Best Types of Tall Succulents You Can Grow

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When you hear succulents, the first thing coming to your mind is this adorable small yet low-maintenance plant standing in a pot. So, the idea of succulents that grow tall does not come to your mind.

But what if we told you some tall succulents are low maintenance and stunning simultaneously? Yes, there are, and there are quite a few of them that grow tall in the right conditions.

Still, why choose tall succulent plants? Well, these plants have loads of benefits, and if you want to know what they are, stay for a while longer and Plantly will let you know what are they.

Tall Succulent Plant Benefits

tall succulents

Did you know that the term succulent means juice and the appealing part for beginner plant parents need little attention? You can grow succulent plants indoors or as outdoor plants. Furthermore, they require minimal light and water.

Why the majority of succulent plants are drought tolerant? The best part is growing tall succulents indoors helps purify the air while increasing oxygen levels. While some of these plants can grow tall, they work well in a home if you have a high ceiling.

Furthermore, they can make a bare corner look great as it fills up the space becoming a centerpiece in your living space. So, you get a burst of color whether grown indoors or outside. Grown outside in the landscaping boost curb appeal when living in dry climates and provide privacy where needed.

It is essential to provide them with enough sunlight, warm temperatures, and well-draining soil. Yet, when you invest in tall growing succulents, it helps to remember that some of them can grow tall up to 62 feet.

Succulents That Grow Tall

Now that you know the essential benefits of tall succulents, let’s browse through some species you can grow as indoor succulents or outdoor plants.

The African Milk Tree

african milk tree

The tall succulent has a unique appearance and is part of the Euphorbia species native to South Africa. It grows tall and upright with spines like the cactus but is rounded off with soft feathery leaves.

Yet, the African Milk Tree is not a cactus as cacti do not grow leaves. Furthermore, it grows up to two feet tall each year and can reach up to eight feet tall outdoors. But it will not grow as tall indoors, so you need not worry that it will reach the ceiling.

When you grow African Milk trees outdoors, you can see a display of white or yellow flowers that seldom bloom indoors. Another exciting thing about the name African Milk Tree is the toxic milky sap that can irritate the skin.

Even propagating the tall succulent is a breeze through stem cuttings but wear those protective gloves with some goggles. The succulent grows tall provided with the sun for six hours and indirect sunlight the rest of the day.

Provide your African Milk Tree with well-draining soil, and it will be happy.

Ocotillo Plant

Ocotillo

Yes, the Ocotillo plant is a sun lover growing up to 20 feet tall with branches spreading up to 15 feet. The vine cactus has long wand-like and wiry stems with small spikes. The plant forms a shrub that is sure to keep people and animals alike out.

With adequate sunlight, you see bursts of tiny blooms in a tubular form in red. In Spanish, the name Ocotillow means little torch. While it is a slow-growing cactus, it is drought tolerant and prefers well-drained soil.

While you would not grow it indoors, it looks incredible in a rocky garden and will be with you for decades.

Snake Plant

snake plants

For many plant parents, the snake plant is their favorite. Many people know it by the name Sansevieria trifasciata. The succulent comes from West Africa, growing up to 12 feet tall outside.

The Sansevieria trifasciata are low-maintenance plants; it does not need loads of TLC. The snake plant grows broad leaves tapering to the point like a sword. The tall succulents flourish in warm climates with some cold conditions.

The snake plant is drought-resistant and vulnerable to overwatering as it can lead to root rot. So, the best is to leave the soil dry before watering.

Jade Plants

jade plant

The Jade plant is a lucky plant to bring good luck and fortune. It is another popular decor-appealing indoor plant. The Jade can grow up to six feet in height, but it is a slow grower that survives well in small pots for a long time.

Hence, you need not repot your Jade plant often, and it thrives in a dry environment with low humidity and cool temperatures. Yet, the Jade plant needs five hours of direct sunlight daily. If there is a lack of light, your plant grows leggy, and with enough light, it displays a gorgeous red tinge.

The Desert Rose With Pink Flowers

desert rose

While the desert rose is a tall succulent, they are slow growers displaying white or pink flowers, making it a show-stopper in the garden. The succulents grow tall up to ten feet with a five-foot width.

The succulent plant looks elegant, and it is not a high-maintenance plant making it easy to care for. Desert rose thrives in tropical climates and is a sun-loving plant that needs sandy soil that drains well.

The thick base you see is covered with spines that produce vibrant flowers in summer. You can grow the desert rose as an indoor plant but need to repot it every couple of years to provide it with an upright form.

Fox Tail Agave

fox tail agave

Now, this evergreen succulent grows with a strongly curved stem that is gray. The succulents grow tall up to ten feet, and it generates leaves in silver, pale green foliage. While the fox tail agave is a drought-resistant plant, the strange thing is it does not do well in the desert heat.

