Succulents & Cacti

WHY CHOOSE SUCCULENTS & CACTI? Succulents and cacti are celebrated for their sculptural beauty, hardiness, and low water needs. They're perfect for creating modern, low-maintenance gardens, especially in Australia’s dry and sunny climate. With the growing demand for xeriscaping and water-wise landscapes, these plants have become a go-to choice for designers seeking both impact and sustainability.

Resilient and low maintenance
Succulents and cacti are the superheroes of the plant world. They're tough, unfussy, and built to survive – perfect for low-maintenance landscapes. Forget daily watering or delicate care; these plants thrive with minimal effort. They’re generally pest-resistant, require minimal pruning and thrive with just occasional watering and well-drained soil.

Water-wise landscaping
With water restrictions and sustainability top of mind, succulents and cacti shine as water-wise champions. Their ability to store water in their leaves, stems, or roots makes them ideal for xeriscaping and drought-tolerant gardens. 

Striking architectural form
Succulents and cacti offer bold, architectural forms that turn heads. From the symmetrical rosettes of Agave  to the spiny silhouettes of columnar Cacti and Euphorbias, their unique shapes add instant drama and interest to any landscape. Try Agave attenuata for their stunning rosette form or Euphorbia trigona for form and height. 

Perfect for contemporary and drought-tolerant designs:
Whether you're designing a desert-inspired courtyard, a mediterranean garden or a sleek, modern space, succulents and cacti slot right in. They work beautifully with concrete, gravel, and timber to create clean, structured lines and minimalist beauty. Why not try Opuntia Burbank Spineless in a Mediterranean-style garden or Euphorbia ammak [Desert cactus] in a xeriscape. 

Add colour, texture & flowers
Beyond their foliage, many succulents and cacti produce striking flowers in brilliant seasonal displays. Others provide colour through their foliage – with silver, blue, burgundy, and chartreuse tones enhancing the palette of your planting scheme.

10 CLEVER WAYS TO USE SUCCULENTS AND CACTI IN YOUR NEXT LANDSCAPE PROJECT

1. Create bold feature beds

Turn heads with large clumps of Agave attenuata or Aloe arborescens. Their sculptural shapes make for strong focal points, especially when planted en masse. Many Aloe hybrids also feature striking winter flowers, adding both shape as well as seasonal colour to the landscape. 

2. Add texture with mixed plantings

Many succulents offer amazing texture and foliage colour that works well in mixed plantings. Try Crassula ovata Blue Bird or Crassula ovata undulata, popular for their rounded form, and textural, blue-green foliage that stands out against other greenery.

Or why not consider Kalanchoe varieties, perfect for adding btoh striking colour and textural contrast. Try Kalanchoe hildebrandii [Silver Spoons] for silvery foliage and Kalanchoe orgyalis [Copper Spoons] for dramatic, cinnamon coloured leaves. There's also Kalanchoe beharensis Oakleaf, celebrated for it's tactile, velvety texture. Smaller succulents, such as Echeveria and Sedum varieties come in a mix of leaf sizes, colours and texture and can fill gaps, soften edges, and bring a lush, curated look.

3. Style containers and pots

Succulents and cacti are ideal for creating a statement in pots and planters. Plant Aloe plicatilis [Fan Aloe] or Agave geminiflora in a large planter to create a sculptural feature on the patio or by the entrance. Or use more compact succulents such as Crassula ovata, Senecio serpens (Blue Chalksticks), or Echeveria varities in mixed pots on decks, patios, or balconies.

4. Edge pathways and borders

Use low-growing, spreading succulents like Sedum Gold Mound or Senecio serpens to line paths or garden edges. They offer a tidy, ground-hugging profile that contrasts beautifully with pavers or stone.

5. Vertical gardens and rooftop designs

Succulents are lightweight and compact, making them ideal for vertical gardens and green walls. Try trailing succulents such as Senecio rowleyanus [String of Pearls] for a texture, or cacti such as Schlumbergera truncata Sunrise [Crabs Claw Cactus] for texture and flower colour in wall-mounted green displays. 

When it comes to rooftops, these landscapes call for plants that thrive in harsh sun and tough conditions, which is where succulents come in. Try Carpobrotus glaucescens [Pigface], Senecio serpens, Aloe and Sedum varieties, or Crassula ovata Undulata [Crinkle Jade].

6. Groundcovers for harsh spots

Need to fill dry, tough areas? Carpobrotus rossii  is a native succulent that thrives in coastal, sandy, or exposed areas, blanketing the ground with colour and texture. Sedum varieties and Senecio serpens (Blue Chalksticks) are other  popular options that will thrive with minimal up keep and little water.

7. Sculptural focal points

Go big with eye-catching species like Euphorbia ammak, Cereus peruvianus (Peruvian Apple Cactus}, or Agave americana. These bold plants bring strong structure and a desert vibe. Or plant Dracaena Draco [Dragon Tree] or Aloidendron barberae [Tree Aloe]  for an impactful, sculptural feature tree that turns heads.

8. Fire-smart landscaping

Succulents are often fire-retardant due to their high moisture content, making them a smart choice for bushfire-prone zones. Group them around the perimeter of homes as part of a fire-wise garden plan.

9. Pair with gravel and rocks

For that dry, Mediterranean feel, mix succulents and cacti with crushed granite, river rocks, or decomposed granite. The hard textures make the foliage and shape pop and enhance the overall design. Try Opuntia Burbank Spineless for a Mediterranean style garden or Echinocactus grusonii [Golden Barrel Cactus] for providing contrast in dry beds. 

10. Indoor–outdoor flow

Bridge the gap between inside and out by repeating succulents and cacti in pots around doors, windows, and courtyards. Haworthia and Echeveria all thrive indoors too.

VISIT PLANTMARK FOR ALL YOUR SUCCULENT & CACTUS NEEDS
At Plantmark, we offer a wide range of succulents and cacti suited to Australian conditions – from the arid inland to coastal gardens. Whether you’re sourcing hardy fillers for large-scale landscapes or looking for statement plants with sculptural flair, we’ve got you covered.

Visit our Trade Markets in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, or the Gold Coast to browse our full range – or reach out to our Quotes & Orders team for expert assistance.

Let Plantmark help you design stunning, low-maintenance landscapes with our range of succulents and cacti.