Succulents are some of the most popular plants among collectors because they are so low-maintenance. They don’t need watering often, and most of them do very well under full sun.
Succulents come in all shapes, sizes, and colors and there are literally thousands to choose from. If you like succulents that have large leaves and want to bring this aesthetic into your home, then you have come to the right place.
In this article, we will name and discuss 15 succulents that have large leaves, so if you want to know what they are and learn more about them, just keep reading.
15 large leaf succulents
1. Graptoveria ‘Fred Ives’
This is a low-maintenance succulent that can tolerate full sun and will also do just fine in low-light conditions.
The leaves of the Graptoveria ‘Fred Ives’ grow in a pink rosette formation that can grow up to 10 inches in diameter. These rosettes can continue growing from the plant’s branches until the entire plant is covered in pink rosettes.
The more sun the plant gets, the more vibrant the leaves’ pink colors become.
This succulent is quite common and should be found in any local nursery. You can also use a leaf or a cutting to propagate it.
2. Agave attenuata
There are plenty of Agave species that can grow quite large and Agave attenuata is one that is large enough to be striking but not so large that it cannot be planted in a garden. The head of the plant can grow to more than 40 inches in diameter. It can grow so big that you may have to remove its offsets – or pups – immediately before the plant takes over your garden.
This succulent’s leaves are also arranged in a rosette formation, but unlike most Agave species, there are no thorns at the tips of its leaves.
The Agave attenuata can survive in both low light conditions and under direct sunlight. Make sure you water the plant only when the soil around its base becomes dry to the touch.
3. Aeonium arboreum
The Aeonium arboreum is a variety of Aeonium that can tolerate extreme living conditions and is relatively low-maintenance. Its leaves grow in a rosette formation and its symmetry is one of the reasons it is so beautiful to look at.
This plant can grow so big that it almost looks like a small tree. Its leaves are a lush green color and the more sunlight it gets, the more vibrant the color becomes. It can grow to be five feet tall in ideal conditions and can be covered in rosettes.
Even though it can tolerate full shade, this succulent will thrive better if it gets lots of sun, and its rosettes will have fuller leaves.
4. Echeveria ‘Mexican giant’
The Echeveria ‘Mexican giant’ is an Echeveria hybrid that has leaves that can reach up to 16 inches long. Its leaves are powdery, white-blue in color and have pointed tips.
This succulent can become a great centerpiece in your garden because of its size and beauty.
Aside from its beauty, the Echeveria ‘Mexican giant’ is also very hardy and can tolerate drought and extreme light conditions, though it does love to be under the full sun.
This succulent is very popular. You might have a hard time procuring one because they are so high on a lot of people’s wish lists.
5. Agave Americana
The Agave Americana is also called the century plant, and is native to the southern states of the United States as well as Mexico. This succulent has large, long, blue-green leaves that arch downward the older the plant becomes. It can grow up to six feet high and ten feet wide.
At ten years, the plant grows a flower stalk that produces yellow flowers.
Plant this Agave in slightly acidic, sandy soil and place it under full sun if you can. You can place it in partial shade if that is the only option.
Because of its size, it can be used as a hedge or a centerpiece in your garden.
Another reason the plant is so hardy is that it is resistant to many diseases and pests.
Refrain from placing this plant near where people pass by because the leaves can be sturdy enough to trip people.
6. Fire and ice Echeveria
The fire and ice Echeveria, or Echeveria subrigida, also grows in a rosette formation and has red edges on its leaves. The rosettes can be up to 18 inches in diameter.
This plant gets its name from the contrast between the spade-like body of the leaf, which is a bluish-green color, and the red leaf margins.
Plant the succulent in a potting mix that contains pumice, sand, or perlite to make it well-draining in order to avoid overwatering. Do not water the plant from above, as this can cause water to pool in the folds of the leaves, which can lead to rot.
Check the plant’s leaves regularly for the presence of pests, especially mealybugs.
7. Tree aloe
The tree aloe is native to South Africa and is one of the largest and tallest succulents in the world. This succulent can not be the centerpiece in a garden, thanks to its height and size. It can grow up to 30 feet tall and 20 feet wide, and practically begs for attention.
This succulent grows very quickly, gaining around a foot of height per year.
Plant it in the middle of your garden under the full sun and it will thrive, but it can also tolerate shade.
