43 Largest Succulents in the World!
[Specimens & Species]

Introduction

Plants can be pretty wild and limitless when untouched by humans. We’re used to seeing succulents being small, cute, and easily accustomed to our tiny plant arrangments. But when left to the forces of nature, most can overgrow their potential. It’s quite wondorous.

The largest succulents known to us are: African Baobab, Copper Pinwheel, Flat-Topped Aeonium, Century Plant, Boutin Blue, Foxtail, Kara’s Stripes, Nova, Crown Horn Agave, Gentryi’s Agave, Mountain Agave Plant, Green Giant, African Baobab, Copper Pinwheel, Flat-Topped Aeonium, Century Plant, Boutin Blue, Foxtail, Kara’s Stripes, Nova, Crown Horn Agave, Gentryi’s Agave, Mountain Agave Plant, Green Giant, Agave Shrevei, Hedgehog Agave, Queen Victoria Agave, Torch Aloe, Tree Aloe, Cape Aloe, Fan Aloe, Spider Aloe, Barbados Aloe, Ponytail Palm, Saguaro Cactus, Spiral Cactus, Worm Plant, Jade Plant, String of Hooks, Golden Barrel Cactus, Hedgehog Cactus, Trichocereus Terschekii, Queen of the Night, African Milk Tree, Fire Sticks, Fishhook Barrel, Ocotillo, Flapjack, Dinosaur Back Plant, Prickly Pear Cactus, Dinner Plate Cactus, Senita Cactus, Moonstones, The Snake Plant, and Burro’s tail.

Name of succulent	Scientific name
African Baobab	Adansonia Digitata
Copper Pinwheel	Aeonium Ionian Sunburst
Flat-Topped Aeonium	Aeonium Tabuliforme
Century Plant	Agave Americana
Boutin Blue	Agave attenuata
Foxtail	Agave Attenuata
Kara’s Stripes	Agave Attenuata
Blue Glow	Agave Attenuata
Crown Horn Agave	Agave Bovicornuta
Gentryi’s Agave	Agave Gentryii Jaws
Mountain Agave Plant	Agave Montana
Green Giant	Agave Salmiana
Agave Shrevei	Agave Shrevei subsp.
	Matapensis Gentry
Hedgehog Agave	Agave Stricta
Queen Victoria Agave	Agave Victoriae-Reginae
Torch Aloe	Aloe Arborescens
Tree Aloe	Aloe Barberae
Cape Aloe	Aloe Ferox
Fan Aloe	Aloe Plicatilis
Spider Aloe	Aloe Spinosissima
Barbados Aloe	Aloe Vera
Ponytail Palm	Beaucarnea Recurvata
Saguaro Cactus	Carnegiea Gigantean
Spiral Cactus	Cereus Forbesii Spiralis
Worm Plant	Crassula Marnieriana
Jade Plant	Crassula Ovata
String of Bananas	Curio Radicans
Golden Barrel Cactus	Echinocactus Grusonii
Hedgehog Cactus	Echinocereus Engelmannii
Trichocereus Terschekii	Echinopsis Terscheckii
Queen of the Night	Epiphyllum Oxypetalum
African Milk Tree	Euphorbia Trigona
Firesticks	Euphorbia Tirucalli
Fishhook Barrel	Ferocactus Wislizeni
Ocotillo	Fouquieria Splendens
Flapjack	Kalanchoe Luciae
Dinosaur Back Plant	Myrtillocactus Geometrizans
	Cristata
Prickly Pear Cactus	Opuntia Ficus-Indica
Wheel Cactus	Opuntia Robusta
Senita Cactus	Pachycereus Schottii
Moonstones	Pachyphytum Oviferum
The Snake Plant	Sansevieria Trifasciata
Burro’s Tail	Sedum Morganianum

1. Adansonia Digitata

• Common name: African Baobab
• Native to: Africa
• Family: Malvaceae
• Genus: Adansonia

Also known as the African Baobab, this succulent is one of the largest one ever known to man. It’s practically a tree, and reaches up to 90 feet in height! Do not worry, they can still be contained to smaller sizes for your home or garden through pruning and cutting.

