The Succulent Lovers’ Wish List Amazing tips

These gift and decor items are worthy of any succulent lover's wish list, including my own! Wait 'til you see what I found: appealing and unusual stocking stuffers, home decor items, engaging gifts and much more!

Note: Prices were current at the time of posting, but will likely change. Amazon links are affiliate.

Announcing two new succulent calendars!

A heartfelt thank you to all who purchase my succulent calendars annually. Happily, all 19 are now available in current-year format. Price depends on Zazzle's daily discount. Here are the latest:

Under-tree treasures

I'll soon show you super succulent stocking stuffers. But first, you simply must see...

Lego Succulents for Adults, Flower Bouquet Kit 6.5”D x 6.5”W x 5”H $40

Succulent Jig-Saw Puzzle, 1,000 pieces, size at completion: 27.5"x19.7" $17

Succulent jigsaw puzzle

Throw pillows: Do you like my own sofa succulent garden, below? The plush rosette succulent is 14"x11.8"x8.5",  $11.99. Round cactus and square agave pillows are from my Succulent Chic line. And the opuntia with red fruit? A delightful gift from my DIL.

My sofa succulent garden

See more succulent throw pillows on Amazon and Succulent Chic.

Succulent shower curtains typically go for under $20 (suchadeal). Styles include succulents in bloom and rosette succulents below. Hooks included.

Succulents in bloom shower curtain

Rosette succulents shower curtain

See more shower curtain styles.

Online nurseries

I recommend Mountain Crest Gardens and Altman Plants when shopping for succulents online---which, btw, is the best way to select and send them to friends.

How cool is it that this pachyveria from Altman's looks like my own sofa plush pillow, above?

Altman Plants' Pachyveria glauca ‘Little Jewel’  2.5 inch pot $6.50.

For the discerning collector, check out Mountain Crest's selection of Unusual Succulent Varieties.

Frizzle sizzle (Albuca spiralis) is tempting at $10.49. It get to be 6 to 8 inches tall. 

For succulent newbies and nurturers, Mountain Crest's succulent sampler boxes offer 9 plants for $23.99 and 16 for $29.99. All in 2-inch pots, rooted and ready to go.

MCG's succulent sampler gift box

Succulent gift bags for guests. 2.5 inches, sturdy, 40 pcs, $15.99. They come with stickers or personalize them yourself. Plants and topdressing not included.

Gift bags sized for small succulents

Decorative pots for small succulents. So many choices! These ceramic animal pots, in various sizes, are by La Jolie Muse. Set of two (alpaca and goat) 6" and 4.5" $39.99.

Ceramic animal planters

Wouldn't a 3D puzzle flowerpot be great fun to do with a child or grandchild? After it's assembled, help your little protege select and plant a succulent in the inner pot. This Amazon top seller has 80 curved, interlocking pieces. 4"D, $29.99.

3D puzzle flowerpot

Succulent tote bag. Comes in a dozen lovely succulent patterns! Ah, the perils of shopping online...I couldn't resist getting two myself, one to replace my tattered gym tote, another for groceries. 19.7L x 15.7H x 5.9W Small pocket inside. $15.99.

Succulent tote bag

Succulent Stocking Stuffers

I'm betting it'll amaze you how succulents are showing up on everything.

New from Succulent Chic: My latest holiday/greeting card features a mammillaria with starburst spines, 4: x 6" $1.65/ea.

My succulent starburst holiday greeting card 

Cactus toothpick holder on Etsy, $21.24. Holds 36 toothpicks (not included).

Potted cactus toothpick holder

Saguaro chew toy acts as a toothbrush to make your doggie's teeth gleam again. $12.78

Saguaro dog chew toy

Cactus desk fan, 80-degree rotation, 3 speeds. $14.95, batteries not included.

Succulent desk fan

These succulent socks fit women's shoe sizes 7.5 to 12. $14. See many more styles.

succulent socks

Use this aloe jewelry holder for rings, bracelets and keys. 4"H x 5"D. $14.

