Glossary of Succulent Terms

In plants, respiration is the process where plants covert the glucose formed during photosynthesis into energy that fuels the plant’s growth, flowering, fruiting and propagation. During respiration, plants take in carbon dioxide from the air and release oxygen. Roots take in oxygen, releasing CO2.

A rhizome is a modified stem that grows horizontally, underground. They develop roots and new plants from their nodes. Only some plants, like Sansevieria, form rhizomes. When dividing plants with rhizomes, you may need to cut through the rhizome to separate the plants.

A rosette succulent is one whose leaves are arranged in concentric circles around a common center, looking like a rose. The rosette form optimizes each leaf’s exposure to sunlight, while also funneling captured moisture to the center of the root zone.