Succulents for zone 8 are the ones that would best grow in the religion of the Pacific Northwest, Georgia, some territories of Florida, and Texas. USDA hardiness zone 8 is comparatively a warm zone with hot summer and mild winter.
Having the coldest temperature between 10 and 20 degrees Fahrenheit, and you need to know which plant you can grow because not all environments allow all plants to grow.
Succulents are a terrific option for the region, so we list the ten best succulents for zone 8 to aid you in your gardening. Stick to the article, lots of vital facts will help you.
Contents
List of 10 Best Succulents for Zone 8
1. Ice plant
Ice plants, also known as Delosperma cooperi, are famous for being one of the most resilient and hardy succulents, which are the perfect choice to grow in the moderately hot, dry weather of zone 8.
They bloom early in summer and keep blooming all season with their enormous, bright, and deep purplish-pink, daisy-like flowers that are also long-lasting to adorn your lawn beautifully.
These dwarf, evergreen, and perennial succulents are native to South Africa and not only grow in zone 8 but also in the gardens lay between hardiness zones 6 to zone 10. Ice plants are attractive to plant collectors and gardeners, as they don’t demand much attention and nourishment to grow and survive because they are very low maintenance.
Overall, they can even live fighting drought because the plant can store water in its succulent leaves, which helps it pull through the situation.
2. Sempervivum
Sempervivums, generally known as houseleeks or hen-and-chicks, are another great succulent for your lawn if you live in zone 8. Due to its hardiness, resilience, and ability to hold on from hot temperatures to drought, it gets the name “Sempervivums,” which means ‘always alive.
This evergreen and colorful plant encloses various types of succulents, including еmреrvіvum сіlіоѕum, Fashion Diva, Eddy, Ritazen Corsair, and the list goes on. Sempervivums offer flowers in different colors, including red, green, blue, purple, pink, and yellow.
The plant of this type showcases spirally formed rosettes of succulents, each of which is considered a distinct plant and is monocarpic. Sempervivums are cold and hardy and can survive in cold weather, just like the warm environment, they are resilient plants that love the colder weather and would thrive happily.
In addition, these succulents can be grown in zone 3 as well, and are very famous for their adaptability to wide ranges of environments.
3. Opuntia
Opuntia, also called prickly pear or pear cactus, is one of the most flexible and hardy succulents, which is popular for desert gardening. This sun-loving, low-maintenance plant has an eye-catching look with flat and egg-shaped subdivided stems, and the branches usually grow in pairs that look like rabbits’ ears. That’s why the plant is also known as bunny ears.
It thrives in sandy soil, and like other succulents, it is also drought-resilient. It is tolerant of drought-like conditions and can store enough water in its fleshy stems. Interestingly, being an ideal plant for hardiness zone 8, it also works fine even for hardiness zone 3 because it will endure that zone’s weather as well.
4. Sedum
Sedum is a vast genus of flowering plants of the succulent family that includes around 600 species of various sizes and colors, which we had to put on our list for powerful reasons. They don’t require much care and attention to grow and survive fine in the hardy zone 8.
Sedums can cover your garden quickly if you don’t minimize their spreading, as they are one of the fastest-growing succulents. Plant this succulent in well-draining soil and let them get sunlight six hours per day; they will grow at a good pace.
However, it would be best if you watered them occasionally. They need to be watered merely when the soil in the plant’s pot is dry absolutely. Overwatering can kill the plant as it causes root rot of them.
Despite existing in hundreds of numbers, all of them have a common trait that their leaves form in a rosette style. The rosette is abnormally symmetrical and thus unbelievably perfect, so you can confuse whether the plant is real or artificial. Their perfect look makes them popular for indoor decoration.
Some sedums are so tiny that you can plant them in a pot on your table or wall-hanging pot or use them to cover the ground of your succulent garden. Sedum brevifolium, Sedum Requieni, Sedum Nanifolium, etc., are tiny.
Nonethless, note that some of these succulents can be tall to touch a human’s knee, as the one called “Autumn Joy Beach Party” belongs to such kinds.
5. Claret Cup Cactus
Claret cup cactus is a plant that perfectly grows in the arid, hot desert. Fortunately, it also thrives in the warm climate, so it becomes a wonderful choice for the gardeners of hardy zone 8, which can be grown both outside and inside.
Gravel soil is best for this succulent and is available in wide ranges of the area from California west to Texas and even Mexico.
The succulent is called claret cup hedgehog cactus because it looks like a hedgehog with a tiny, spiny, circular, adorable body resembling a hedgehog. Its scientific name is Echinocereus triglochidiatus, and “echinos” in Greek also means hedgehog.