2. Aeonium Ionian Sunburst

• Common name: copper pinwheel
• Native to: Canary Islands
• Family: Crassulaceae
• Genus: Aeonium

Known as the copper pinwheel, these plants are perfectly sized to stand out in your garden. With it’s beautiful yellow edged leaves, it can grow up to 30 inches in size, with 10 inch wide rosettes.

3. Aeonium Tabuliforme

• Common name: Falt-topped Aeonium
• Native to: Canary Islands
• Family: Crassulaceae
• Genus: Aeonium

Called the Flat-Topped Aeonium, the flat and compact rosettes it forms can span upto 18 inches wide! They look great over a layer of colorful pebbles and propped up against larger rocks.

4. Agave Americana

• Common name: Century Plant
• Native to: Mexico
• Family: Asparagaceae
• Genus: Agave

Named the Century Plant, this succulent reaches a whopping 6 feet in size! It also has some beautiful ashy colors that could liven up the monotonous green hues in your garden.

5. Agave Attenuata – Boutin Blue

• Common name: Boutin Blue
• Native to: Mexico
• Family: Asparagaceae
• Genus: Agave

This beautiful ash blue plant can grow up to 4 feet tall and close to 5 feet wide. Their open rosettes are not only inviting to the eye, but provide an aesthetically cooler variant to other succulents in the list.

6. Agave Attenuata – Foxtail

• Common name: Foxtail
• Native to: Mexico
• Family: Asparagaceae
• Genus: Agave

It’s just like the Boutin Blue, except a more vibrant shade of green. THese are easier to curb in size should you prefer smaller plants of such form.

7. Agave Attenuata – Kara’s Stripes

• Common name: Kara’s Stripes
• Native to: Mexico
• Family: Asparagaceae
• Genus: Agave

They grow as big as the Boutin Blue, but have a gorgeous yellow ombre as the leaves extend out, along with rich green stripes down the sides.

8. Agave Attenuata – Blue Glow

• Common name: Blue Glow
• Native to: Mexico
• Family: Asparagaceae
• Genus: Agave

These turuoise beauties can grow up to 2 feet and spread around 3 feet in side. The leaves are more uprights and straighter, with very pointed ends. It’s best to keep them surrounded by softer edged plants in an effort to avoid injury risks should anyone get too close to them.

9. Agave Bovicornuta

• Common name: Cow Horn Agave
• Native to: Mexico
• Family: Asparagaceae
• Genus: Agave

The ridges on the cow horn agave leaves are quite a sight, but there should be an effort to surround them with softer plants to avoid injuries. These can grow up to 3 feet tall and 5 feet wide in a regular rosette.

10. Agave Gentryii ‘Jaws’

• Common name: Gentry Agave
• Native to: Mexico
• Family: Asparagaceae
• Genus: Agave The gentry agave is an ashy green succulent with ridges on the edge of it leaves that are far more prominent that the Agave bovicornuta’s. They’re larger in size too, growing up to 8 feet wide!

11. Agave Montana

• Common name: Mountain Agave
• Native to: Mexico
• Family: Asparagaceae
• Genus: Agave

Also known as the mountain agave, The rosettes of this plant can be absolutely gorgeous in the right circumstances. They have braod and short leaves. With a relatively dense rosette, the leaves can be found tipped in red hues, or they may have a white uneven triangle oing up the middle of its leaves. Gorwing up to 4 feet tall and 5 feet wide.

12. Agave Salmiana

• Common name: Green Giant
• Native to: Mexico
• Family: Asparagaceae
• Genus: Agave

It’s called the green giant for a good reason.This succulent can grow up to 60 feet in height alone. Not to worry, this plant can be easily curbed in size to fit your gardens regardless.

13. Agave Shrevei subsp. Matapensis Gentry

• Common name: Agave Shrevei
• Native to: Mexico
• Family: Asparagaceae
• Genus: Agave

The agave shrevei has long and broad leaves, with very prominent short spikes on the edges of its leaves. For a 3 foot tall plant, it’s quite dangerous enough because the rosette opens up quite a distance. Surround it with large rocks so your guests do no accidentally walk into one, should you use this as decoration.

