Succulents Don’t Suck!

September 28, 2025 Aldrin Espinosa

Succulents Don’t Suck: A Celebration of Plant Obsession

Hello from Outer Sunset in San Francisco! It’s Megan (Annie’s plant sign-maker) blogging at you from the foggiest parts of the Bay Area. In celebration of Brian Kemble’s upcoming and totally AWESOME succulent talk on Saturday, July 9th I thought I’d show you what happens when you become succulent obsessed. A little less than four years ago I moved to San Francisco from Madison, Wisconsin and was immediately intrigued by the masses of succulents I saw growing OUTSIDE everywhere. Jade plants growing taller than me were the most amazing things I’d ever seen. I didn’t even know what most of the succulents I was seeing were, as there’s not a lot of succulent options for the garden in Wisconsin.

Agave & Sweet Pea love

Since I started working at Annie’s my inner Flower Floozy has emerged, and I’ve been mixing it up. Flowery annuals and other non-succulenty plants can be friends with succulents. There’s no reason why you can’t have sweetly scented Lathyrus odorata ‘Cupani‘, California native Keckellia cordifolia AND a big honking Agave americana (I do not recommend this plant unless you have lots and lots o’ space) bunking up next to each other. Throw in a Euphorbia ‘Blue Haze’ for the heck of it, too! I planted the sweet pea early, so the Winter rains would establish it before Summer, and since it almost never gets above 65 degrees next to the beach, it’s still covered in blooms – even in July! Pretty much everything in the garden gets watered once a week during the rainless Summers, and if that’s not enough, too bad.

Sunny Scyphanthus & Succulent Friends

Here’s a shot of the back fence with TONS of succulents. One of my faves is Aloe plicatilis (the big guy on the left), but I’ve got viney buddies Scyphanthus elegans and Eccremocarpus scaber ‘Cherry Red’ crawling up a homemade trellis for some flowery action everyone can enjoy from the patio. My Papaver commutatum ‘Ladybird’ is still pumping out flowers in a container, along with blue beauty Anchusa capensis ‘Blue Angel’. Hurray for flowery pops of color!

Mix of all kinds of stuff

This picture is from the “shadier” side of the garden (gotta keep an eye on those sneaky Fuchsias). I’ve found that pretty much all Aeoniums are just fine, if not even a little perkier, on this part shade in the Summer/full shade in the Winter side of the garden, so I stick them everywhere, even in containers full of Fuchsia procumbens (I think that’s Aeonium rubrolineatum poking out). One of best things about succulents is that even in January, most of them are still doing their cool sculptural thing. I encourage anyone thinking about going the succulent, dry garden route to give them a shot. For more tales of the succulent obsessed visit me on my garden blog Far Out Flora.

I’ve also been tucking in Sempervivum ‘Kalinda’ (Hens and Chicks) everywhere I can. These little rosette-forming succulents are ridiculously tough and naturally form tight clusters of offsets, slowly multiplying into living mats that fill gaps between larger plants and spill gently over container edges. Their coloring shifts from soft green to pink and burgundy depending on sun and season, adding subtle seasonal interest even when everything else is in its quiet winter mode. They bring a low, ground-hugging contrast to taller succulents like Aeoniums, and they’re perfect for those in-between spaces where you just want something that quietly does its thing.

Another succulent I can never seem to have enough of is Echeveria elegans (Mexican Snowball). Its perfectly formed blue-green rosettes bring year-round structure to the garden and look just as happy tucked between flowering perennials as they do in a dedicated succulent bed. It slowly produces offsets to form attractive clumps, making it an easy, low-maintenance filler for containers, rock gardens, and dry borders. In spring and summer, delicate pink-and-yellow flowers rise above the foliage, adding another layer of charm to one of the easiest succulents to grow.

FAQs: Succulents Don't Suck

What are succulents and why are they popular in gardens like San Francisco’s?

Succulents are plants that store water in their leaves, stems, or roots, allowing them to survive in dry conditions. They are especially popular in Mediterranean-climate regions like coastal California because they are drought-tolerant, low-maintenance, and offer year-round structure and color in the garden.

Can succulents be grown with flowering annuals and other ornamentals?

Yes. Succulents can be successfully combined with non-succulent plants such as annual flowers and perennials, as long as their water and light needs are compatible. The key is grouping plants with similar irrigation requirements, since most succulents prefer well-drained soil and infrequent watering compared to many flowering plants.

How often should succulents be watered in a garden setting?

Succulents generally require deep but infrequent watering, allowing the soil to dry out between waterings. In Mediterranean climates, established outdoor succulents may need little to no summer irrigation, but young plants or container succulents typically require more regular watering depending on heat and exposure.

Can succulents survive in partial shade?

Many succulents prefer full sun, but some genera—such as Aeonium—tolerate or even prefer partial shade, especially in hot inland conditions. Light conditions strongly influence color, growth form, and overall plant health.

Are succulents good for pollinators or biodiversity-friendly gardens?

While succulents are not typically primary nectar sources like many flowering perennials, some species (especially flowering aloes and sedums) do provide nectar for bees, hummingbirds, and insects. They are best used as part of a mixed planting scheme that includes more pollinator-rich plants for maximum ecological benefit.