Succulents, the other holiday green
Succulents are having a long moment in the sun.
For the past five years, the adorable and resilient plants have been appearing in Anthropologie catalogs, HGTV specials, in wedding crowns and on tables at hip coffee shops and bistros.
They're superstars on Pinterest boards. On Instagram, the hashtag #putasucculentonit became a sensation.
Now they are the subject of a new book, "DIY Succulents: From Placecards to Wreaths, 35+ Ideas for Creative Projects," by Tawni Daigle, which shows how you can use these low-maintenance, super-cute plants in many ways. There are especially interesting ideas on using hardy succulents as decorations for the upcoming fall and winter holidays.
Daigle, 31, who is one of the authors of the blog Needles + Leaves, fell in love with succulents when she got one as a Mother's Day gift. Two years ago, she and her sister-in-law started their blog about the many varieties, such as sedum, echeveria and graptopetalum. The appeal lies in their interesting shapes, colors and textures and in the fact that they don't require a lot of watering because they store water in their leaves and roots.
Daigle told us a bit about succulents and shared a few photos of DIY holiday ideas from her book. There you can find detailed directions on how to create them.
Q. Why do succulents continue to be so popular?
A. It makes sense financially. You can buy a bunch of flowers and make a gorgeous arrangement, but in a few days, it will be dead. If you get a gift of succulents, you can plant them later. Take a succulent-topped pumpkin; when the pumpkin starts to rot, remove the succulents and plant them in a pot so you can use them next season.
Q. Where is the best place to buy succulents?
A. Try and go directly to a local nursery. You will get a better plant from them, and you can pick it out yourself.
Q. Do they really work for the holidays?
A. Succulents come in so many different colors that you can fit them in with any theme. If you are going with autumn, there are orange, yellow and brown varieties. For Christmas, there are reds and greens. The possibilities are endless and so versatile.