14. Agave Stricta

• Common name: Hedgehog Agave
• Native to: Mexico
• Family: Asparagaceae
• Genus: Agave

It’s obvious why this is called the hedgehog agave. The leaves make for quite a spiky call, and can grow up to 2 feet. They’re still very adorable in clusters.

15. Agave Victoriae-Reginae

• Common name: Queen Victoria Agave
• Native to: Mexico
• Family: Asparagaceae
• Genus: Agave

These are one of the most interesting succulents to have becuase of the shape of their leaves. Quite hard to describe, but you would imagine its leave being a pyramid that got pressed down on one side and stretched out. The margins are white, and grow in concentric clusters around the stem.

They can grow up to 2 feet in height and are relatively safe succulents to have around because of its blunt edges.

16. Aloe Arborescens

• Common name: Torch Aloe
• Native to: South Africa
• Family: Asphodelaceae
• Genus: Aloe

Known as the torch aloe, these succulents have very distinct red flowers that protude from between thin, long leaves. They can grow a whopping 10 feet in height and bring in a lot of variety with its peculiar silhouette.

17. Aloe Barberae

• Common name: Tree Aloe
• Native to: South Africa
• Family: Asphodelaceae
• Genus: Aloe

It’s called the tree aloe because it’s quite literally a tree. Attaining a height of 60 feet, this is one of Africa’s largest plants after the Boabab.

18. Aloe Ferox

• Common name: Cape Aloe
• Native to: South Africa
• Family: Asphodelaceae
• Genus: Aloe

Also known as the cape aloe, it’s easy to confuse this plant with the torch aloe. While it grows just as tall (10 feet), the difference is notable in the thich stem and the firm leaves its flowers protude from. The flowers protude much differently too, and often in bunches from one plant.

19. Aloe Plicatilis

• Common name: Fan Aloe
• Native to: South Africa
• Family: Asphodelaceae
• Genus: Aloe

The fan aloe is genuinely one of the most gorgeous succulents in this list. They resemble sea anemones quite literally, adn their leaves have beautiful transitions of blues, yellows, and oranges. Gorwing up to 8 feet in height, this plant can soften the look of your garden no matter how many prickly plants inhabit it.

20. Aloe Spinosissima

• Common name: Spider Aloe
• Native to: Africa
• Family: Asphodelaceae
• Genus: Aloe

The spider aloe can also be confused with the torch aloe. The subtle difference between them are their leaves. While te torch aloe’s leaves point downwards, the spider aloe’s points upwards! It’s also smaller, growing up to 3 feet in height. It’s a good option when considering succulents that are closer to the ground to pair with.

21. Aloe Vera

• Common name: Barbados Aloe
• Native to: North Africa, Southern Europe, Canary Islands
• Family: Asphodelaceae
• Genus: Aloe

A little less commonly known name of it is the barbados aloe. If you weren’t aware before, they can actually grow up to 3 feet in height. It’s jusicy leaves are flexible in comparison to most succulents that look similar to it.

22. Beaucarnea Recurvata

• Common name: Ponytail Palm
• Native to: Mexico
• Family: Asparagaceae
• Genus: Beaucarnea

Called the ponytail palm, their canopies don’t look very different from palm trees. With a potential of growing up to 30 feet in height, they can act as a nice shade for your more sensitive succulents that cannot handle too much direct sunlight outside of the house.

23. Carnegiea Gigantean

• Common name: Suguaro Cactus
• Native to:
• Family: Cactaceae
• Genus: Carnegiea

These are the popular cacti you see in the movies and cartoons, the saguaro cactus. Growing up to 22 feet in height with a crown spread of up to 7 feet, these can easily steal the show in any setting.

24. Cereus Forbesii Spiralis

• Common name: Spiral Cactus
• Native to: Brazil
• Family: Cactaceae
• Genus: Cereus

If you’re looking for something different in shape, the spiral cactus is the plant to go for. It grows in a literal spiral and rises as tall as 13 feet! It looks adorbale when it flowers. This succulent can soften the appearance of your prickly collection by a good margin!

