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Welcome to the wonderful and weird world of succulents! These ornamental plants come in some very surprising shapes that make them look like something from a fantasy illustrator’s dreams. Bored Panda’s green thumb employees have delicately grown and cultivated this list about some of the most awesome succulents you’ll ever see. So scroll down, upvote your faves, and share this post with your plant-loving pals.

If you keep any succulent-buddies at home or at work, we’d love to see photos of them in the comment section below, dear Pandas. We’d also appreciate it if you could share any tips for growing them. You know, for those of us who give our succulents a bit too much love, attention, and water.

Succulents are excellent at surviving in dry climates and nearly all cacti are succulents but not all succulents are cacti. Succulents are very popular plants. Odds are that if you stroll through any office, you’ll spot at least one of them. Unfortunately, not everyone knows how to take care of their succulents—I can tell you from firsthand experience that it’s a lot harder than it should be!

#1

Clear Succulent Plant

Clear Succulent Plant

littleleafgarden , chonkysuccs Report

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Dynein
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There's a few plants that have these kind of "widnows" on top of their leaves (google "leaf window"). They are adapted to very harsh, hot climates. The windows allow them to remain mostly buried in the soil and keep the photosynthesizing part of the leaf protected from the harsh conditions while still being able to collect light.

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#2

Rose Succulents

Rose Succulents

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Some of the fantastically strange plants like the mermaid tail or the opal-like clear succulents look like they’re from another planet and something that aliens keep on their alien desks in their alien offices.

If you want to get one of these peculiar succulents for yourself or for your loved ones as a gift, the mermaid one is called a crested Senecio Vitalis while the clear one is the Haworthia Cooperi plant.

Haworthia succulents are popular because of their “leaf windows” which let in a lot of light for the plant. The “windows” also minimize water loss from evaporation because the rest of the plant is buried underground. Haworthia plants also have accordion-like roots that pull them deeper into the ground so that they can thrive.

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According to Reddit, Haworthia plants are easy to take care of and are great succulents for beginners: just pop them on the windowsill and they’ll be happy. Especially if you plop it into some gritty soil.

In general, succulents need plenty of light and you need to rotate them occasionally so all parts of it can enjoy the sun and to help it grow straight.

Overwatering is a big no-no, so check the soil regularly: if it’s dry, get your watering can ready. Also, keep in mind that succulents need more water during Spring and Summer and barely need any in Fall and Winter when they’re ‘resting.’ Finally, wipe the dust off your succulents to help them grow and become your picture-perfect plant-pals.

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#7

Lithops

Lithops

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Troux
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They look like brains but also like candy and now I feel a little like a zombie...

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#8

Echeveria

Echeveria

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LilicatUK
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's just one type of echeveria, they come in many beautiful colours

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#11

Euphorbia

Euphorbia

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Loki’s Lil Butter Knife
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I honestly thought this was a beaded pincushion upon first glance. I had to Google it, and supposedly it is called "euphorbia obesa" and it does indeed look like the photo above. Pretty amazing!

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#15

Dolphin Succulents

Dolphin Succulents

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Troux
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Fun fact: A group of dolphins is called a pod. Now I know why!

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#17

Unusual Succulent

Unusual Succulent

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Kate Tora
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Just wanted to mention that the top part is a planter and the bottom is the plant itself. Still cool tho, since they grow upside-down.

Dynein
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yep, these are tilandsias, also known as "air plants". They are related to bromeliads, which all have structures on their leaves that function as a kind of punctual roots; i.e. they can absorb water via their leaves. For bromeliads, these structures are clustered toward the bottom of the leaf, close of the stem. Tilandsias went all the way. What little roots they still develop mostly function for attachment to a surface. Their leaves have what looks like a silvery patina - the water-absorbing structures. They can get their water from moisture in the air (and most of their nutrients from dust) and are therefore great for bathrooms! Though outside of tropical climates they should still be regularly sprayed with distilled water, or bathed in tap water (not sprayed with tap water - the water will evaporate but minerals will build up on the leaves and might kill the plant). I have several hanging by the bathroom window :-)

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Elly Clifton
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They are air plants, part of the Bromeliad plant group, not succulents

Emily Foltz
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is not a succulent at all. It’s an air plant glued to a seashell.

Daria B
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They look like the kind of monsters that would attack you in a humid cave, or something like this.

Juliane Maxwell
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I just love this idea to hang them upside down. Awesome😅🤣😁

Lawrence LeClaireJr
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's Tillansia bulbosa an airplane not a succulent. Remember geotropism from school, that leaves grow up and roots grow down according to gravity. Well T. bulbosa is atrophic and is not affected by gravity. It can grow upside down, sideways or tilted. It is also myrmecophytic meaning it lives with ants. Sometimes ants live in the hollow center of the plants.

