“All cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are cacti.” Those were the words of professor A.F. deWerth of Texas A&M, drilled home to those of us in his class way back in the 1960s.

This means of thriving in drought is known as crassulacean acid metabolism (or CAM photosynthesis), as it was first discovered in Crassulaceae, but it is used by many xerophytes, including pineapples.

The jade plant is a popular succulent houseplant with simple indoor care requirements and a very long lifespan of up to 70 years with the proper care. This plant is slow-growing—gaining only about two ...