Aloe jewelry holder

Succulent window hangings come in four designs. Made of acrylic. On Etsy $18.59.

Succulent window hanging

Glass succulent ornament: The stained glass design is overlayed on a transparent glass disc. On Etsy, $20.99.

Succulent glass ornament

Succulent ceramic ornament $9.44 on sale at Etsy from FlyingPigPrintery

Succulent ceramic ornament

These are a bestseller on Amazon: “Stuck in Bed” pajamas, 2-pc. $27.99

"Stuck in bed" pajamas

See more pajamas and also sleep shorts.

Succulent tea towels: Set of two from Urban Cactus Kitchen Collection, 18" x 28"  $8.86.

Succulent tea towels

I just love this Watercolor cactus tea towel 16” x 28” $10.99.

Watercolor cactus tea towel

See more succulent and cactus tea towels.

Cactus pens with mini spiral notepads. For less than $1 per gift, you could give a cactus pen and spiral notepad to every member of your garden club or CSSA chapter. I'd tuck them into little gift bags and add tissue paper (shown below). $11.99 for the 48-piece set.

Set of succulent pens and mini notepads

See plenty more cactus pens on Amazon for under $1/ea.

Succulent tissue paper. 24 sheets 20” x 30” $13. See more succulent tissue papers.

Succulent tissue paper

And here's a bevy of succulent gift wrap, which we all need, right?

Cactus-and-succulent sticky notes and memo pads, 50 sheets per pad $10.

Stained glass rosette succulents

Pricey but pretty: Stained glass succulents by BcraftyLittleB on Etsy, $50.19

P.S. Forgive me, but I just have to brag a bit. Isn't it incredible that ten years ago, there were almost no succulent-themed gift items? Modesty aside, way back in 2016, I predicted they'd soon be common.

Check out Succulent Chic, my online store!

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Holiday Decorating with Succulents Amazing tips

See my designs for easy, lovely DIY succulent wreaths, centerpieces, gift-mug bouquets, a Thanksgiving cornucopia and more. Start with my Holiday Decorating Ideas page...

...and browse my YouTube Channel's Holiday Designs playlist.

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Yes, You Can Grow Beaucarnea recurvata (ponytail palm) Amazing tips

In my new video, we observe and learn how to relocate a Beaucarnea recurvata (ponytail palm) that had become too large for a homeowner's side yard. "Betty" is a gorgeous specimen: ten to 12 years old, nicely branched, and 7 feet tall; with a 3-foot-diameter, half-ton caudex. No doubt you'll marvel---as I did---at how Laura Eubanks and the Design for Serenity team tackled the tree's removal and replanting. All involved---myself, Laura, Kathy (the previous owner) and Cathy (new owner) are delighted with Betty's re-homing.

Horticulturally, these are "caudiciform" succulents. The onion-shaped caudex (swollen base) stores water and nutrients. Topknots of pendant, ribbon-like leaves doubtless inspired the common name ponytail palm, but IMHO it's more of a mop.

Yes, you do need the right spot for this exotic, easy-care tree succulent with loads of personality. Hm. How about your living room? Small ones make perfectly...

Polite houseplants

A beaucarnea will sit for years in a pot looking much the same---slightly larger over time---and needing minimal attention or water.

Beaucarnea recurvata thrives in a Georgetown, Colorado home regardless of outdoor temps. 

Potted beaucarneas grow an inch or so in diameter and 6 inches in height a year. They need repotting every two to three years (when smaller than a grapefruit), and every 5 to 6 years if larger.

Repot when there's about an inch gap between the soil at the base of the caudex and the inner rim of the pot. Outdoors, because of air circulation, pests are seldom a problem. Indoors, watch for mealy bugs and treat accordingly.

Beaucarnea recurvata adds height, texture and interest to a Southern CA garden

Several mature beaucarneas enhance the undersea succulent display at the San Diego Botanic Garden

Outdoors: A terrific succulent tree

If yours is a mild climate, one or more beaucarneas will add height, texture, shade, and interest to your low-water landscape. I planted four in my garden about a decade ago.

