20 Popular Types of Succulents (With Photos and Care Tips)

Walk into any garden centre and you'll find tables covered with dozens of different succulents — rosettes in every shade of green, purple, and pink; neat little columns; trailing curtains of beads; menacing spiny globes. The variety is extraordinary. But with that variety comes confusion: what exactly is this plant, and how do I keep it alive?

This guide organises the 20 most popular succulent types by plant family, which is useful because plants within the same family tend to share care requirements. Understanding the family helps you make sense of the care instructions. For full care details covering watering, soil, and light for all succulents, see our complete succulent care guide.

What Makes a Plant a Succulent?

A succulent is any plant that has evolved to store water in its tissues — leaves, stems, or roots — as an adaptation to arid environments. The word comes from the Latin succulentus, meaning "full of juice." This storage ability is what gives succulents their characteristic thick, fleshy appearance.

Succulents appear across many unrelated plant families — they evolved the water-storage strategy independently in different lineages. This is why succulents vary so dramatically in appearance: a cactus, a Haworthia, and a String of Pearls all store water but look nothing alike.

What they share: a preference for infrequent watering, fast-draining gritty soil, and generally bright light. Understanding those basics covers you for almost every type covered here.

Crassulaceae: The Stone Crop Family

Crassulaceae is the largest and most diverse succulent family for ornamental growing, containing hundreds of species prized for their architectural rosettes and wide colour range.

1. Echeveria

Appearance: Perfect, symmetrical rosettes 5–30 cm across. Leaves are usually thick, spoon-shaped, and range from pale green through blue-grey, purple, pink, and almost black depending on variety and sun stress colouration. Some have a powdery farina coating. Light: Full sun to bright indirect. Water: Every 2–3 weeks in summer, monthly in winter. Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆ (Easy)

Echeveria is arguably the most popular ornamental succulent in the world. The hundreds of cultivars available mean there's an Echeveria in almost every colour and size. They're easy to propagate from leaves — a single dropped leaf will often root and produce a new rosette.

2. Sedum (Stonecrop)

Appearance: Extremely variable — some are low ground covers with tiny round leaves (like Sedum rubrotinctum, 'Jelly Beans'), others are taller growing species with broader leaves. Colours range from bright green to deep burgundy. Light: Full sun preferred. Water: Every 2–3 weeks. Difficulty: ★☆☆☆☆ (Very Easy)

Sedum is the workhorse of the succulent world — extremely tough, fast-growing, and forgiving of neglect. Many species are frost-hardy, making them excellent outdoor ground covers in temperate climates. For indoor growers, Sedum rubrotinctum (Jelly Bean Plant) is a favourite with its chunky, translucent red-tipped leaves.

3. Jade Plant (Crassula ovata)

Appearance: Tree-like growth habit with a thick, woody trunk and oval, fleshy leaves in dark green (often with red edges in high light). Can reach 1.5 m indoors over many years. Light: 4+ hours of direct sun. Water: Every 2–3 weeks in summer, monthly in winter. Difficulty: ★☆☆☆☆ (Very Easy)

One of the most kept houseplants on the planet. Jade is long-lived — decades under good care — and its bonsai-like structure becomes genuinely impressive with age. Often called the money plant or lucky plant. See our jade plant care guide for a deep dive.

4. Crassula (Other Species)

Notable species: Crassula perforata (String of Buttons) — stacked triangular leaves arranged in a spiral up erect stems. Crassula muscosa (Watch Chain) — tiny tightly-packed scale-like leaves on thin upright stems. Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆ (Easy)

5. Kalanchoe blossfeldiana (Flaming Katy)

Appearance: Dark green scallop-edged leaves with clusters of small flowers (red, orange, yellow, pink, white) that bloom for weeks. Common gift plant. Light: Bright indirect light for blooming. Water: Every 1–2 weeks. Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆ (Easy)

6. Aeonium

Appearance: Rosettes on long bare stems, giving a sculptural tree-like effect. Many cultivars are dark burgundy to near-black. Unlike most succulents, Aeonium prefers cooler temperatures and some moisture in summer. Difficulty: ★★★☆☆ (Moderate)

Asphodelaceae: Aloe, Haworthia, and Gasteria

These succulents originate from southern Africa and share a preference for partial shade and moderate watering — making them among the most tolerant of indoor conditions.

7. Aloe Vera

Appearance: Rosette of long, lance-shaped, grey-green leaves with small teeth along the margins. Leaves are filled with a clear gel with well-documented skin-soothing properties. Can reach 60 cm indoors. Light: Bright direct or indirect sun. Water: Every 2–3 weeks. Difficulty: ★☆☆☆☆ (Very Easy)

One of the most widely grown plants in the world. The gel inside the leaves is commonly used for sunburn, minor burns, and skin irritation. Aloe vera offsets prolifically — you'll end up with more plants than you know what to do with.

8. Haworthia

Appearance: Small rosettes (usually 5–15 cm) with stiff, pointed leaves that often have translucent "windows" at their tips or white pearl-like stripes on the surface (Haworthia fasciata, 'Zebra Plant'). Light: Medium to bright indirect — one of the few succulents that tolerates low light. Water: Every 2–3 weeks. Difficulty: ★☆☆☆☆ (Very Easy)

Haworthia is arguably the best succulent for beginners, particularly those without a south-facing window. It genuinely tolerates dimmer conditions without turning leggy — a rare trait in the succulent world. See our best succulents for beginners guide for more low-light options.