25. Crassula Marnieriana

• Common name: Worm Plants
• Native to: Africa
• Family: Crassulaceae
• Genus: Crassula

It’s hard to tell how long these worm plants grow, but they can easily reach the 1 foot spread if you take care of them. Since they’re a cluster of stems, each stem might grow at a different pace at different lengths. They look a little weird, but are ideal for creating mat-like impressions in your garden if you get tired of rocks.

26. Crassula Ovata

• Common name: Jade Plant
• Native to: South Africa
• Family: Crassulaceae
• Genus: Crassula

With a record of up to 6 feet in height, the jade plant is quite the hefty shrub to have. It’s tree like wiht a beautiful array of colors in leaves depending on the season. Whether you decide to keep it in a pot or plant it into the ground, it looks good either way and cushions the garden in contrast to the pricklier succulents.

27. Curio Radicans

• Common name: String of Bananas
• Native to: South Africa
• Family: Asteraceae
• Genus: Curio

Also known as string of bananas, this cluster of adorable, curved bulbs can grow up to 3 feet long. They can act as a beautiful, soft curtain over sensitive plants that rquire more shade than direct sunlight.

28. Echinocactus Grusonii

• Common name: Golden Barrel Cactus
• Native to: Mexico
• Family: Cactaceae
• Genus: Echinocactus

Called the golden barrel cactus, they live up to the name and can grow around 4 feet in diameter! These are great to have within mats of bulbous succulents.

29. Echinocereus Engelmannii

• Common name: Hedgehog Cactus
• Native to: Mexico
• Family: Cactaceae
• Genus: Echinocactus

The hedgehog cactus grow in spiky little clusters and bear adorable purple plants. They can grow up to 1 foot or more in size, and look great in a bed of multicolored rocks!

30. Echinopsis Terscheckii

• Common name: Trichocereus Terschekii
• Native to: South America
• Family: Cactaceae
• Genus: Echinopsis

Boasting a height of 25 feett all, these are pretty similar to th saguaro cacti, but have fewer spines that are longer than the suguaros. Their flowers are also larger and can bloom during colder months.

31. Epiphyllum Oxypetalum

• Common name: Queen of the Night
• Native to: Mexico, South America
• Family: Cactaceae
• Genus: Epiphyllum

If you want your gardent to be pretty in the dark too, invest in the queen of the night. This plant can grow up to 10 feet tall and bears beautiful white flowers that bloom in the dark! This plant needs other plants for support, so be sure to give it some buddies to hang around.

32. Euphorbia Trigona

• Common name: African Milk Tree
• Native to: Central Africa
• Family: Euphorbiaceae
• Genus: Euphorbia

Also known as the African milk tree, these succulent grow straight upwards without too much outward branching. They can grow eight feet high and have soft leaves that tickle the skin. They’re beautiful and mild plants to have despite thier size.

33. Euphorbia Tirucalli

• Common name: Firesticks
• Native to: South Africa
• Family: Euphorbiaceae
• Genus: Euphorbia

A colorful cluster of succulents that can grow up to 20 feet in height! These colorful red stalks are also known as firesticks, and need to be supported correctely to reach their potential height.

34. Ferocactus Wislizeni

• Common name: Fishhook Barrel
• Native to: North Mexico
• Family: Cactaceae
• Genus: Ferocactus

Known as the fishhook barrel, these have been recorded to reach 10 feet in height. Although, normally they’re 6 feet on a regular occassion. THey have hooked spines that can get caught in clothes, so make sure you place them somewhere far from the walking path.

35. Fouquieria Splendens

• Common name: Ocotillo
• Native to: North America
• Family: Fouquieriaceae
• Genus: Fouquieria

These plants called ocotillo are ethereal and reach over 30 feet in height. With wavy steams and beautiful, tiny red flowers, they’re an enchanting sight to behold that exude an air of mystery about them.