Your plant will need soil that drains well and is made up of gravel and sand to grow. It does not require much water and prefers full sun with some partial shade. Another agave species is the palmer’s agave which grows well in landscaping with warm temperatures.

It can grow up to four feet in height and forms a gorgeous symmetrical rosette.

Aloe Vera

aloe vera

Yes, this plant needs no introduction and is a beloved succulent grown for non and medicinal purposes. You see the aloe vera sold in small forms to place on the kitchen counter. But these plants can grow up to three feet tall.

Your plant will need at least eight hours of sun daily to grow taller instead of bushy and wide. Your young aloe plants can tolerate indirect sunlight compared to mature plants. Yet, aloe plants come from warm climates but can survive well indoors.

Burro’s Tail

Burro's Tail

The burro’s tail looks like a donkey’s tail and is known as Sedum morganianum. With its unique shape, it grows well indoors in hanging baskets. The stems are covered with fleshy leaves in a blue-green hue that is lance-shaped and thick.

The succulent grows to a length of three feet and grows well in a suspended pot to allow the stems to grow freely, and the soil needs to drain well. These succulents thrive well outdoors in hot weather, but in colder weather, you need to bring them indoors.

The tiny flowers are red, pink, or lavender without a scent but seeing flowers on the burro’s tail is rare.

String Of Pearls

string of pearls

While the string of pearls is not succulents that grow tall, their stems can extend long, cascading over the sides of the container. Hence, it looks great as indoor plants grow in hanging baskets.

The long stems reach three feet long with a lifespan of up to five years when cared for. Neither does this succulent need specific conditions to flourish. All it needs is the proper lighting and fertilizing requirements.

Madagascar Palm

Madagascar palm

The palm is related to the cacti family and is slow growing up to 19 feet in height as an outdoor plant. Indoors the Madagascar palm grows to six feet tall. The succulent has a swollen trunk with narrow leaves that grow long.

The leaves develop into tiny branches giving them a unique appearance. In summer, you see a display of bright flowers, and it thrives in full sun with little water. The important thing with the palm planted outdoors is protecting it from cold conditions.

Hanging Chain Cholla

hanging chain cholla cactus

The hanging chain cholla can grow taller up to 15 feet when growing in its native habitat in the southwestern USA. It has an appearance of a tree with cactus branches hanging off it. The succulent is best grown outdoors by brushing against it; the sharp spines attach to you, causing harm.

Hence, it has the nickname jumping Cholla. The plant needs bright sunlight with dry soil.

Fishhook Barrel Cactus

fishhook barrel cactus

The fishhook barrel cactus is an easy-growing plant native to New Mexico, growing up to 12 feet tall. In addition, smaller shrub versions grow to three feet in height. Many people call it the southern Arizona barrel cactus.

Yet, the name fishhook is more appropriate with the hooked sharp spines. It needs little attention and thrives in gritty soil that drains well. It requires a lot of bright natural sunlight and can tolerate cold weather while surviving without water for up to four weeks.

Organ Pipe Cactus

organ pipe cactus

Compared to most succulents, the organ pipe cactus can grow up to 26 feet tall and has a unique shape. The narrow arms grow from a single trunk found at ground level, giving organ pipes appearance.

The width of the cactus spreads to five feet with gray stems and brown spines. In the blooming season, it displays white flowers with purple or pink petals. It needs moist to dry soil and is drought tolerant for a while.

It can survive in partial shade for a long time.

Queen of the Night

queen of the night cactus

The queen of the night blooms a white flower at night that wilts by the morning. The succulent comes from South America, growing up to ten feet tall, and is a beautiful, unique plant.

The branches are thick and ribbed with a blue-green color in a cylindrical shape. The stems grow needle-like spines and grow best with other small trees and plants. The reason is that the plant relies on the support of other plants.

While it can grow in full sun, it prefers indirect light.

Soaptree Yucca

flowering yucca

The yucca grows tall to 20 feet with a width of eight feet and is found in the Chihuahuan Desert. It is an evergreen succulent with a shrub or tree form with a gray trunk covered in dead leaves. It can thrive in a desert and well in cold regions.

When the yucca blooms, it produces brown pods with bell-shaped flowers of white color.

Which Tall Succulent Do You Want to Grow?

In most households, succulents are a common sight. The plant is low-maintenance and aesthetically appealing in most living spaces and landscapes.

If you want to add a succulent collection to your plant collection, the tall succulent will give it an exotic appeal.

So, which tall succulents do you want to add to the home? Why not choose one and place them together with other plants in your rock gardens or a container garden in the house?

Whether you want to buy, sell or simply reach out to other plant enthusiasts, Plantly is the right place to be!

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