Succulent Encyclopedia

A columnar Euphorbia with upright, three-angled stems branching like a candelabrum, dark green with pale V-shaped markings, paired spines and teardrop leaves along the ridges. It is not known to flower.

A spineless cactus, usually with five ribs that make a star shape from above, dusted with white flecks. Many forms differ in rib number and flecking; tough and an ideal first star cactus.

The largest Astrophytum, becoming columnar and up to 2 m tall in habitat. Sharp ribs carry stout spines, and white woolly flecks pattern the dark green skin. Yellow flowers in summer.

A barrel cactus whose frosted blue-green skin contrasts with yellow spines on sharp ribs. It grows from globular to cylindrical and bears yellow, bell-shaped flowers at the crown.

A star cactus wrapped in long, twisting brown spines, with white flecks on grey-green skin and large yellow flowers with red centres in summer. The name means 'goat's horn'.

A spineless, flattened cactus whose triangular, furrowed tubercles overlap like a tortoise shell. It flowers pinkish-purple from the crown in autumn; a classic of the genus Ariocarpus.

A cactus-like columnar Euphorbia with paired short spines on its ridges and white-marbled green stems. Many garden forms exist, including the pale 'White Ghost' and the crested 'Cristata'.

A Kalanchoe with large, round, white-powdered leaves whose edges redden in sun. A rosette dies after flowering and is replaced by offsets from the base.

A Euphorbia that branches into countless pencil-thick green stems, looking like coral. It has no spines and its leaves drop early. The name refers to its white latex, which is highly toxic.