Get Premium
Dark mode theme is available exclusively for premium users. Learn more about the benefits of subscribing.
No fees, cancel anytime.
Dark Mode 
No fees, cancel anytime 
then open in external browser
and click "Open in External Browser" 
Welcome to the wonderful and weird world of succulents! These ornamental plants come in some very surprising shapes that make them look like something from a fantasy illustrator’s dreams. Bored Panda’s green thumb employees have delicately grown and cultivated this list about some of the most awesome succulents you’ll ever see. So scroll down, upvote your faves, and share this post with your plant-loving pals.
If you keep any succulent-buddies at home or at work, we’d love to see photos of them in the comment section below, dear Pandas. We’d also appreciate it if you could share any tips for growing them. You know, for those of us who give our succulents a bit too much love, attention, and water.
Succulents are excellent at surviving in dry climates and nearly all cacti are succulents but not all succulents are cacti. Succulents are very popular plants. Odds are that if you stroll through any office, you’ll spot at least one of them. Unfortunately, not everyone knows how to take care of their succulents—I can tell you from firsthand experience that it’s a lot harder than it should be!
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Clear Succulent Plant
Dynein 5 years ago
There's a few plants that have these kind of "widnows" on top of their leaves (google "leaf window"). They are adapted to very harsh, hot climates. The windows allow them to remain mostly buried in the soil and keep the photosynthesizing part of the leaf protected from the harsh conditions while still being able to collect light.
RELATED:
#2
Rose Succulents
#3
Bunny Succulents
Some of the fantastically strange plants like the mermaid tail or the opal-like clear succulents look like they’re from another planet and something that aliens keep on their alien desks in their alien offices.
If you want to get one of these peculiar succulents for yourself or for your loved ones as a gift, the mermaid one is called a crested Senecio Vitalis while the clear one is the Haworthia Cooperi plant.
Haworthia succulents are popular because of their “leaf windows” which let in a lot of light for the plant. The “windows” also minimize water loss from evaporation because the rest of the plant is buried underground. Haworthia plants also have accordion-like roots that pull them deeper into the ground so that they can thrive.
#4
Unusual Succulent
According to Reddit, Haworthia plants are easy to take care of and are great succulents for beginners: just pop them on the windowsill and they’ll be happy. Especially if you plop it into some gritty soil.
In general, succulents need plenty of light and you need to rotate them occasionally so all parts of it can enjoy the sun and to help it grow straight.
Overwatering is a big no-no, so check the soil regularly: if it’s dry, get your watering can ready. Also, keep in mind that succulents need more water during Spring and Summer and barely need any in Fall and Winter when they’re ‘resting.’ Finally, wipe the dust off your succulents to help them grow and become your picture-perfect plant-pals.
#7
Lithops
#9
Conophytum Bilobum
#10
Succulent
#11
Euphorbia
Loki’s Lil Butter Knife 5 years ago
I honestly thought this was a beaded pincushion upon first glance. I had to Google it, and supposedly it is called "euphorbia obesa" and it does indeed look like the photo above. Pretty amazing!
#13
Kalanchoe
#14
Stapelia
#15
Dolphin Succulents
#16
Boophone Haemanthoides
#17
Unusual Succulent
Kate Tora 5 years ago
Just wanted to mention that the top part is a planter and the bottom is the plant itself. Still cool tho, since they grow upside-down.
Dynein 5 years ago
Yep, these are tilandsias, also known as "air plants". They are related to bromeliads, which all have structures on their leaves that function as a kind of punctual roots; i.e. they can absorb water via their leaves. For bromeliads, these structures are clustered toward the bottom of the leaf, close of the stem. Tilandsias went all the way. What little roots they still develop mostly function for attachment to a surface. Their leaves have what looks like a silvery patina - the water-absorbing structures. They can get their water from moisture in the air (and most of their nutrients from dust) and are therefore great for bathrooms! Though outside of tropical climates they should still be regularly sprayed with distilled water, or bathed in tap water (not sprayed with tap water - the water will evaporate but minerals will build up on the leaves and might kill the plant). I have several hanging by the bathroom window :-)
Load More Replies...
Elly Clifton 5 years ago
They are air plants, part of the Bromeliad plant group, not succulents
Emily Foltz 5 years ago
This is not a succulent at all. It’s an air plant glued to a seashell.
Tia G 5 years ago
Those are air plants in a type of sea shells for display that is not a part of those plants.
Lawrence LeClaireJr 3 years ago
That's Tillansia bulbosa an airplane not a succulent. Remember geotropism from school, that leaves grow up and roots grow down according to gravity. Well T. bulbosa is atrophic and is not affected by gravity. It can grow upside down, sideways or tilted. It is also myrmecophytic meaning it lives with ants. Sometimes ants live in the hollow center of the plants.
