Popularity, clearly labeled

The Most Popular Succulents and Hardy Sedum in Zone 8

Among plants cataloged as cacti or succulents, these are the genera Sow gardeners save most. Cold hardiness and water needs vary widely within this category. Every representative here is catalog-rated hardy in Zone 8, whose standard minimum-temperature band begins near 10°F. The popularity ranking is recomputed only among matching Zone 8 records; hardiness alone does not establish that a plant will thrive on a particular site.

Zone 8 hardyRanked by gardener savesOne representative per genus
  1. Ice Plant

    Ice Plant

    Ranked by its most-saved matching variety; the full catalog includes 21 varieties. Jewel-bright daisies open over a water-storing mat in hot, dry ground.

  2. Yucca

    Ranked by its most-saved matching variety; the full catalog includes 46 varieties. Sword-like evergreen rosettes and towering flower stalks thrive in exposed ground.

  3. Stonecrop

    Stonecrop

    Ranked by its most-saved matching variety; the full catalog includes 105 varieties. Water-storing foliage and late flower plates keep sunny beds useful through drought.

  4. Hens and Chicks

    Hens and Chicks

    Ranked by its most-saved matching variety; the full catalog includes 13 varieties. Hen-and-chick rosettes multiply into colorful mosaics through cold and drought.

  5. Agave

    Ranked by its most-saved matching variety; the full catalog includes 90 varieties. Bold, geometric rosettes create living architecture in hot, sharply drained sites.

  6. Dunce Cap

    Dunce Cap

    Ranked by its most-saved matching variety; the full catalog includes 6 varieties. Concentric rosettes multiply around curious cone-like flower spikes in gritty soil.

  7. Prickly Pear

    Prickly Pear

    Ranked by its most-saved matching variety; the full catalog includes 2 varieties. Paddle-shaped stems prove a cactus can bring flowers and strong form outdoors.

  8. Phedimus

    Ranked by its most-saved matching variety; the full catalog includes 5 varieties. Tough, spreading rosettes and starry flowers cover lean soil with little water.

  9. Spurge

    Spurge

    Ranked by its most-saved matching variety; the full catalog includes 45 varieties. Graphic bracts and sculptural foliage bring months of form to sharply drained beds.

  10. Dewflower

    Dewflower

    Ranked by its most-saved matching variety; the full catalog includes 1 variety. Shimmering flowers cover low, bead-like foliage when sun and drainage are plentiful.

  11. Orchid Cactus

    Orchid Cactus

    Ranked by its most-saved matching variety; the full catalog includes 6 varieties. Flattened cascading stems produce huge, luminous flowers on a surprisingly compact plant.

  12. Liveforever

    Liveforever

    Ranked by its most-saved matching variety; the full catalog includes 5 varieties. Chalky North American native rosettes bring refined form to dry gardens without summer irrigation.

  13. Split Rock

    Split Rock

    Ranked by its most-saved matching variety; the full catalog includes 1 variety. Its representative is notable for being dry-spell tolerant and late summer flowering.

  14. Venus Flytrap

    Venus Flytrap

    Ranked by its most-saved matching variety; the full catalog includes 3 varieties. Its representative is notable for being North American native and early summer flowering.

  15. Mexican Lily

    Mexican Lily

    Ranked by its most-saved matching variety; the full catalog includes 3 varieties. Its representative is notable for being North American native and dry-spell tolerant.

  16. Barrel Cactus

    Barrel Cactus

    Ranked by its most-saved matching variety; the full catalog includes 1 variety. Its representative is notable for being dry-spell tolerant and spring to summer flowering.

    Zones 7–10All 1 variety
  17. Aloe

    Ranked by its most-saved matching variety; the full catalog includes 13 varieties. Fleshy rosettes store water efficiently, while many species add striking flower spikes.

  18. Hedgehog Cactus

    Ranked by its most-saved matching variety; the full catalog includes 1 variety. Its representative is notable for being dry-spell tolerant and late spring flowering.

  19. Ranked by its most-saved matching variety; the full catalog includes 1 variety. Its representative is notable for being dry-spell tolerant and late spring to early summer flowering.

    Zones 4–10All 1 variety

About this list

How was this the most popular succulents and hardy sedum in zone 8 list ranked?

A plant must first match the catalog filters named in the title. Each genus is represented and ranked by its most-saved matching variety, so genera with many cultivars do not receive an automatic advantage.

Are all of these hardy in Zone 8?

Yes — every plant on this list is rated for Zone 8. Plants that could not survive a Zone 8 winter were excluded before ranking.

Are any succulents winter-hardy in the ground?

Plenty — hardy sedum, sempervivum (hens-and-chicks), and some agave and opuntia take hard freezes as long as they have excellent drainage. Wet feet in winter kills far more of them than cold does.

What soil do outdoor succulents need?

Fast-draining and lean. Amend heavy clay with grit or coarse sand, or plant on a slope or raised area — the goal is that water never sits around the roots.

Track these in your garden

Save the ones you plant and get care reminders timed to Zone 8.

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