Sizzling Succulents

Succulent plants offer the green industry a promising future of growth and intrigue while at the same time offering consumers a variety of wild textures and colors with minimal input. This just might be the reason for their recent upward swing in production. As people’s lives become busier and more fast-paced, they reach for options that complement that lifestyle. As far as plants go, succulents are about as fluid with that pace as one can get. So growers who are considering adding these plants to their production cycle should definitely take the plunge. General consensus among growers who have already added succulents to their production is that their growth in popularity and sales is still trending upward and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.
 

Trends

Succulents seem to cross the bridge between gardeners and crafters. Or maybe it is the new fad within a long and intertwined relationship between plants and artists. Perhaps their size and relative ease of care makes the reluctant crafter more willing to take on plant dependents. You can see this trend in the various applications of succulents: wreaths, picture frames, spheres, table gardens, small garden bouquets, etc. Siena Randall of EuroAmerican says that within the succulent world there is a lot of potential gain specifically in the various arrangements of the plants.

Kelly Griffin, the succulent plant development manager at Altman Plants Inc., likes the general direction succulent growers are heading, with more colorful plants, bigger flowers, brighter colors, fragrant flowers, and extended/repeat blooming cycles.

“Also we want to create plants that have a higher degree of temperature tolerance at both extremes. Lofty goals but do able,” Griffin says.

He also nods to environmental issues in his reasoning for succulent’s current and projected popularity.

“I think gardeners are going to continue to favor plants that are appropriate for our arid Southwest and that survive the heat and that do so with minimal water.”
 

Culture and sales tips

Succulents offer a lot of interest and variety without a whole lot of hassle, including in production. When considering adding this fascinating group of plants to your production cycle, keep a few things in mind. These are plants that grow in typically arid or warm climates; they are efficient with their use of water and prefer bright light. However, it is quite a diverse population of plants that make up the succulent genre, and so the cultural tips here are general. Each variety should be researched to establish the best cultural practices specific to it.

“Observe the plant daily through the seasons; changes in the color of the ‘skin’ can signal if the light is too strong or too shady,” Griffin says. “In general, observing a plant closely will let growers know if it is happy or not and will often give clues as to what the problem is.”

Growing media for succulents must exhibit excellent drainage. Bill Hendricks of Klyn Nurseries and the president of the Midwest Cactus and Succulent Society likes to use a coir-based media to which he adds additional compost and pumice when growing succulents. Similarly, Chris Hansen of Great Garden Plants likes a simple mix of 60 percent greenhouse growing mix and 40 percent perlite. But what about feeding these undemanding plants? Hansen suggests that just because succulents are capable of withstanding neglect, doesn’t mean they should. In fact, they respond very well to fertilizer by putting on new growth at a much quicker rate.

“Most people tend to under fertilize,” Hansen says. He kicks up the pace with a 200ppm general greenhouse fertilizer that he applies every other watering. “A lot of people would be in shock by that number, but I’ve seen a great response in my plants.”

Siena Randall, director of program development & marketing at EuroAmerican also offered some great insight for someone considering growing succulents.

“The number one point that should be kept in mind about the production of succulents is the researching of your supplier; their climate and how it compares to yours.”

The difference in light intensity and nighttime temperature from one region to another can severely impact the appearance of the plant and you may end up with something less interesting than you had intended. Randall also emphasizes that this area of horticulture is still in its growth period and anyone who wants to join, should. She also encourages newbies to contact EuroAmerican. They have been producing succulents for quite some time and have a lot to offer, including a dedicated “Succulent Team” who will answer production questions.

Randy Baldwin of San Marcos Growers advises growers to research agave edema. This is a sad scenario where lack of light from overcast weather or from shipping causes the reduction of stomatal openings on the leaf surface. This, coupled with slowed air circulation (which reduces the evaporation of moisture from the soil), causes the healthy plant to continue absorbing moisture through the roots without a place for all of it to go. The internal pressure causes cell walls to rupture forming unsightly blisters that can demolish the value of the plant overnight. He thinks it has more to do with air circulation than anything and noted that more research needs to be done on the topic, but it is something growers should be aware of.

Propagation

Tissue culture is an excellent option in the production of succulents for someone who has the resources. Although it may slow the production turnaround time, it produces consistently uniform crops. This is especially useful for crops that don’t readily self-propagate. Other methods of propagation include cuttings, leaf cuttings and seed. For best results, make sure to research which species responds best to each method of propagation. Baldwin uses a technique he refers to as “poor man’s tissue culture.” It is also known as coring and involves removing the very center of the plant you are seeking to propagate. The plant then sends out offshoots and plantlets for exploitation. This practice works especially well on agaves, he said, possibly because they are monocarping (one time bloomers) in nature and then they die out from the center and send out offshoots on their own. The coring technique essentially mimics this natural process.

Production turnaround time varies with type of plant and propagation technique.

Troy Lucht of Shady Oaks Nursery pointed out that from the point of division in a test tube (tissue culture) to saleable 72/tray liners, the process takes about eight months.

“Nothing happens quickly and for that reason, every guard against potential threats should be made. If something wipes out a crop, it’s going to take a while to replace it,” Lucht says.

On the other hand, he notes, “an advantage of these slow-growing plants is their potential to develop into specimen plants that consumers will pay a premium for.” He pushes growers to hold onto season leftovers and allow them to reach specimen quality.

Growers and breeders agree that succulents are not a fad.

“Succulents are here to stay,” insists Hansen.

Growers’ and breeders’ enthusiasm galvanizes potential succulent growers into joining them in this fast-paced pursuit of the next hot thing in the world of succulents.

Karlyn Green is a horticulturalist and landscape designer in Northeast Ohio with more than 10 years of experience in the green industry. She is a graduate of the Landscape Horticulture program at The Ohio State University and a certified Master Technician through the Ohio Certified Nursery Technician program. Currently she works as the horticulturalist for Fairlawn Country Club and is the co-owner of Sassafras Land Design LLC. Reach her at karlynisgreen@gmail.com.