Nikki Samaniego 5 years ago (edited)
This is an air plant/epiphyte, not a succulent; it's name is Tillandsia bulbosa.
Nikki Samaniego 5 years ago
Now this one is an epiphyte, it's not a succulent (Tillandsia bulbosa)
Dorothy Cloud 5 years ago
I have one, I thought it was called an "air plant". don't plant in dirt.
Caroline Driver 5 years ago
MY daughter loves jellyfish, she'd like one of these, and maybe she'd have a hard time killing it! I might look into doing one of these one day, if I can find a flat urchin exoskeleton
Denver Grant 5 years ago
Those are air plants. Tillandsia C. Medusae, to be specific. I have three.
#18
Mermaid Tail Succulent
#19
Pageae
#20
Orbea Variegata (Starfish Plant)
Dynein 5 years ago
Ooh, I have this one too! Cool plant, awesome flowers which are made to resemble rotten flesh from the color and surface structure (Yes, you read that right. It's called a carrion flower). Striking and beautiful, needs a lot of hear and sun. But it's best put in a more airy place where you wont stay long enough to be bothered by the occasional waft of air blowing the smell into your direction... the flowers smell like rotting flesh, too, after a day or two. Thankfully not that strong, you hardly notice from about a meter away, but you definitely don't want to have it close to your couch.
#21
Myrtillocactus Geometrizans Succulent
#22
Gentiana Urnula
#23
Stringofpearls
#24
Crassula Umbella
#25
Lithops
#27
Klubrostok
#28
Bowiea Volubulis
Nicole Perlowsky 5 years ago
I did look at the entire photo before 100% concluding... anything Bowie is gonna be cool! I didn't really doubt it tho' :) #should2did
#29
Unusual Succulent
#30
Stapelia
#31
Crassula Pyramidalis
#32
Unusual Succulent
A Lazy Spider 5 years ago (edited)
Apparently it's known as Crassula 'Morgan's Beauty'. It is a beauty, though.
#33
Echeveria
#34
Lophophora
#35
Unusual Succulent
Sara Rodrigues 5 years ago
I think these are cactus, not succulents, since they have spines on the surface and flowers on the top
#36
Bulbine Mesembryanthemoides
#37
Euphorbia
#38
Unusual Succulent
#39
Unusual Succulent
#40
Stapelia
#41
Haworthia
#42
Kalanchoe
#43
Astrophytum Myriostigma
#44
Unusual Succulent
#45
Monanthes Polyphylla Succulent
#47
Corkscrew Grass
#48
Pies From Heaven
Artemis Thorne 5 years ago
Pies From Heaven is the actual name for the succulent. It got its name because the leaves are roughly triangular with 2 sharp edges and the outside rim curved and crenelated, similar to pinched edges of a pie crust. Typing this is making me hungry.
#50
Unusual Succulent
#51
Mammillaria
#52
Jatropha
#53
Pseudolithos
#54
Euphorbia Obesa Ssp. Symmetrica
#55
Unusual Succulent
#58
Platycerium
#61
Lophocereus Schotti
#62
Succulent
#63
Unusual Succulent
#66
Euphorbia Flanaganii
#67
Astrophytum Myriostigma
#68
Unusual Succulent
#69
Chamaecereus Silvestrii Cristata
Add New Image
What do you think ?
Sharon Hahn 5 years ago
Thank you so much for all your comments to tell us about these succulents. Very informative and much appreciated!
Load More Replies...
Lindy Mac 5 years ago
fish: fish...that is because someone was too lazy too Google the images and get the names.
Load More Replies...
Vee Ng 5 years ago
Please remove my images from your article used in promoting other shops. I have not been asked or consented to the use of my images. While I'm ok with people sharing my photos on instagram out of interest, I'm not ok when someone uses my images to profit off of. I have never bought my plants from these shops and find it misleading to potential buyers. @chonkysuccs
troufaki13 5 years ago
I love succulents!! The flowers may have no smell at all, but they're so beautiful!! ❤
Dynein 5 years ago
Oh, them being succulents has nothing to do with them having fragrant flowers or not! That depends mostly on how they're pollinated (and whether the human breeding them desired that trait). If smell increases the attraction to the pollinator, the flowers will smell - for better or for worse. Nocturnal moths are attracted to smell, resulting in more bland but very sweet-smelling flowers, but e.g. carrion flies are attracted to smell, too, and the plants that specialized on them smell absolutely foul!
Load More Replies...
Living_Shadow 5 years ago
I had no idea that there were these many different kinds of succulents. That's pretty amazing!