Beaucarnea stricta, 5 or 6 years old. From Designing with Succulents

Leaves of Beaucarnea stricta are stiff and give the crown a pincushion appearance. The stricta species is less common than recurvata and tends to be more prized---and pricey.

A decades-old Beaucarnea stricta has a magnificent fissured caudex. Palomar College succulent garden, San Marcos, CA

Highly desirable yet harder to come by is a variegate of Beaucarnea recurvata with green-and-yellow leaves.

Beaucarnea recurvata 'Variegata'

New growth of seldom-seen Beaucarnea guatemalensis flushes red.

A three-caudex cluster of Beaucarnea guatemalensis

Cultivation

Beaucarneas, which are not palms, are native to Mexico. I've read they don't do well in temps below 50 F, but mine have been fine after nighttime temps dropped into the 30s and even below freezing (32 F).

Err on the side of caution, and cover small in-ground specimens when frost is forecast. If you have potted outdoor beaucarneas, move them to a warmer and sheltered spot.

Locate an indoor beaucarnea where it'll get bright light from a window, and rotate it monthly for balanced growth. Outdoors, the plants like the same exposure as other succulents: Full sun along the coast and half-day sun inland. They're not suited for the desert or cold, rainy climates.

Clusters of leaves act as parasols to protect the skin from strong sunlight. Caution: Those strappy leaves are serrated, and can cut if you're not careful.

Indoors or out, fertilizing isn't necessary, but a light application in spring will encourage growth.

Shooting-star shadows on the caudex are a bonus with beaucarneas

Although the plants grow glacially, do plan for eventual girth and height. A caudex that starts out softball-sized will someday need a parking space. As you'll discover in my Transplanting a Beaucarnea video, in-ground plants can attain three or four feet in diameter and six or seven feet in height in a dozen years or so. They may double that in 25 or 30.

From the video: Team DFS loads a half-ton ponytail palm (Beaucarnea recurvata) onto a flatbed trailer

Of the whiskery, sparse roots, Laura Eubanks says "they're optional." And because a plant can live off its caudex, "beaucarneas are the camels of the plant world."

Don't let it get waterlogged

Rot is a beaucarnea's biggest threat. Water indoor plants sparingly, once a month or so, and not at all in winter. Outdoors, position the caudex atop well-drained soil so rain or irrigation doesn't puddle around the base.

Btw, if soil happens to fall against the caudex, it may root into it. Clip them and remove the soil...or not...so long as the Hershey's Kiss caudex doesn't remain moist for an extended period.

The look

I'll bet Beaucarnea recurvata inspired whimsical trees in children's books by Dr. Seuss (who BTW lived in San Diego).

I like beaucarneas best when compact and full. Three of mine have branched; the fourth---a Seussian topknot above a 5-foot trunk---may get removed. It's leaning toward the morning sun, and I'm tired of looking at it. (First, I'll try cutting it back in the hope it'll branch.)

A triple-caudex, in-ground beaucarnea grouping at the Self Realization Fellowship Garden, Encinitas, CA 

Flowers

A female Beaucarnea recurvata has tall, fluffy sprays of pink seed pods

The plants are dioecious, meaning any given specimen is male or female. They'll bloom after 8 or 10 years with tall, feathery sprays of tiny, cream-colored flowers. Male flowers, which produce pollen, fade and become straw-like. Female flowers, if pollinated, form itty-bitty seed pods that blush shades of rosy pink.

Btw, only one of mine has bloomed, and the flowers stayed white, but that doesn't mean it isn't a female...merely that no males were nearby (and blooming) to provide pollen.

This neglected Beaucarnea recurvata at a nursery is attempting to plant itself

Grooming

Leaves may turn yellow and become brown-tipped over time. As lowest (older) ones wither, new top growth will replace them. Simply snip what's unsightly.

Lastly, do designate who gets your  beaucarnea. It'll likely outlive you.

