Succulents and Cacti

Many people think of cacti as succulent plants. A succulent is a plant that stores water in various parts of the plant against those times when water is short. The common picture we envision is the cactus in the desert. In horticulture, however, the cactus isn't considered a succulent. The term is reserved for those plants that are commonly used for ornamental purposes and cacti are excluded. In botanical circles, succulents include cacti because of the classical definition of the term.

Most succulents are found in arid regions where moisture is often in short supply. But that isn't always the...