Spice up your compound
Succulent plants, also known as succulents or fat plants are water retaining plants adapted to arid climates or soil conditions. Succulent plants store water in their leaves, stems, and also in roots.
Succulent plants, also known as succulents or fat plants are water retaining plants adapted to arid climates or soil conditions. Succulent plants store water in their leaves, stems, and also in roots.
Many succulents come from the dry areas of the tropics and sub-tropics, such as the steppes, semi-desert, and desert.
High temperatures and low precipitation force these plants to collect and store water to survive long dry periods. Succulents also occur as epiphytes, (air plants) which have limited or no contact with the ground, and are dependent on their ability to store water.
They also occur as inhabitants of sea coasts and dry lakes, which are exposed to high levels of dissolved minerals that are deadly to many other plant species.
The best known succulents are cacti of the family cactaceae. Virtually all cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are cacti.
The storage of water often gives succulent plants a more swollen or fleshy appearance than other plants, a characteristic known as succulence. In addition to succulence, succulent plants variously have other water-saving features. Such as:
Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) to minimise water loss.
Absent, reduced, or cylindrical-to-spherical leaves.
Reduction in the number of stoma — In botany, a stomata is a pore, found in the leaf and stem epidermis that is used for gaseous exchange.
Stems as the main site of photosynthesis, rather than leaves.
They are compact, reduced, cushion-like, columnar, or spherical growth form.
Ribs enabling rapid increases in plant volume and decreasing surface area exposed to the sun.
Waxy, hairy, or spiny outer surface to create a humid micro-habitat around the plant, which reduces air movement near the surface of the plant, and thereby reduces water loss and creates shade.
Roots are very near the surface of the soil, so they are able to take up moisture from very small showers or even from heavy dew.
Have the ability to remain plump and full of water even with high internal temperatures for example at 52 °C / 126 °F)
Pests
Rabbits and other rodents may eat fleshy leaves or into the starchy core of the plants. These pests can be excluded by wire mesh fencing, which should be partially buried in the ground to discourage burrowing.
The main pest is Agave Snout Weevil, a glossy black beetle-like insect with a pointed snout. The adult insects feed on sap from the leaves and may introduce harmful bacteria. However, the real damage is done by their larvae which infest the starchy core and roots of a mature plant leading to wilting of leaves and the collapse of the plant.
The female weevil lays eggs at the base of lower leaves of a plant that is ready to bloom.
Any snout weevils seen around a plant should be killed and a systemic insecticide applied.
Once a plant has collapsed, it is too late for treatment. The infected plant should be removed and burned, along with grubs that can be found.
Watering nearby plants with a systemic insecticide may help to control the pest.
Many succulents come from the dry areas of the tropics and sub-tropics, such as the steppes, semi-desert, and desert.
High temperatures and low precipitation force these plants to collect and store water to survive long dry periods. Succulents also occur as epiphytes, (air plants) which have limited or no contact with the ground, and are dependent on their ability to store water.
They also occur as inhabitants of sea coasts and dry lakes, which are exposed to high levels of dissolved minerals that are deadly to many other plant species.
The best known succulents are cacti of the family cactaceae. Virtually all cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are cacti.
The storage of water often gives succulent plants a more swollen or fleshy appearance than other plants, a characteristic known as succulence. In addition to succulence, succulent plants variously have other water-saving features. Such as:
Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) to minimise water loss.
Absent, reduced, or cylindrical-to-spherical leaves.
Reduction in the number of stoma — In botany, a stomata is a pore, found in the leaf and stem epidermis that is used for gaseous exchange.
Stems as the main site of photosynthesis, rather than leaves.
They are compact, reduced, cushion-like, columnar, or spherical growth form.
Ribs enabling rapid increases in plant volume and decreasing surface area exposed to the sun.
Waxy, hairy, or spiny outer surface to create a humid micro-habitat around the plant, which reduces air movement near the surface of the plant, and thereby reduces water loss and creates shade.
Roots are very near the surface of the soil, so they are able to take up moisture from very small showers or even from heavy dew.
Have the ability to remain plump and full of water even with high internal temperatures for example at 52 °C / 126 °F)
Pests
Rabbits and other rodents may eat fleshy leaves or into the starchy core of the plants. These pests can be excluded by wire mesh fencing, which should be partially buried in the ground to discourage burrowing.
The main pest is Agave Snout Weevil, a glossy black beetle-like insect with a pointed snout. The adult insects feed on sap from the leaves and may introduce harmful bacteria. However, the real damage is done by their larvae which infest the starchy core and roots of a mature plant leading to wilting of leaves and the collapse of the plant.
The female weevil lays eggs at the base of lower leaves of a plant that is ready to bloom.
Any snout weevils seen around a plant should be killed and a systemic insecticide applied.
Once a plant has collapsed, it is too late for treatment. The infected plant should be removed and burned, along with grubs that can be found.
Watering nearby plants with a systemic insecticide may help to control the pest.