I love how he broke it down to those categories and I can't wait to read the comments and opinions. Beauty is so subjective. My preference is always shape. The older cacti and euphorbia which are more irregular enthrall me. The plants with more corking and those scarred from living are what fascinate me most.

@QueenofSucculents

2 ай бұрын

And for me, the more precisely geometric, and patterned the better! I do like seeing those you mention, and even have a few in my collection, but I like symmetry best.

Colorful and uniquely shaped succulents always catch my eye.

I actually like the creative composition of all these elements when grouping plants together - the constrast of shapes with the judicious use of a splash of color and pattern to add interest and break up monotony.

@QueenofSucculents

2 ай бұрын

Well said! I agree.

I love all of them, every element works together. As a graphic designer and a succulent collector/artist I can't not love all elements. This is all so true though some people are definitely drawn to specific succulents for one or more of these elements ❤️ Thank you Debra, very interesting!

@QueenofSucculents

2 ай бұрын

Indeed, you have a refined eye leading to distinct preferences. I’m sometimes amazed at how collectors enthuse over succulents that don’t do it for me. It’s not necessarily about aesthetics, sometimes it’s the plants’ anthropomorphic qualities (i.e. certain caudiciforms) or their rarity. Or spines, the fiercer the better. I suspect that of all types of plants, succulents lend themselves to preferences related more to form than flowers. Fascinating, isn’t it? Thanks for commenting!

@ericaschmerbeck4181

2 ай бұрын

@@QueenofSucculents it really is fascinating. Thanks Debra 😁

I am definitely a color and shape person. I love having a collection of echeverias of different leaf shapes and colors. My goal is to grow echeverias from babies to adults and display them in beautiful succulent pots. I also recently started a love interest for aeoniums.

I really like geometric patterns in plants and in everything. Congrats from Ecuador

@QueenofSucculents

2 ай бұрын

Me too. Even dahlias.

Very interesting observation and I will have to mull it over to decide what my preferences are, can’t say that I know right off the top of my head. I think pattern is one, color another. And how they work together. I like flowers but I don’t think I consider them as much.

@QueenofSucculents

2 ай бұрын

A kindred spirit! Thanks, Liz.

I am definitely drawn to the unusual. I think it is s more holistic attraction for me meaning more than one quality in a plant. I don’t over think the reason for the appeal of one succulent over another. Just go with the feeling.

@QueenofSucculents

2 ай бұрын

Ah yes, Jane, but I find that defining what I like about something is useful. I recognize it in other things, too. Like repetitions of squares in a well designed room, I like repetitions of triangles in an agave.

Caudex shapes wow me! The bigger the better....

@QueenofSucculents

2 ай бұрын

Hi Loriejean -- That's so interesting! I didn't start out appreciating plants with a caudex (bulbous water-storing base) but they're gaining on me.

@jonirojonironin5353

2 ай бұрын

@@QueenofSucculents Pachycauls too which is often lumped in with caudiciforms. They're like the lazy man's bonsai since you don't need bonsai techniques but can grow them and have forms similar to bonsai like Dendrosicyos socotranus, the Boswellia/Bursera/Commiphora trees, the Pachypodiums, etc. They look like work of art on their own and being able to survive arid conditions and growing from rocks, they have this aura of being resilient without resorting to losing leaves completely like many other succulents and cacti.

@QueenofSucculents

Ай бұрын

@@jonirojonironin5353 Well said. Thanks for a great comment and info!

If you like beefy cacti then you have a sickness for the thiccness.