Nikki Samaniego
Community Member
4 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is an air plant/epiphyte, not a succulent; it's name is Tillandsia bulbosa.

Nikki Samaniego
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Now this one is an epiphyte, it's not a succulent (Tillandsia bulbosa)

Krazy Kat
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Still really cool to grow upside down, the planter just adds to the plant making it look unique

Dorothy Cloud
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have one, I thought it was called an "air plant". don't plant in dirt.

Caroline Driver
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

MY daughter loves jellyfish, she'd like one of these, and maybe she'd have a hard time killing it! I might look into doing one of these one day, if I can find a flat urchin exoskeleton

Denver Grant
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Those are air plants. Tillandsia C. Medusae, to be specific. I have three.

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#18

Mermaid Tail Succulent

Mermaid Tail Succulent

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#19

Pageae

Pageae

special_plants_world Report

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Raine Soo
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

These two succulents have gotten more lip action than I have in months.

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#20

Orbea Variegata (Starfish Plant)

Orbea Variegata (Starfish Plant)

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Dynein
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ooh, I have this one too! Cool plant, awesome flowers which are made to resemble rotten flesh from the color and surface structure (Yes, you read that right. It's called a carrion flower). Striking and beautiful, needs a lot of hear and sun. But it's best put in a more airy place where you wont stay long enough to be bothered by the occasional waft of air blowing the smell into your direction... the flowers smell like rotting flesh, too, after a day or two. Thankfully not that strong, you hardly notice from about a meter away, but you definitely don't want to have it close to your couch.

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#21

Myrtillocactus Geometrizans Succulent

Myrtillocactus Geometrizans Succulent

welcomet0nature Report

#22

Gentiana Urnula

Gentiana Urnula

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Chancey
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

These look like they should be in a Lichtenstein painting.

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#28

Bowiea Volubulis

Bowiea Volubulis

elizabethsheaperry Report

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Nicole Perlowsky
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I did look at the entire photo before 100% concluding... anything Bowie is gonna be cool! I didn't really doubt it tho' :) #should2did

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#30

Stapelia

Stapelia

special_plants_world Report

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Dynein
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Another carrion flower.... do beware of the smell. They are pollinated by carrion flies.

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#31

Crassula Pyramidalis

Crassula Pyramidalis

Jean-Pierre Perroud Report

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DC
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've seen one of these in a store, but as I was there with the Motorbike, I didn't wanna buy it that day ... came back a few days after, it was sold - and no one knew what it was. Ok, now I know ... now I'll get one of these!

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#32

Unusual Succulent

Unusual Succulent

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A Lazy Spider
Community Member
4 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Apparently it's known as Crassula 'Morgan's Beauty'. It is a beauty, though.

#34

Lophophora

Lophophora

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#35

Unusual Succulent

Unusual Succulent

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Sara Rodrigues
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think these are cactus, not succulents, since they have spines on the surface and flowers on the top

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#36

Bulbine Mesembryanthemoides

Bulbine Mesembryanthemoides

_kalahari_ Report

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#39

Unusual Succulent

Unusual Succulent

green_design9 Report

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Dynein
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Uh, not a succulent. This is another tilandsia, one that still develops significantly more roots than many of its relatives and would like to be put into a proper pot.

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#41

Haworthia

Haworthia

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#43

Astrophytum Myriostigma

Astrophytum Myriostigma

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#44

Unusual Succulent

Unusual Succulent

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#45

Monanthes Polyphylla Succulent

Monanthes Polyphylla Succulent

kellogggarden Report

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#48

Pies From Heaven

Pies From Heaven

worldofsucculents Report

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Artemis Thorne
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Pies From Heaven is the actual name for the succulent. It got its name because the leaves are roughly triangular with 2 sharp edges and the outside rim curved and crenelated, similar to pinched edges of a pie crust. Typing this is making me hungry.

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#54

Euphorbia Obesa Ssp. Symmetrica

Euphorbia Obesa Ssp. Symmetrica

lanadelplant Report

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Dynein
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Also called "baseball plant", related to the euphorbia further to the top.

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#55

Unusual Succulent

Unusual Succulent

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#56

Mesemb, Titanopsis

Mesemb, Titanopsis

davesgarden Report

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#60

Greenovia Aurea

Greenovia Aurea

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#61

Lophocereus Schotti

Lophocereus Schotti

lanadelplant Report

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#63

Unusual Succulent

Unusual Succulent

millenium_balkon Report

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regi stra
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

i have this one, mine it's just dark green with white dot, i think its a reflection, btw its really common

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#64

Stapelia

Stapelia

special_plants_world Report

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#66

Euphorbia Flanaganii

Euphorbia Flanaganii

fernfarmplants Report

#68

Unusual Succulent

Unusual Succulent

cactiii_love Report

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Raine Soo
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This one looks like a moss toad. I think there was a BP thread on it the other day.

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