Everyone is good at something, but for many of us, that isn’t gardening. Fortunately, that’s why gardening services exist – so you can get the help you need without sacrificing a little greenery in your yard. But if you’re tired of giving the final salute to plants that haven’t survived or thrived, then read on. Succulents, a particularly robust type of plant, might be just the solution.

The name succulent comes from the Latin word sucus, which means sap or juice. And it’s no exaggeration, for these plants boast thick, fleshy parts that retain water. As a result, they are the most forgiving type of plant in arid conditions – or for forgetful plant parents.  

But if you are after a certain type of plant that’s fit for neglectful owners, then read on. Here are a few of the best tiny succulent plants to grow in New Zealand.

Echeveria

Echeveria is a type of succulent that’s native to Mexico, Central America, and South America. It belongs to the Crassulaceae family and can either be deciduous or evergreen. It boasts bright, leafy, and fleshy rosettes, and some have the crucial environmental role of becoming a host plant for butterflies. 

Aside from being a tiny succulent, this plant will fit in right at home with any neglectful plant owner. It’s drought-tolerant, loves the sun, and prefers well-drained soil. It also handles dry conditions like a pro and will continue thriving even in the face of full neglect.

What also appeals to people about the Echeveria succulent is that it’s available in a myriad of different colours. Whether you want a tiny succulent plant to grow in New Zealand to set on your windowsill, or you want a lovely plant for container planting, borders, or rockeries, the Echeveria will tick all the boxes.

Crassula

Crassula is the broad term for 200 species of succulent that are native in various parts of the world. If you are looking for a tiny succulent that’s both beautiful and drought-resistant, then you’ll find a friend in Crassula.

Aside from how attractive and low maintenance this succulent is, people also love it for how fast it grows and thrives. It establishes far quicker in your garden than many other succulents in New Zealand, while also adding much life and zest to an indoor or outdoor area.

It adds a tropical vibe to an outdoor entertainment area, works pool-side for those warmer parts of the country, and will adapt to constrained growth in a container, or freedom in a full patio area.

Most importantly, it’s ideal for people who forget to water their plants. The Crassula is a hardy, multi-branched succulent that thrives in the sun with a bit of shade and minimal watering. If you compare this succulent to box plants, its robustness is second to none.

Aloe vera

Plants offer a whole host of benefits. They can improve your mental health, offer you an immune boost, improve your productivity and learning abilities, and, of course, benefit your air quality. But then there’s aloe vera – which is in a league of its own.

This tiny succulent can do not only many of those things above but also offer medicinal properties. Aloe vera improves your digestive health, heals burns, clears acne, improves oral health, and even relieves anal fissures. If you’re not all that much of a plant lover, then one with purpose is undoubtedly going to appeal.

What’s more, this succulent will tolerate neglect and dryness, thrives in full sun, and can grow in pots. You can cut it back, break off its leaves for use, and watch as it grows back with ease. You can also plant it inside or outside.

You might not have green fingers, but you can’t deny that aloe vera is an altogether versatile, hardy, and useful plant to have in your home.

Aeonium

House plants are great in theory, but if you don’t have a natural talent with plants, they are not great in practice. Many houseplants can be finicky, temperamental, and hard to keep alive. While those who offer garden services and watering can help, it’s still not a fail-safe method for survival. So, what can you do?

Rather than give up greenery for good, you can invest in succulents that both fill that need for a house plant, but also don’t need as much TLC as an average pot plant. Aeonium, for example, can be a large or tiny succulent plant and is popular in horticulture.

Also known as tree houseleeks, the name encompasses over 35 different succulent species. The leaves form around a basal stem, with a spreading rosette that’s sure to add to its appeal. This succulent, unlike others, also has free petals, which form in up to a dozen different sections. Most aeoniums come from the Canary Islands, but several have been introduced around the world.

Be sucked in by succulents

What more could you ask for? When you buy succulents, you are purchasing an attractive plant that requires minimal watering, attention, or love. You place it in the sunshine, offer it an occasional drink from time to time, then let it naturally enhance the appeal of your home. There are many tiny succulent plants to grow in New Zealand, so why wait any longer? Talk to your local gardening expert about the best type for your property.