To plant succulents on a topiary frame, pack the frame with damp sphagnum moss, poke a hole for each plant, push in small rooted succulents with most of their soil shaken off, and pin any that wobble. Then leave the piece in bright shade for about a week before its first real watering.
Rosette succulents such as echeveria and hens and chicks do best, because they root well into moss and stay small.
Succulent topiary suits hot, sunny and coastal gardens, where ivy and moss alone dry out too fast. Choose succulents that are hardy in your zone, or plan to bring the piece inside for winter.
Which succulents to use
| Succulent | Why it works |
|---|---|
| Echeveria | Colorful rosettes in blue, gray and pink. Tender, so bring it in before frost. |
| Hens and chicks (sempervivum) | Very hardy and quick to fill gaps with offsets |
| Sedum | Low and spreading, in green, gold and red. Many are hardy. |
| Crassula, including small jade | Woody and tough. Good for structure and in salty sea air. |
| Crown of thorns (Euphorbia milii) | Handles full sun, heat and salt spray. Frost-free areas only. |
Large aloes and snake plants are heavy and tall, so keep them for the base of a big piece or leave them out. Wear gloves with crown of thorns: it has sharp spines and a milky sap that can irritate skin.
How to plant a succulent topiary
- Pack the frame. Fill it with damp sphagnum until it is firm all over. The moss packing guide shows how. Or start with a frame already packed from our mossed animal topiary range.
- Let the cuttings dry. If you are using cuttings instead of rooted plants, leave them in the shade for a few days until the cut end calluses over.
- Make a hole. Poke a hole in the moss with a pencil, about as deep as the roots.
- Plant. Shake most of the soil off the roots, push the plant into the hole and press the moss closed around it.
- Pin. Hold any loose rosette with a U-shaped floral pin across its stem.
- Space them. Leave a little room between plants. An open planting is easier to keep healthy, and the rosettes fill the gaps as they grow.
Many people plant only the body and back, and leave the head, legs and tail as green moss. Those thin parts dry out fastest.
Care after planting
Light. Give it four to six hours of morning sun and some shade in the afternoon. Hot afternoon sun scorches the rosettes and dries the moss.
Water. Wait about a week after planting, then water when the moss feels dry an inch in. Soak it well, then let it dry again. Succulents rot in moss that stays wet, so in a rainy season move the piece under cover.
Salt. Near the coast, rinse the plants with fresh water now and then to wash off salt from sea air.
Feed. Once a month in the growing season with a diluted balanced fertilizer is plenty.
Winter. Bring tender succulents indoors to a bright window before the first frost.
For a hard coastal site, read caring for a mosaic topiary on a Florida beach coast.
Quick answers
Can succulents grow in sphagnum moss?
Yes, if the moss dries between waterings. Sphagnum holds a lot of water, so water less often than you would for ivy.
What frame is best for a succulent topiary?
A low, broad shape such as a turtle, whose wide back holds a lot of plants and stays level. Our wire frames start at $57 for a small turtle.
How long does a succulent topiary last?
Several years, if you trim out leggy rosettes, replant bare spots and refresh the moss when it thins.
The succulent plantings on this page are staged illustrations.
