Looking into getting a new succulent....I have a q!

I just joined, if this should be posted somewhere else let me know (I do not have a subscription so cannot post it in the Cactus forum).

I have a few plants that I am successfully not killing, one of them a Sansevieria. That one is actually thriving and it is also my favorite! I am looking to get a (few?) new succulent(s) but there are SO MANY out there. Does anyone know of any that can claim some or all of the following?

- Fast grower (keeps me interested!)

- Grows tall, don't care for the flat plants like the living rocks

- Easy to moderate care - ie I have had numerous plants and the only one I've ever had a problem with (still living but leaves are falling off) is my darn Zebra plant which apparently is really hard to take care of.

- No direct sunlight

- Doesn't have putrid smelling flowers - apparently some out there are pollinated by flies and their flowers smell like dead animal or fresh manure. Do not want that.

Thanks!

Welcome to DG. Here are some suggestions: Euphorbia or Cacti for vertical height or Gasteria, Aloe, Crassula, & Haworthia for smaller plants. There are SO many! Also, where do you want to grow your new plant - many succulents don't do well indoors as the light is just not bright enough. Sansevieria are one of the exceptions - the various S. trifasciata types (Mother-in-Law's Tongue) are incredibly tough! Perhaps another different kind of Sansevieria might do - there are a heck of a lot of them! Check out this link: http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/adv_search.php?searcher[common]=&searcher[family]=&searcher[genus]=sansev&searcher[species]=&searcher[cultivar]=&searcher[hybridizer]=&searcher[grex]=&search_prefs[blank_cultivar]=&search_prefs[sort_by]=rating&images_prefs=both&Search=Search&searcher[genus]=Sansevieria

What is a Zebra plant? Can you post a picture? I am in Australia and many of the common names are different here. If I could work out what it is I might be able to give you some advice.

Ciao, Kaelkitty.

Hi Kaelkilltty,

Thanks for the help! I am attaching a dreaded Zebra plant. I already know what my issue with it is - watering. It needs to be misted and watered a seemlingly very exact amount that I have not been able to figure out yet. I have read many, many others that have the same issue as me. It is a very high-maintenance plant.

The best place I have for plants is my loft upstairs that has north and south facing windows. The closest they can get, though, is 5 or so feet from the south facing window (on my desk). So, not full on sun, but a decent amount. The temp usually ranges from 62-72.

What do you know about Monademium plants? I'll start looking into the others you have mentioned, know about the Aloe of course but the Euphorbia look interesting. Haven't checked out the others yet.

I haven't grown any Monadeniums myself yet as they are very rare in Australia. I do know that they are close relatives of the Euphorbia genus (so much so that botanists have recently merged the two groups - see this link http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/adv_search.php?searcher[common]=&searcher[family]=&searcher[genus]=monadenium&searcher[species]=&searcher[cultivar]=&searcher[hybridizer]=&searcher[grex]=&search_prefs[blank_cultivar]=&search_prefs[sort_by]=genus&images_prefs=both&Search=Search ) but I am taking a wait and see approach to the names in case they change them back again! LOL! I would think they would require similar care to Euphorbias - perhaps a bit more water when actively growing as they have very soft leaves.

Re the Zebra Plant. Follow this link http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/1797/ and scroll down to all the comments at the bottom. I've never grown one, but like many tropical type house plants it would seem that what it wants is the equivalent of a brightly lit bathroom - you want moisture in the air (ie humidity) rather than on the leaves or too much in the soil. Try standing the pot in a saucer filled with gravel (so the soil doesn't get too wet) then fill ONLY the saucer with water - this will evaporate slowly and add moisture to the air around the plant. I suspect your trouble is in the soil rather than the water as such - have a look at Tapla's threads here http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/f/containers/all/

I think this is about as much help as I can give you for now. Take some time to look around at the forums you can visit
(there is a list here: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/ ) and you will find many many people who can give you more information,

Bye for now, KK.