Succulent plants that store water have very fleshy leaves and stems, where they store water for use in dry periods. Succulents nearly all grow in regions of intense summer heat and dry weather. They are usually grown in desert gardens of the Southwest, in rock gardens, in garden areas lacking moisture, and in desert terrariums. They are more often grown for their interesting shapes than for their beauty. But some succulent plants have gorgeous flowers. The century plant flowers are prized because they are rare. Other unusual succulents are the stone plants, which look like living rocks. Lithrops are known as "window plants," because they have translucent leaves that lie flat on the ground. The leaves of haworthias are so close together that they form a solid column.
Drought-resistant succulents have been known to survive for years without a single rainfall.
