Top Seven Succulent Plants七大可爱多肉植物

Jasmine

Succulent plants are always in style. With juicy leaves， stems or roots， succulents form a vast and diverse group of plants， offering easy-care choices for your home. Succulents like the dry humidity and warm conditions found in most homes， and while they like direct light， they can adapt to lower light. They all prefer a fast-draining potting medium that's not watered too often. Plus， they look stunning planted alone or as companions.

These top seven succulent plants for the home are easy to find and care for.

多肉植物总是很流行。它们有汁液充沛的叶、茎或根，种类丰富，品类各异，为你的家提供了易于打理的盆栽选择。多肉植物喜欢干燥而温暖的环境，而大部分家庭都是这样的环境。并且，它们虽然喜欢阳光直晒，却也能适应较低的光照。它们还都喜欢排水快的盆栽介质，不需要频繁地浇水。而且，它们不论是单独种植还是跟别的植物搭配，看上去都非常漂亮。

以下七种室内多肉植物很容易找到，打理起来也不费事。

Burro's Tail （Sedum Morganianum）

Burro's tail is shown to its best advantage planted in a hanging basket. Overlapping2）， gray-green or gray-blue leaves grow up to three feet long. A native of Mexico， it prefers medium to high light for best performance.

The leaves fall off with even a light touch， so keep burro's tail where it won't be disturbed. If you move a houseplant outside for summer， keep it in a shaded location. Even though burro's tail likes bright light， sudden exposure to direct sunlight may cause sunburn.

Crown of Thorns （Euphorbia Milii）

A popular import from Madagascar， crown of thorns can bloom year-round if given enough light. Long， spoon-shape leaves appear at the ends of spiky3） branches， along with clusters of tiny flowers. You might not notice the flowers because they're so small， but you will see the red， salmon4）， or yellow bracts5） that surround them.

Direct sun produces the best bloom， but crown of thorns adapts to medium light. Also， it contains a skin-irritating sap6）. Wash your hands thoroughly after handling.

Hens-and-Chicks

（Sempervivum Tectorum or Echeveria Elegans）

Two succulent plants share the common name of hens-and-chicks. They're closely related but look different. Both produce "chicks"—small， identical plants that are slightly offset7） from the mother （the hen）.

Echeveria elegans forms flat， flowerlike rosettes8） with rounded edges. Sempervivum tectorum also forms in rosettes， but each leaf tends to be flatter and more pointed. The flowering patterns are different. Echeveria grows bell-shape blooms every year. Individual sempervivum grows pink star-shape flowers on plants that die after flowering. Usually by this time the plant has produced so many offsets that the loss is not great. After all， the Latin translation of sempervivum means "ever living".

Medicine Plant （Aloe Vera）

The healing sap of this familiar medicinal plant has been used for centuries to treat wounds and sunburn. However， the sharp "teeth" along the leaf margins9） can cut an unsuspecting10） passerby， so place it where it can't be brushed accidentally.

Panda Plant （Kalanchoe Tomentosa）

There are dozens of kinds of Kalanchoe plants， but the panda plant is among the most common. A native of Madagascar， panda plant is grown strictly for its foliage11）. Thick green leaves are covered with soft silver hairs， giving the plant a fuzzy， blue-gray appearance. The edges of the leaves are tipped with brown or rust-color hairs.

Although it can be pruned12）， panda plant seldom needs grooming13） except to remove any wayward14） stems.

Pincushion Cactus15） （Mammillaria）

Pincushions form a group of about 200 species of ball-shape cacti that are among the most common cacti grown in the home. Most hail from16） Mexico， where they grow in full sun. Pincushion cacti can remain small and may take the form of single balls or clumps， often flowering indoors.

Be careful： the spines look delicate but have hooked ends that are difficult to pull out of skin.

Snake Plant

（Sansevieria Trifasciata）

This succulent can take a beating. Stories abound about forgotten， dead-looking snake plants coming back to life upon watering. Long， pointed leaves grow with patterned markings reminiscent of a snake. You can leave this plant in a pot for many years， allowing the rhizomes17） to multiply into a thick clump.

Snake plant tolerates neglect but thrives on attention. Prune out any damaged leaves so the overall plant looks better.