Coffey Murphy 5 years ago
Oh look more succulents that I want but will kill like all my others...my aloe is only alive because my son took over it's care for a while..almost killed one leaving it outside over night last week!! But I will share and direct some plant queens to it!
cree 5 years ago
the best care is to put in eastern/south side and to forget about plants :D more you care about them quickly you kill it. If you buy it from not a flower shops, then leave as it is for a week or two, cause usually staff water it too much and you just bring it home, repott, water and it dye after few days. After repott, don't water for ~week.
Load More Replies... Foxxy (The Original) 5 years ago
One succulent that I like that isn’t pictured is Haemanthus (aka elephants tongue). The flower it produces isn’t that pretty, I just like the weird directions the leaves go and the type of leaves which make it interesting to me.
Mihaela Adriana 3 years ago
#17.. not a succulent. It's an air plant. Please google them at least.
cree 5 years ago
I love succulents, i have bunch of them and plants who survives under my care XD just little bit sad, that here cold period is 6 months and during that time mostly have cloudy days, so some of them lost it's nice shape. I love echeverias, but they look really ugly after cold period. And mealybugs are nightmare, so hard to rid of them if you get it once ><
Molly A. Block 5 years ago
Fantastic! The only one I've ever seen, or own, is the kalanchoe. Mine was never that big though. I know feel succulents are my favorite type of plant henceforth. I never have seen so many interesting plants before! Amazing.
Andrea Anthony 5 years ago
I love succulents! I finally own my own home and can plant them right in the ground. I'll be surrounded by them. :)
Sharon Hahn 5 years ago
Thank you so much for all your comments to tell us about these succulents. Very informative and much appreciated!
Load More Replies... Lindy Mac 5 years ago
fish: fish...that is because someone was too lazy too Google the images and get the names.
Load More Replies... Vee Ng 5 years ago
Please remove my images from your article used in promoting other shops. I have not been asked or consented to the use of my images. While I'm ok with people sharing my photos on instagram out of interest, I'm not ok when someone uses my images to profit off of. I have never bought my plants from these shops and find it misleading to potential buyers. @chonkysuccs
troufaki13 5 years ago
I love succulents!! The flowers may have no smell at all, but they're so beautiful!! ❤
Dynein 5 years ago
Oh, them being succulents has nothing to do with them having fragrant flowers or not! That depends mostly on how they're pollinated (and whether the human breeding them desired that trait). If smell increases the attraction to the pollinator, the flowers will smell - for better or for worse. Nocturnal moths are attracted to smell, resulting in more bland but very sweet-smelling flowers, but e.g. carrion flies are attracted to smell, too, and the plants that specialized on them smell absolutely foul!
Load More Replies... Living_Shadow 5 years ago
I had no idea that there were these many different kinds of succulents. That's pretty amazing!
Coffey Murphy 5 years ago
Oh look more succulents that I want but will kill like all my others...my aloe is only alive because my son took over it's care for a while..almost killed one leaving it outside over night last week!! But I will share and direct some plant queens to it!
cree 5 years ago
the best care is to put in eastern/south side and to forget about plants :D more you care about them quickly you kill it. If you buy it from not a flower shops, then leave as it is for a week or two, cause usually staff water it too much and you just bring it home, repott, water and it dye after few days. After repott, don't water for ~week.
Load More Replies... Foxxy (The Original) 5 years ago
One succulent that I like that isn’t pictured is Haemanthus (aka elephants tongue). The flower it produces isn’t that pretty, I just like the weird directions the leaves go and the type of leaves which make it interesting to me.
Mihaela Adriana 3 years ago
#17.. not a succulent. It's an air plant. Please google them at least.
cree 5 years ago
I love succulents, i have bunch of them and plants who survives under my care XD just little bit sad, that here cold period is 6 months and during that time mostly have cloudy days, so some of them lost it's nice shape. I love echeverias, but they look really ugly after cold period. And mealybugs are nightmare, so hard to rid of them if you get it once ><
Molly A. Block 5 years ago
Fantastic! The only one I've ever seen, or own, is the kalanchoe. Mine was never that big though. I know feel succulents are my favorite type of plant henceforth. I never have seen so many interesting plants before! Amazing.
Andrea Anthony 5 years ago
I love succulents! I finally own my own home and can plant them right in the ground. I'll be surrounded by them. :)
You May Like 36 Strange Plants You Wouldn’t Want To Have In Your Garden 57 Plant Facts About Our Little Leafy Friends 60 Things That Make Some Question, “Why Do People Like This?”
Aivaras Kaziukonis
Eligijus Sinkunas
Justina Čiapaitė
Related on Bored Panda
