Succulents – born to arrest your attention

A few years ago, on one of my longish trips to the hills in Uttarakhand, I chanced upon an abundance of very attractive but minimalist looking plants, potted in solitary or bunched splendour in the local nurseries. Largely small, with fleshy petals or leaves, they came in various shapes, sizes and formations. Mostly in shades of green with a few varieties in crackling red or purple, they were eye catching and elegant. Thus began my love affair with succulents! 

I read up on the literature about them, took advice from experienced gardeners and brought back a cart load to the plains. They became my prized possessions as they were given vantage points in the home and garden. Their clean lines were a great contrast to the other plants in the garden which needed regular care and pruning and  trimming to remove untidy appendages of wilting leaves and drooping flowers etc. These plants seemed low maintenance and were statement pieces when displayed. They were born to make you marvel at the exquisite symmetry of petals and leaves and how well they were put together!  

The word succulent is derived from the Latin word ‘sucus’, which means "juice" or "sap". These plants stay engorged with water, to remain juicy and fleshy to cope with the harsh weather conditions of their naturally occurring  habitats. They need the sun and dry weather to thrive. Along with absorbing  energy from the sun, their storing of water, allows them to continue to survive and even thrive over long, dry stretches. This characteristic of succulents makes them popular in Feng shui, as they are viewed metaphorically as plants that attract and create abundance in homes and offices and are able to protect us from negative energies. They were said to be perennials. But sadly, the minute there was moisture in the air, they start to disintegrate and decay. I learnt that lesson the hard way.  Initially I was thrilled to see them prosper in the conducive weather of the Delhi region,  remaining picture perfect for months. Then the humidity and pollution of the city got to them such that it became impossible to save them. They could not survive the vagaries of the weather in the plains! It was painful to see them looking jaded as the months of muggy heat continued relentlessly. Only a few varieties like the Agave and Snake plant etc have remained resilient and thrive with little care and minimal watering. But they are not the ornamental variety that can be gifted or placed tastefully on tables and shelves as elegant showpieces!

Succulents are known for their air cleansing features. They are said to release oxygen and also do well by us by enhancing our moods. NASA research is supposed to have surmised that ‘succulents can remove up to 90% of certain toxins from a space within 24 hours. They can also remove volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are found in cigarette smoke, rugs, books, ink, and grocery bags.’ So much so that interior decorators and home makers make a beeline for them in terms of décor and functionality when designing homes. Social media is rife with advice on how to use them indoors in living spaces like drawing, bed and bath rooms!

Can you name any one succulent that most likely everyone has heard of? It is the Aloevera, which has become one of the most touted panacea for health issues in the modern world. And then there are mindboggling varieties of succulents, some with tongue twisting biological names! Let’s look at some of their popular names that are literal and also quite amusing! Burro’s tail, Baby’s toe, Elephant’s feet, Hen’s and chicks, Ox Tongue, Pig’s Ear, Snake Plant, Spider Wort, Starfish Plant, Plover Eggs, Zanzibar or Zee Zee, Ice plant,  Astroverthia, Echevaria, Kalanchoe, Coral plant, Opalina, Purslane, Stone plant, Stone Crops, String of Hearts, Zebra Cactus and the list goes on! Today my love for  succulents remains, but it is long distance as I now don't have the heart to be disappointed again!

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