9. Gasteria

Appearance: Distinctive tongue-shaped leaves, often dark green with pale bumpy markings, arranged in a flat fan initially and later in a rosette. Produces small tubular orange-red flowers. Light: Partial shade to indirect light. Water: Every 2–3 weeks. Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆ (Easy)

Named after the stomach-shaped flowers (gaster = stomach in Greek). Often overshadowed by Haworthia but equally tough and tolerant of indoor conditions.

Aizoaceae: Living Stones (Lithops)

10. Lithops (Living Stones)

Appearance: Two thick, fused leaves that look almost exactly like small pebbles or stones. Colours mimic the gravel of their native southern African desert habitat — tan, grey, russet, olive, with patterned windowed tops. Flowers emerge from the split between the leaves. Light: Full sun (6+ hours of direct sun needed). Water: Extremely infrequent — often only 4–6 times per year. Difficulty: ★★★★☆ (Challenging)

The most fascinating and the most demanding succulents in this list. Lithops has a very specific annual cycle: the old pair of leaves must be allowed to wither completely and be absorbed by the new pair growing beneath — during this absorption period (typically winter), no watering at all is given. Misunderstanding this cycle is why most Lithops die in cultivation.

11. Faucaria (Tiger Jaws)

Appearance: Pairs of thick triangular leaves with soft "teeth" along the margins that look like open jaws. Bright yellow daisy-like flowers. Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆ (Easy)

Cactaceae: Cacti Are Succulents Too

All cacti are succulents — they store water in their stems. They differ from other succulents in having specialised structures called areoles from which spines grow. Cacti generally need more sun and less water than other succulents.

12. Golden Barrel Cactus (Echinocactus grusonii)

Appearance: Round to oval green globe covered in golden-yellow ribs of spines. Grows very slowly to 30 cm+ indoors over many years. Light: Full sun. Water: Monthly in summer, none in winter. Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆ (Easy outdoors; needs maximum light indoors)

13. Bunny Ears Cactus (Opuntia microdasys)

Appearance: Flat, oval, ear-shaped pads in pairs. Covered in tiny clustered glochids (hair-like spines) rather than long spines. Deceptively painful — glochids are hard to remove from skin. Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆ (Easy, handle with care)

14. Pincushion Cactus (Mammillaria)

Appearance: Small globe or cylinder, 5–15 cm, covered in neat spiralling rows of white spines. Produces a ring of small flowers (pink, white, red) around the crown in spring. One of the most widely available cacti. Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆ (Easy)

15. Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera)

Appearance: Flat, segmented, leaf-like stems that trail or arch, topped with tubular pink, red, or white flowers in winter. No true spines. Light: Bright indirect — far less sun-demanding than most cacti. Water: Every 1–2 weeks in summer, less in winter. Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆ (Easy)

Apocynaceae: String Succulents

16. String of Pearls (Senecio rowleyanus)

Appearance: Trailing stems bearing spherical, bead-like leaves that look exactly like a string of peas or pearls. Can trail 60–90 cm from a hanging pot. Light: Bright direct or indirect sun. Water: Every 2 weeks in summer, very sparingly in winter. Difficulty: ★★★☆☆ (Moderate — dislikes overwatering and insufficient light)

One of the most popular trailing succulents for hanging baskets. The round leaves minimise surface area to reduce water loss — an elegant evolutionary adaptation. The main cause of decline is overwatering: pearls turn mushy when roots sit in wet soil. For light requirements, see our succulent light requirements guide.

17. String of Turtles (Peperomia prostrata)

Appearance: Tiny round leaves with intricate patterns resembling turtle shells on trailing threadlike stems. Light: Medium to bright indirect. Water: Every 1–2 weeks. Difficulty: ★★★☆☆ (Moderate)

18. String of Hearts (Ceropegia woodii)

Appearance: Long trailing vines with pairs of small heart-shaped leaves, dark green with silver marbling on top and purple underneath. Very fine stems. Light: Bright indirect. Water: Every 2 weeks. Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆ (Easy)

Other Succulents Worth Knowing

19. Agave

Appearance: Large rosettes of stiff, sharp-tipped leaves. Blue-grey or green. Can grow enormous — best in gardens in warm climates or as a specimen plant in large pots. Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆ (Easy once established, but handle carefully — the tips are genuinely dangerous)

20. Sempervivum (Hens and Chicks)

Appearance: Tight rosettes, 2–15 cm, in shades of green, red, purple, and bronze. Produces numerous offsets (the "chicks") around the mother rosette. Light: Full sun. Fully frost-hardy. Water: Every 2–3 weeks. Difficulty: ★☆☆☆☆ (Very Easy)

Sempervivum is one of the toughest plants that exists — it survives frost, snow, drought, and neglect. An excellent choice for outdoor rockeries and containers in cold climates.

Care Comparison Table

How to Identify Your Succulent Type

If you've picked up a mystery succulent from a market or been given one without a label, here's how to narrow it down:

Step 1 — Growth habit: Does it grow as a rosette (Echeveria, Haworthia, Sempervivum, Agave), as an upright stem (Crassula, Jade, Aeonium), as a ground-hugging mat (Sedum, Sempervivum), or as a trailer (String of Pearls, String of Hearts)?

Step 2 — Leaf shape: Thick triangular and pointed (Agave, Aloe, Haworthia), round or bead-like (String of Pearls), flat and paddle-shaped (Echeveria, Sedum), or deeply lobed (Kalanchoe)?

Step 3 — Are there spines? True spines growing from areoles = cactus. Small teeth along leaf margins are not true spines.

Step 4 — Use an app. iNaturalist and PlantNet can identify succulents from photos with reasonable accuracy for common species.

Once you know the type, you can follow species-specific care. Our complete succulent care guide covers the core care principles that apply to almost all of the types listed here.

Frequently Asked Questions