We hope you all loved our living table from the NACE Design Trends competition that we posted earlier this week. The table was created largely out of plants called succulents. No doubt you’ve rubbed Aloe-infused lotion on a sunburn to ease the pain after a few too many minutes outside. Or maybe you’ve seen those gigantic cacti in the dessert (these). Both of these plants are part of the succulent family.
Succulent plants are especially well-equipped at retaining water in the leaves, stems, and roots in order to survive unfavorable conditions. That’s why you often find them in dry, arid climates like the desert. They have a few evolutionary advancements that help them collect as much moisture as they can. For instance, roots very near the soil’s surface can take up moisture from small showers or heavy dew, while an impervious, outer skin cuticle retains this water. Succulents are like the camels of the plant world.
One really interesting type of succulent is the epiphyte, or air plant. They have limited or no contact with the ground, remaining largely dependent on the moisture taken in from the air to survive. Take a look at a few of our pictures below to get a better understanding of what these succulent plants look like. Don’t be afraid to mix them into an arrangements, a terrarium, or even a bridal bouquet. Let us know what you think in the comments below!
-William Fogler
WM Events