Thousands of plant varieties are present globally, and people even do not know the names of the total plants in the world. Succulents are one of the most significant plants that can grow anywhere. Succulents are famous for the fleshy and thick appearance. This fleshy and thick appearance is because of water-retaining properties. Succulents can store water in their roots, stems, and leaves. People can get a wide range of succulents from the succulent market. Moreover, they can even buy succulents online. A few things to know about succulents have described below.
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Xerophytes and drought resistance
Succulents are known as the best drought-resistant plants which contain stems, roots, and leaves. The fleshy appearance of succulents is due to the unique water-storing property absent in other traditional plants. There are different classes of succulents. The class of succulents that grow in dry and extreme weather conditions call xerophytes. However, all xerophytes are not considered succulents. Moreover, several water plant species also falls under the category of succulents.
Properties of succulents
Succulents are famous for their unique characteristics and qualities that make them different from other land-based plants. The fleshy appearance of succulents makes them famous and unique as we all know that the fleshy appearance is because of the unique water-storing properties. The ability by which succulents store water in their roots, stem, and leaves know as succulence. However, succulents differ from other plants in terms of having a unique metabolism known as Crassulacean acid metabolism or better known as CAM photosynthesis. This is a carbon fixation mechanism that uses by different plants in the extreme and harshest weather conditions.
Little Evaporation in Succulents:
There is a little evaporation in succulents, which helps them retain water for a longer time. The minimum retention is because of the stomata of these plants. The stomata of succulents have a mechanism that differs from other plants. The stomata open at night and stay closed all day. However, the opening of stomata at night helps collect and diffuse carbon dioxide into succulents’ mesophyll cells.
Also, succulents help improve oxygen levels in a certain place. The improved oxygen is because succulents know to release oxygen instead of carbon dioxide during the night, which improves the oxygen supply. During the night, carbon dioxide has stored in the vacuoles in the form of4-C acid malate. However, during the daytime, this 4-C malate has converted into carbon dioxide after transported to the succulents’ chloroplasts. The carbon dioxide has concentrated with an enzyme called RuBPCase. This enzyme helps ensure that effective and efficient photosynthesis can achieve in succulents.
Habitat of succulents
Succulents are such plants that can grow worldwide as they do not require a certain environment for their growth. Moreover, they can find in all of the continents of the world, excluding Antarctica. Succulents require no extra care for their growth as they can grow in the harshest weather conditions. Nurseries are the possible best places to find succulents as people can find succulents for sale in nurseries.