Just like other succulents, this one as well requires water when the pot’s soil is dry. However, you must remember that overwatering causes root rots in this plant, as succulents are prone to root rot due to the characteristic of storing water in their stems. If the roots of the Claret cup get drowned by wet soil, it loses the ability to absorb oxygen, initiates rotting, and attracts pathogens.
6. Echeveria
Echeverias are commonly considered outdoor plants, however, lately, they have been being grown indoors as houseplants as well.
These succulents come with a variety of lovely flowers in different colors, including pink, yellow, orange, white, and red. Belonging to the family Crassulaceae, this large genus is native to Central America, Mexico, and northwestern South America, which are semidesert areas, hence they prosper perfectly in zone 8.
Echeverias need at least six hours of sunlight every day, and they will thrive. This means that it is better to put the plant pot near a window because, without direct, bright light, the plant will start to extend and face deformation. Their flowers usually bloom in summer when the sunlight is acute, and the temperature is high.
Using well-draining soil and a pot with a drainage hole is necessary for the proper growth of Echeverias. Moreover, you must avoid overwatering the plants as they are sensitive to overwatering. If your Echeverias outgrow its pot somehow, transferring it to a new pot is essential.
7. Walking Stick Cholla
Walking Stick Cholla, or the Cane cholla, is a succulent that can be found in hot regions like the Southwestern United States and northern Mexico, along with some cooler areas, which makes it a perfect plant for moderate zone 8.
This cactus can be tall, up to three to approximately five feet, and has a lifespan that could last for 20 years. Sandy, gravelly and dry soil with a good draining system and full sunlight is necessary for its growth.
A pot with an accurate drainage design is also needed to prevent the overwatering issue, which is detrimental to the plant. You can plant it inside your house or outside. In both cases, it will work fine.
Walking Stick Cholla is furnished with bright magenta flowers that turn into green fruits and become red to yellow as they gradually rip. The blooming season for the flowers is in late spring, and the fruits are the animals’ food.
8. Kalanchoe
Kalanchoe is a flowering genus that includes 125 species of tropical succulent plants. Being a member of the stone crop family of Crassulaceae. These plants are native to Madagascar and tropical Africa and come in various colors and sizes.
They are a must-chosen name in the list for being drought-tolerant and frost-tolerant, which assists it in thriving in zone 8 with moderate climates. These succulents with tiny, little flowers with bright colors are popular as houseplants.
You must ensure that they receive bright light indoors for a long time when you plant them as houseplants, and guarantee bright or morning sun if you plant them outdoors.
They also require well-draining soil and pots with drainage holes that flow away redundant and prevent root rot. To avoid overwatering, you need to water the plant when at least two inches of the pot’s soil are dry.
Breaking kalanchoes into pieces and putting them in soil forms more roots that create new plants. Besides, leaving the succulent in the dark for 14 hours daily instigates its re-bloom.
9. Lewisia
Lewisia is a succulent with green and fleshy leaves. They are adaptable to different temperatures and weather, which is why zone 8 is perfect for them, being a cold zone that ranges between 10 and 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Lewisias are pretty alpine plants that offer us the beauty of colored flowers, which largely compare to the small size of the succulent.
Profuse sunlight and deep soil with good drainage capability are vital for Lewisia’s healthy growth. However, fertilization or enriched soil with nutrients is not necessary for its thriving.
Like other succulents, they also can’t stand overwatering, they will not tolerate it, and it will harm their roots. Overall, to keep them safe, you have to check whether the top two inches of the soil of the plant’s pot are dry. If it’s dry, you can water them, and if it’s wet, you should wait one or two days before checking the soil and moisturizing it.
10. Lobster Flower
The last name of the list is Lobster Flower, a succulent herb suitable for zone 8, also known as the Lobster Bush, Fly Bush, or Mosquito Bush. This ground-hugging herb is native to the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, and Limpopo.
With deep blue and purple flowers blooming from September to April of the year, this perennial succulent can get tall up to 20 inches and wide up to 6.5 inches. Like average succulents, it is drought-resistant, but the herb is not resistant to frost generally. However, as it grows in a shady, secure place that it can survive frost for a while.
It requires soil with good composure and grows healthy in semi-shade or cool south-facing places. The reason the Lobster Flower is loved is that it doesn’t need extra care or attention, but demands adequate water from time to time to spread its aroma to nature.
Conclusion
The succulents we added to our list are all drought-resilient because of having the ability to store water in their fleshy stems. They don’t need much attention to grow but still decorate your garden beautifully, as they would thrive in zone 8.
However, succulents are sensitive to overwatering and need proper sunlight to keep them happy. If you can meet these little requirements for the plants, they will grow fast and beautify your indoors and outdoors. If you are located in zone 8, which ones will you be choosing from?
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