Succulents have a reputation for being unkillable, which is why so many of them die. The plants themselves are tough; the problem is that most advice about them is written for dry climates and then applied on the east coast of Australia, where a humid subtropical summer delivers weeks of warm, wet nights. In Brisbane and along the coast, succulents are lost to rot in February far more often than to drought in September. Get the drainage and the position right and the rest is genuinely easy.
Quick facts
| Variety | Botanical name | Mature size | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jade plant | Crassula ovata | 1.5m x 1m | Full sun to bright part shade |
| Ripple jade | Crassula arborescens undulatifolia | 1m x 80cm | Bright light, protect from wet |
| Blue chalk sticks | Senecio mandraliscae | 30cm x 60cm | Full sun |
| Blue glow agave | Agave 'Blue Glow' | 50cm x 60cm | Full sun |
| Panda plant | Kalanchoe tomentosa | 40cm x 30cm | Bright indirect, keep dry |
| Firesticks | Euphorbia tirucalli 'Firesticks' | 2m x 1.5m | Full sun, colours best when lean |
| Dwarf jade | Portulacaria afra | 1.5m x 1m | Full sun to part shade |
| Echeveria | Echeveria hybrids | 20cm x 20cm | Bright light, shelter from rain |
Choosing the right succulent
For structure and permanence in a garden bed, use the shrubby crassulas and euphorbias. Crassula ovata forms a genuine small shrub with a thickened trunk over a decade and tolerates far more rain than the rosette types. Ripple jade is the more refined relative, with wavy blue-grey leaves edged in maroon, and is covered in detail in our ripple jade care guide.
For a groundcover that suppresses weeds on a hot bank, nothing beats blue chalk sticks. It spreads by stems that root as they go and holds its colour through drought. See growing blue chalksticks for spacing and establishment.
For a focal point, agaves are unmatched. Blue Glow stays small enough for a pot beside a path, while the larger species need real space and a position away from foot traffic. Agave garden ideas and the top agave varieties compare them properly.
The tall columnar euphorbias give vertical accent in a dry bed; see cowboy cactus tips. And for the true cacti, which want even sharper drainage again, low-maintenance cacti for a front facade covers the reliable options.
The rosette succulents, echeverias and their relatives, are the ones to grow in pots under cover on the east coast. In the ground they collect water in the crown and rot from the centre out after a wet week.
How to plant
Drainage does more for a succulent in a humid climate than anything else you can do. A workable potting mix is three parts premium potting mix to two parts coarse washed sand or 2 to 5 millimetre gravel, plus one part perlite or scoria. That is a 3:2:1 ratio by volume, and it should feel gritty and fall apart in the hand rather than clumping. Bagged cacti and succulent mix is a reasonable shortcut, and adding an extra third of coarse grit to it makes it better again.
In the ground, raise the planting area 150 to 200 millimetres above the surrounding level, or plant on a slope. Do not dig a hole in clay and backfill it with sandy mix; that creates a sump that fills with water and holds it against the roots. Improve the whole bed instead.
Plant with the crown slightly proud of the surface, never buried. Top-dress with 20 to 30 millimetres of gravel rather than organic mulch, which holds moisture against the stem. Wait a week before the first watering so any damaged roots can callus.
Ongoing care
Watering
Water deeply, then let the mix dry completely before watering again. In a Brisbane summer that might mean every ten to fourteen days for a potted succulent, and nothing at all for garden plants during a wet fortnight. In winter, potted succulents may want water only once a month. Always water the mix, not the rosette, and water in the morning so foliage dries before nightfall.
Feeding
Succulents need very little. A half-strength application of a controlled-release fertiliser in early spring is enough for a whole season. Overfeeding produces soft, elongated growth that flops and rots, and it washes out the tight compact form that makes these plants worth growing.
Pruning
Prune jade and portulacaria in early spring to shape them and to open the canopy so air moves through it. Remove any leaf or stem showing soft brown tissue immediately and cut back into firm, clean material. Wear gloves and eye protection with euphorbias, whose milky sap is a serious irritant to skin and eyes.
Propagation from leaf and stem
Stem cuttings are the fastest route. Take a 10 to 15 centimetre piece of jade, chalk sticks or portulacaria, strip the lower leaves, and leave it in a shaded dry spot for three to seven days until the cut face seals. Push it into barely damp gritty mix and do not water for a fortnight. Leaf propagation works for jade, kalanchoe and echeveria: twist a whole leaf off cleanly, callus it the same way, lay it on top of dry mix and mist lightly once a week until a rosette and roots appear at the base, usually within four to eight weeks.
Common problems and fixes
Soft, translucent yellowing leaves that fall at a touch mean too much water. Stop watering, move the plant somewhere airy, and if the base is soft take cuttings from the healthy top and start again. Black spots on jade leaves after a humid spell are fungal and follow poor air movement; thin the plant and stop overhead watering.
Stretched stems with wide gaps between leaves mean too little light. Cut back hard and move into more sun, hardening it over two weeks so it does not scorch. White cottony masses in leaf joints are mealybug; dab them with a cotton bud dipped in methylated spirits and repeat weekly. Wrinkled, shrivelled leaves that stay firm mean the plant is genuinely thirsty, which in an established succulent is rare and easily fixed.
Frequently asked questions
Can succulents grow outdoors in Brisbane?
Yes, provided drainage is sharp and they are planted on a raised bed or slope. Shrubby types such as crassula, portulacaria, agave and euphorbia handle east coast humidity well. Rosette types are better in pots under an eave where summer rain does not sit in the crown.
How often should I water succulents in summer?
Only when the mix has dried right through, which is roughly every ten to fourteen days for a pot in a Brisbane summer and less often for plants in the ground. Frequency matters far less than making sure the mix dries out completely between waterings.
What potting mix should I use for succulents?
Three parts premium potting mix, two parts coarse washed sand or fine gravel, one part perlite or scoria. It should feel gritty and crumble in the hand. A bagged cacti and succulent mix with extra grit added works well too.
Why are my succulent leaves falling off?
Soft, translucent leaves that drop mean overwatering or poor drainage. Firm, wrinkled leaves that drop mean the plant has been dry too long. The first is far more common in Australian coastal gardens than the second.
Do succulents need full sun?
Most colour best in full sun, but many burn in a heatwave if they have been grown in shade. Move plants into stronger light gradually over two to three weeks, and give rosette types some shelter from the worst of the afternoon sun inland.
Ready to plant?
Sort the drainage, then choose freely. Our succulents range and the wider succulents and cacti collection cover every variety in the table, and dwarf jade is the most forgiving starting point for a garden bed.
