All plants have their preferred climates. The majority of succulents are native to South Africa and the Mediterranean, while they can tolerate droughts, they do not thrive in them. Desert loving cactus will thrive through extreme temperatures, blazing hot sun, and long periods of drought, but the softer succulents that we know and love don’t like to be kept in baking hot areas. We often field questions about a plants ability to take “full sun”, or “afternoon sun”, and the answers are always different. There are many more variables than time of day alone. Full sun on the coast is different than full sun in the valley. A good rule of thumb, if it is a new plant, or a new area, is to test it before planting a large group, or ease a plant into a new area. Many plants grow up facing one direction for the duration of their life and the simple task of planting a plant facing the opposite direction can result in a fatal burn. When we move large, specimen, pieces, we cover the plant with shade cloth in an effort to acclimate it to its new location. It may not be the most beautiful site in a backyard, but just a couple of days under some shade could save a one of a kind Aloe Dichotoma from never recovering. Pick up some shade cloth, and be careful adding new plants to new locations. Photo is of Crassula ‘Silver Dollar’, a variety of jade that CAN tolerate more heat than some of its softer counterparts.
