Dudleya pulverulenta
I often see this in photographs of coastal gardens, gorgeously tucked among stone steps, looking all silvery and seductive and Santa Barbara "ish". Here in Clayton, our native Chalk Liveforever is much happier slightly tilted in pots (so water drains off the plants) and protected from hot afternoon sun. It also looks better with some summer irrigation, but steer clear of watering overhead. Grows 1-2' tall and wide overtime.
Mangave 'Macho Mocha'
This Agave and Manfreda hybrid is so cool. He forms a not-at-all-prickly, but spiky looking rosette to about 2-3' tall and eventually 4-6' wide. His green leaves are literally spotted with deep burgundy and purplish red blotches. I have him in a decent size urn in my backyard in partial shade. Last December he was briefly buried under 3" of unexpected snow and he didn't bat an eye. Macho indeed!
Sedum spathulifolium
A dainty California native stonecrop with tiny, smoky blue rosettes, this little guy is perfect to use as a small scale groundcover or trailing over a low rock wall. Only about 4" tall, and spreading to a foot or more, it does best in partial shade in our hot summer sun. Supposedly edible and enjoyed, on purpose, by humans but disliked by deer. Like many succulents, if a piece breaks off, you can just tuck it into the dirt and colonization begins!
Senecio 'Lavender Steps'
This has proven to be a slow grower, but the possibility of what it can become keeps it among my favorites. Looking like some kind of beautiful willowy undersea kelp, I've seen this plant in all its glory at the SF Garden Show. Tall purple stems and silvery green leaves tinged with purple make this a knockout. Probably best in protection from hot afternoon sun and protected from frost.
Echeveria imbricata
There's something to be said for good old Hens & Chicks. Boring, maybe, but I've roasted many a succulent in my South-facing backyard, and this girl just shrinks up a bit and waits for the cool Fall rains to kick in before regaining her good looks. I've used her planted in crevices among flagstone where the heat was indeed radiant and nothing else survived, and she took it all in stride. Plus, she provides an endless supply of babies, which means big bang for the buck over time.
More???
Want to hear about the other five on my list? Please consider joining me at the Markham Garden Center on Saturday, February 12, at 10am for our class, "Designing with Succulents in the Garden." I'll cover design tips and tricks for using succulents in the garden, plus we'll see some beautiful examples of other Bay Area designers' projects incorporating succulents. Last but not least, we'll cover everything you need to know about how to create living pictures and vertical elements using succulents, with a class demonstration that shows you how to make your own treasures.
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