Succulents are a type of higher plant that have three nutritional organs, namely roots, stems, and leaves, as well as three reproductive organs, flowers, fruits, and seeds.


While they are also known as carnivorous plants or succulent flowers in the field of horticulture, the term "succulent" is more commonly used.


More than 10,000 species of succulent plants thrive across the globe, predominantly within the realm of higher plants, notably angiosperms. These diverse specimens are distributed among numerous plant families, with approximately 67 families recognized to host succulents. However, consensus holds that the true count may hover around 50 families housing these resilient plants.


Succulent plants have become increasingly popular around the world as potted plants, with the Sedum and Cactaceae families being the most common species. South Africa and Mexico are the countries with the most succulents in the world, while in Japan, the United States, and Western Europe, many well-known hybrids are grown.


Succulents come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, making them ideal for landscaping and creating beautiful, exotic gardens. Some botanical gardens have even explored the use of cacti and succulents in interior decoration and landscaping.


They provide the public with suitable maintenance and management practices and landscaping methods for indoor landscaping. The succulent plant introduction base at Fleshy Intense is actively exploring different landscaping methods through actual cultivation and landscaping.


In-ground plants such as the Jamaican Tianlun column, golden amber, and other tall columns and large spheres, as well as large woody plants such as the Queensland bottle trunk tree and elephant leg tree, are used as the skeleton species to build the framework of the main landscape.


At the same time, smaller plants with different plant types are used to support the main landscape and enrich the plant landscape. Additionally, many species of succulent plants grown in boxes or pots are very suitable for modern home gardening.


There is a growing interest in exploring succulent plant interior decoration and arrangement.


Unfortunately, succulent plants face significant threats in South Africa, where the most significant threats to each plant have been identified through the South African Red List of Threatened Species.


More than 1,600 populations are affected, most of which belong to succulents. The presence of exotic invasive plant species is another formidable threat, outnumbering native plant species.


There is also significant habitat degradation, including overgrazing, inappropriate natural fire management (including too frequent, too little or no seasonal fires at all), clearing of bush and trees from forests and savannas, and so on.


These undesirable factors may leave natural vegetation intact but can disturb or even destroy important ecosystems and lead to the loss of more environmentally sensitive species.


Succulent plants are fascinating and diverse, with a wide range of applications in gardening, landscaping, and interior decoration.


However, their survival is threatened by a range of environmental factors, making it important to protect these species and their habitats.