It is really important to understand the ‘hardiness’ of your succulents as it dictates where you should place them, how to care for them and the best ones to plant together. This can be a confusing topic for some though, so hopefully this will be a clear guide to refer to when you are unsure!
I use the Royal Horticultural Society zone system, but I will show a comparison on the table to the USDA, as that is another highly used zone system.
Why are zones important?
1. Positioning – helps you know where to position your plants for the right temperature and light
2. Winter – depending on your location, some plants may need to be brought inside during colder weather, especially in winter, or placed in a greenhouse
3. Indoor or outdoor – generally, succulents are outdoors plants; however, if you live in a cool climate, some succulents will thrive better indoors or in a greenhouse all year
What to plant together?
It is best to plant succulents suited to similar zones together. For example, I have hardy succulents, such as sempervivums and some sedums together in an all year outdoor planter, while the less hardy succulents (such as echeverias) are in individual pots that can be moved indoors during cooler weather.
H6/7 – Hardy throughout the UK and Europe. Very tolerant of harsh conditions, making them a good choice for rough climates.
H5 – Hardy in most conditions, can tolerate cold and frost. Not ideal for open locations with particularly harsh weather.
H4 – Hardy throughout most of the UK but may suffer some damage over winter.
H3 – Relatively hardy but will suffer damage in cold winter conditions. I would suggest protection from frost, ideally to be kept in a greenhouse or with protective cover through winter.
H2 – Not frost tolerate, requires being positioned in a greenhouse or indoors during winter, but can be grown outdoors in the UK after the risk of frost.
H1c – Requires being in a greenhouse for winter but can be grown outdoors in the UK in the summer.
H1b – Can be grown outdoors in the UK in summer but best positioned in a greenhouse or indoors all year.
H1a – Needs to be kept indoors or in a greenhouse all year.
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