驴尾（翡翠景天）

驴尾种在吊篮里最显其优点。它那灰绿色和蓝灰色的叶子层层叠叠，可以长到三英尺长。这种植物原产于墨西哥，在中等至高等强度的光照下长得最好。

驴尾的叶子即使只是轻轻一碰也会掉落，所以需要放在不会被碰到的地方。如果夏天要把室内植物挪到室外，需要将其放置于阴凉处。虽然驴尾喜欢强光，但突然在阳光直射下暴晒可能会令其晒伤。

熊猫植物（褐斑伽蓝）

伽蓝菜属植物种类繁多，熊猫植物是其中最常见的一种。熊猫植物原产于马达加斯加，人们种这种植物完全是因为它的叶子好看。它那肥厚的绿色叶片覆满了银色的绒毛，使整株植物看起来呈毛茸茸的蓝灰色，而且其叶片尖端的边缘还长有棕色或铁锈色的绒毛。

虽然熊猫植物可以修剪，但除了长得过于随意的枝叶需要修剪外，这种植物很少需要打理。

针垫掌（鸡冠仙人掌）

在最常见的室内仙人掌中有一类球形仙人掌，而球形仙人掌中约有200种都属于针垫掌。针垫掌大多来自墨西哥，在那里充足的日光下生长。它们可以一直保持小巧的形状，成独立的球状或是抱团生长，通常在室内开花。

要小心的是，针垫掌的刺看着细软，但尾端带钩，很难从皮肤里拔出来。

蛇草（虎皮兰）

这类多肉植物能耐得住“虐待”，关于被人遗忘而奄奄一息的蛇草浇水后又恢复生机的故事实在是太多了。它那长而尖的叶片上长有的图案纹路让人一下子就能想到蛇。你可以把这种植物搁花盆里养上好多年，它的根茎会长成厚厚的一大块。

疏于照料的蛇草也可以存活，但稍加关照它就能枝繁叶茂。修剪坏掉了的枝叶可以让植株整体更美观。

1. succulent [?s?kj?l?nt] adj.【植】肉质的。n. 肉质植物，多汁植物

2. overlap [???v??l?p] vt. 重叠

荆棘之冠（铁海棠）

这种从马达加斯加引进的植物非常受欢迎，如果有充足的光照，它可以一年到头都开花。长长的勺形叶子缀在满是尖刺的枝干尾端，上面还长着一簇簇的小花。你可能都注意不到这些花，因为它们实在太小了，但是你会看到那些围绕着小花的红色、浅橙色或黄色的苞叶。

阳光直射可以让荆棘之冠开出最美的花，不过它适合在中等强度的光照下生长。此外，它还含有刺激皮肤的汁液，所以触摸过它后一定要好好洗手。

子母类植物（长生草或月影）

这两种多肉植物有着通用的名字——子母类植物。它们有亲缘关系但外观不同，两种植物都能长出“子”——从母株（雌性植物）上斜斜地长出的一模一样的幼苗。

月影是长得像花一样的扁平莲座丛，叶边呈圆形。长生草也长成莲座丛的样子，但每片叶子都更平也更尖。两者开花的形式不同。月影每年都会长出铃铛状的花。而每一株长生草母株都会长出星形的粉花，花开过后便会死去，但通常这时它也已经“生”出许多新的长生草，所以这样的损失也不算太大。毕竟，这种植物的名字在拉丁文中就意为“永生不死”。

药用植物（芦荟）

这种药用植物很常见，人们用其汁液来治疗伤口和晒伤已有好几个世纪。但是，其叶片边缘锋利的“锯齿”却可以把毫无提防的路过者划伤，所以要把它放置在不会被人无意碰到的地方。

3. spiky [?spa?ki] adj. 有（一个或多个）尖刺的

4. salmon [?s?m?n] adj. 浅橙色的

5. bract [br?kt] n. 【植】苞叶

6. sap [s?p] n. 【植】树液

7. offset [??fset] adj. 偏离中心的 n. 【植】（平卧）侧枝

8. rosette [r???zet] n. 莲座丛

9. margin [?mɑ?d??n] n. 边缘

10. unsuspecting

[??ns??spekt??] adj. 不知情的

11. foliage [?f??li?d?] n. （一株植物或树的）全部叶子；一簇叶子

12. prune [pru?n] vt. 修剪（树木）

13. groom [ɡru?m] vi. 照料，打理

14. wayward [?we?w?d] adj. 任性的

15. cactus [?k?kt?s] n. 仙人掌。其复数形式为cacti。

16. hail from： 来自

17. rhizome [?ra?z??m] n. 根茎