As with most succulents, the tree aloe is drought-tolerant to a certain extent, but you definitely need to water it more frequently during the hot summer.
If you feel your tree aloe has grown a little too tall or too wide, you can prune it, but make sure you are wearing protective gloves as the sap can be irritating to the skin on contact.
8. Spineless yucca
There are several yucca varieties, many of which are small enough to keep in a pot inside your home, but did you know there is a variety of yucca that can grow over four feet tall?
This is the spineless yucca, and you can place this plant in your outdoor garden because of its size. It has spineless evergreen leaves and, like other yuccas, thrives in full sun and prefers sandy soil.
It is also immune to most diseases and pests, making it easy to grow and care for.
9. Mountain aloe
This particular aloe can grow up to 20 feet, with its rosette produced from a single stem. It has reddish spines on the edges of its leaves.
Interestingly, as the older leaves of the mountain aloe die one by one, they form a kind of skirt, or petticoat, around the stem of the plant.
One of the reasons the mountain aloe makes a great addition to any garden is that its blooms appear between May and September.
Plant your mountain aloe in your succulent garden and you need not worry about pests and diseases, because this plant is resistant to most of them.
10. Bitter aloe
This succulent is native to South Africa and has been used by its people as a medicinal plant for centuries. Even to this day, the gel in the leaves of the bitter aloe is harvested and used in the production of herbal medicine, cosmetics and supplements.
The gel in this plant’s leaves also has soothing properties, like those of Aloe vera. IT is also used as a treatment for arthritis and as a laxative.
This succulent can grow up to ten feet tall, with its leaves arranged in rosettes. The younger leaves have spines to deter grazing animals, and these spines fall off as the plant becomes older.
11. Snake Plant
The snake plant is lovingly referred to as the indestructible plant or the unkillable plant because of its hardiness and ability to withstand extreme conditions.
Plenty of plant owners can attest to forgetting to water their snake plant for weeks on end, yet still the plant looks completely fine. This is because the plant has thick, fleshy leaves that absorb and store plenty of water, which it can then use when the next period of water scarcity arises.
This plant is native to parts of the African continent and has been used as a symbol in various religious practices over the centuries.
The snake plant has an average lifespan of two years, which you might not notice since it propagates itself quite effectively. If you plant it in the ground, give it a few years and it will have grown into a large cluster of snake-like leaves in your garden.
This succulent can grow up to 12 feet in ideal conditions, so if you simply give it the bare necessities and enough space, it will thrive with no problem.
Another reason the snake plant is great to have, both indoors and outdoors, is that it can filter certain toxins from the air.
The snake plant does well in any lighting conditions, so you can keep it outdoors, in your living room, or even in your dimly-lit office, and it will be just fine.
12. Kalanchoe luciae
The Kalanchoe luciae is also called the flapjack succulent, due to the wide, flat shape of its leaves. It is native to South Africa, like many other succulents on our list.
The leaves are a beautiful jade green in color and have wine-red edges. They grow in irregular rosette formations that give the plant an oddly quaint and charming appearance.
This plant may only grow a foot tall, but it can spread up to three feet wide.
It grows flowering stalks that add height to the plant during the blooming period.
13. Pachyphytum oviferum
This succulent is native to Mexico and is also called the moonstone succulent because of its round, plump leaves that resemble smooth pebbles. The leaves are blue-green in color and grow in a rosette formation, up to a foot wide.
Because of its leaves’ cool color tones, this plant is very pleasing and calming to look at and would make a great addition to any garden.
14. Aeonium ‘Ionian sunburst’
This plant is also called the copper pinwheel succulent because of the shape and color of its rosette.
It is native to the Canary Islands and makes a great addition to a garden thanks to its large, beautiful, yellow-edged leaves.
The plant can grow up to 30 inches tall and the rosettes can reach 10 inches in width.
15. Agave bovicornuta
The Agave bovicornuta, also called the cow horn agave, has ridges on the edge of its leaves resembling the horns of a cow.
This plant’s large leaves can be enough to injure a person or pet, so make sure you place it square in the middle of your garden where it cannot be easily accessed, to avoid injuries.
Conclusion
If you are looking to include succulents with naturally large leaves in your garden or collection, there are plenty to choose from.
Simply mix and match the shapes and colors of the different succulents on our list and they can all come together as a striking, one-of-a-kind succulent display to rival any professionally-designed landscape.
