants, drought-tolerant plants. Available in five bright colors.
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Dianthus 'Little Maiden' (Jelitto)
Known as Sand Pink, dianthus ‘Little Maiden’ is a compact (4 inches), drought-tolerant perennial. ‘Little Maiden’ produces fragrant flowers in summer and can be used on green roofs, for scree plantings and in rock gardens. Seed is available and easy to germinate.
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Echeveria 'Raindrops' (Rancho Tissue Technologies)
Echeveria ‘Raindrops’ has light green, rounded leaves highlighted by soft reddish-pink margins and a single drop-like nodule in the middle of each leaf. Produced from tissue culture for maximum consistency. Great for small containers.
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Echeveria 'Holy Gate' (D.S. Cole Growers)
Although this echeveria has no visually outstanding feature when looking at the photo, the highlight is its rate of growth. 'Holy Gate' fills out a 4-inch pot faster than most, and production in 6-inch pots is easily achieved.
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Echeveria 'Ruffled Red' (Rancho Tissue Technologies)
Echeveria ‘Ruffled Red’ has silvery-green carunculate leaves that are wavy and red at the margins. A Kelly Griffin selection, it grows to 8 inches in diameter. ‘Ruffled Red’ prefers sun/part sun, which brings out the red colors. It is tissue culture propagated for consistency.
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Faucaria tuberculosa (D.S. Cole Growers)
These plants add interest to any program of succulents. Their yellow flowers form easily. They branch well and grow fast. After flowering, the plant continues to thrive with more growth and new plantlets.
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Pittosporum 'Silver Sheen' (Rancho Tissue Technologies)
This is the first time the variety has been commercially produced by tissue culture in the U.S. A good hedge or screen plant, ‘Silver Sheen’ has slender black twigs and stems that contrast with silvery green leaves. Fragrant purple blooms appear in spring and summer. Drought and deer tolerant, 'Silver Sheen' grows to 9 inches or more and prefers sun to light shade.
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Rhipsalis pilocarpa (D.S. Cole Growers)
Rhipsalis pilocarpa is a cactus with long stems that can be grown as a pot plant or as a hanging basket. Some varieties are only a set of naked stems, while others, such as R. pilocarpa, have white hairs that add contrast to the entire plant.
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Sedum 'Lemonjade' (Walter's Gardens)
A new Proven Winners perennial, ‘Lemonjade’ is unlike the typical pink-flowered autumn stonecrop with its unique yellow flowers. Large 5- to 7-inch panicles of bright citron-yellow flowers cover the top of gray-green foliage in early fall. Plants do not split open when in bloom. ‘Lemonjade’ grows to 16 to 18 inches in height and is hardy in Zones 3 to 9.
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Viola 'Silver Gem' (North Creek Nurseries)
Easily identified by trailing stems and delicate lavender flowers, ‘Silver Gem’ forms a dense, tidy mat of attractive silver foliage. Flowers appear in March and persist into autumn. Plant trials have proven ‘Silver Gem’ to be exceptionally drought tolerant and happiest in part to full shade. Available in trays of 32 and 72. Pot in quarts or gallons for early spring sales.
View all
Aloe 'Piranha' (Rancho Tissue Technologies)
Crassula rupestris (D.S. Cole Growers)
Delosperma Wheels Of Wonder Series (North Creek Nurseries)
Dianthus 'Little Maiden' (Jelitto)
Echeveria 'Raindrops' (Rancho Tissue Technologies)
Echeveria 'Holy Gate' (D.S. Cole Growers)
Echeveria 'Ruffled Red' (Rancho Tissue Technologies)
Faucaria tuberculosa (D.S. Cole Growers)
Pittosporum 'Silver Sheen' (Rancho Tissue Technologies)
Rhipsalis pilocarpa (D.S. Cole Growers)
Sedum 'Lemonjade' (Walter's Gardens)
Viola 'Silver Gem' (North Creek Nurseries)
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Janeen Wright is former Editor for Greenhouse Grower. . See all author stories here.