36. Kalanchoe Luciae

• Common name: Flapjack
• Native to: South Africa
• Family: Crassulaceae
• Genus: Kalanchoe

The flapjack plant have beautiful, flat leaves that are jade in color with wine colored edges. They can grow up to 1 feet in height and spread up to 3 feet in pretty irregular rosettes. They have flowering stalks that give them even more height in the blooming seasons.

37. Myrtillocactus Geometrizans Cristata

• Common name: Dinosaur Back
• Native to: Mexico
• Family: Cactaceae
• Genus: Myrtillocactus

This alien like plant, the dinosaur back has beautful transitions of blue and green across its very thick and bumpy surface. It can grow upto 13 feet in height and act as a wall for sensitive plants against strong winds and burning sun.

38. Opuntia Ficus-Indica

• Common name: Prickly Pear
• Native to: Central Mexio
• Family: Cactaceae
• Genus: Opuntia

The prickly pear cactus is quite popular, and known for some pretty blooms and colorful bulbs on their flat, elliptical leaves. They grow up to 15 feet in height, and their roundednes provides some softening to the look of the landscape despite its thorns.

39. Opuntia Robusta

• Common name: Wheel Cactus
• Native to: Mexico
• Family: Cactaceae
• Genus: Opuntia

They look similar to the prickly pear, but their leaves are more circular which is why it’s called the wheel cactus. The grow a little shorter, rising to about 10 feet in height, but still as lovely as the prickly pear.

40. Pachycereus Schottii

• Common name: Senita Cactus
• Native to: Mexico, California
• Family: Cactaceae
• Genus: Pachycereus

Also known as the senita cactus, the cactus grows in columns and reaches the height of 12 feet in most cases. Their leaves have a very odd shape to them, like irregualr swellings. Some specimens can be more attractive than others.

41. Pachyphytum Oviferum

• Common name: Moonstones
• Native to: Mexico
• Family: Crassulaceae
• Genus: Pachyphytum

Known as moonstones, these adorable pebble like succulents are a great addition to soften up the colors. Spreading up to 1 foot wide, the pale purple-blue rosettes cool down any scenery at a glance.

42. Sansevieria Trifasciata

• Common name: Snake Plant
• Native to: West Africa
• Family: Asparagaceae
• Genus: Sansevieria

The snake plant is a fitting name for this succulent because of the shape and pattern of the leaves. These can grow up to 3 feet in length and have beautiful markings that will liven up any space.

43. Sedum Morganianum

• Common name: Burro’s Tail
• Native to: South Mexico
• Family: Crassulaceae
• Genus: Sedum

These are extremely strange plants that bear a series of bulbs and grown up to 4 feet long. They hang down in bunches and can be confused for oversized grapes sometimes, and commonly called burro’s tail. You could use them to curtin certain plants from the sun, but it’s far too dense to let much light through.

Conclusion

We’ve looked at 43 of the largest succulent specimens that the world has to offer! These are African Baobab, Copper Pinwheel, Flat-Topped Aeonium, Century Plant, Boutin Blue, Foxtail, Kara’s Stripes, Nova, Crown Horn Agave, Gentryi’s Agave, Mountain Agave Plant, Green Giant, African Baobab, Copper Pinwheel, Flat-Topped Aeonium, Century Plant, Boutin Blue, Foxtail, Kara’s Stripes, Nova, Crown Horn Agave, Gentryi’s Agave, Mountain Agave Plant, Green Giant, Agave Shrevei, Hedgehog Agave, Queen Victoria Agave, Torch Aloe, Tree Aloe, Cape Aloe, Fan Aloe, Spider Aloe, Barbados Aloe, Ponytail Palm, Saguaro Cactus, Spiral Cactus, Worm Plant, Jade Plant, String of Hooks, Golden Barrel Cactus, Hedgehog Cactus, Trichocereus Terschekii, Queen of the Night, African Milk Tree, Fire Sticks, Fishhook Barrel, Ocotillo, Flapjack, Dinosaur Back Plant, Prickly Pear Cactus, Dinner Plate Cactus, Senita Cactus, Moonstones, The Snake Plant, and Burro’s tail.

We hope you loved this collection and it helped you with ideas for your outdoor garden!

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