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South African Succulents at the Safari Park Garden Amazing tips

In my latest video, we explore the Old World Succulent Garden at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Here succulents small and large look good year-round, need minimal care or water, and offer inspiration for dry (but not desert or frost-prone) landscapes. You'll see noteworthy specimens I hope inspire you when planning or refreshing your own garden.

Location

The Safari Park is in Escondido, an hour's drive NE of the main Zoo. The 18,000-acre outdoor destination has thousands of animals on exhibit. Located just past the condors, the Old World Garden occupies a south-facing, decomposed granite hillside in the park's northwest corner.

To the southeast of the Safari Park's Old World Garden is Tiger Trail. Foreground: a tiger tail.

What you'll see

Old World Succulents are mainly from South Africa. They prefer hot summers, low humidity, and winter rainfall. Because demand for these easy-care lovelies has surged, they've become more widely available.

Aloes bloom in the Old World Garden in midwinter.

San Diego Cactus and Succulent Society volunteers maintain both Old World and adjacent Baja California gardens. The Old World garden is noteworthy for aloes, euphorbias, senecios, and pachypodiums in a garden-like setting. The emphasis is on species rather than cultivars, but as you'll see in the video, there are a few interesting crosses.

Climate and Season

The main downtown Zoo also has a lovely succulent garden, but that location is nearer the coast. I prefer the Safari Park’s because it has more specimens, occupies a larger area, and like my own garden, has an inland climate with colder winters and hotter, drier summers.

Aloe chabaudii (Dwala aloe) normal and stressed

This video is a compilation of past visits. Of course no garden is exactly the same on subsequent visits. Seasons bring on flowers or dormancy. Rain and cooler temps refresh the plants; dry summers and triple-digit heat stress them.

In the video I take you plant-by-plant, introducing them and giving their merits. You'll also find them ID'd in the Gallery below.

Explore at your leisure

Do make this renowned public garden a destination when you're in the area. If you're a local, become a member so you can explore the Zoo and Safari Park at leisure, as my husband and I do.  

A warning to spouses: Jeff (who is eager to see the gorillas, which I'm not) waits patiently while I pursue plant-nerd stuff. Occasionally, alas, we miss the great apes altogether.

Above: In another garden I'll soon show you. Stay tuned!

Gallery of South African succulents at the safari park

*Nearly all are succulents except for a few noteworthy, nonsucculent companion plants indicated with an asterisk.

*Acacia xanthophloea (fever tree)

Adenium obesum

Adromischus cooperi var. festivus (Plover eggs)

Allauadia procera in bloom

Aloe 'Rooikappie'

Aloe acutissima

Aloe bainesii

Aloe cameronii, *Encephalartos horridus

Aloe camperi 'Cornuta'

Aloe chabaudii (Dwala aloe)

Aloe dorotheae

Aloe elgonica

Aloe ferox

Aloe lateritia

Aloe lineata

Aloe marlothii

Aloe melanacantha

Aloe mudenensis

Aloe perfoliata (A. mitriformis)

Aloe petricola

Aloe picata (bottlebrush aloe)

Aloe porphyrostachys

Aloe rubroviolacea x flexifolia

Aloe spicata (bottlebrush aloe)

Aloe striatula

Aloe tauri

Aloe vanbalenii

Aloidendron tongaense

Cotyledon orbiculata

Cotyledon tomentosa

Crassula perforata and shark's fin dracaena (sansevieria)

Crassula arborescens

Crassula congesta, Aloe camperi 'Cornuta'

Dracaena (sansevieria) shark's fin

*Encephalartos horridus

Euphorbia abyssinica

Euphorbia ammak 'Variegata'

Euphorbia canariensis

Euphorbia cooperi

Euphorbia ingens, weeping form

Euphorbia makallensis

Euphorbia mammillaris

Euphorbia milii, Senecio barbertonicus

Euphorbia xylophylloides

Euphorbia flanaganii

Kalanchoe luciae

Lampranthus deltoides

Orbea variegata

Pachypodium lamerii

*Plectranthus neochilus

Ruschia crassa

Ruschia maxima

Senecio crassissimus

Stapelia gigantea

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