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16 Succulent Planter Ideas With Plant Recommendations

Published on June 21, 2021Last updated October 3, 2021 ♛ By Melissa J. Will

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These real-life ideas from home gardens share ways to display a variety of succulents in planters. We’ve included recommended varieties and an assortment of repurposed container ideas.

If you are new to succulents, there are beginner instructions here for growing String of Pearls (Semecio rowleyannus) to give an idea of what is needed.

Potted plant arrangement with an assortment of succulents.
Unique planter with succulents

Creative Succulent Ideas

Assorted succulent plants in a container.
Assorted succulent plants in a container

When choosing succulents for outdoor planters, first consider if you want the plants to stay outdoors all year-long or will bring them indoors for the winter.

Clear glass plant terrarium with succulents.

There are plenty of cold hardy succulents, good for zones 4 to 7, including various Stonecrop sedums and some Sempervivums.

Ground covers like Sedum acre (Gold Moss) and Sedum reflexum ‘Angelina’ are also cold hardy options.

Other succulents are tender and will need overwintering without going below 40°F (4.5°C).

Besides being water-wise, succulents offer a wonderful assortment of colors, textures, sizes, and shapes.

Are succulents cacti?

Not always. Cactus is a specific botanical family. Some succulents are in the cactus family, others belong to other botanical families.

Not all succulents are cacti but all cacti are considered types of succulents.

For the ideas shown below, I have listed DIY project instructions wherever available.

Decorative deer planter with succulents
Decorative deer planter with succulents

Let’s dive into the ideas.

Succulent Chair Planter

One really important thing with succulents in the garden is plant them where you can see them. Give them a staring role in the garden.

Here the succulents are planted on the seat of a kitchen chair.

White garden art kitchen chair planted with succulents.
Kitchen chair succulent planter

Yellow garden art chair with flowers hanging on fence.

Related: 17 Creative Ways to Use Old Chairs in Your Garden


Succulent Bird Cage

This famous bird cage planter was created by Susan St. Louis. The plant spilling from the cage is known as donkey tails or burro tails (Sedum morganianum).

Vintage birdcage planted with trailing succulents.
Birdcage planter by Susan St. Louis

Plants Used

  • Donkey tails or burro tails (Sedum morganianum) – not frost tolerant.
  • Aloe vera | See how to propagate Aloe vera pups
  • Various other tender succulents

Vintage birdcage planted with trailing succulents.

Related: How to Make a Birdcage Flower Planter


Hypertufa Heart Planter

Various sedums and chicks and hens (sempervivum) fill this heart-shaped homemade hypertufa planter.

Heart-shaped hypertufa planter with succulents
Hypertufa succulent planter

Hypertufa planter with succulents.

Related: How To Make Hypertufa Pots (Recipe & Step-By-Step Guide)


Plant Suggestions

  • Sedum spurium ‘Ruby Mantle‘ (zone 4 hardy)
  • Sedum acre ‘Gold Moss‘ (zone 4 hardy)
  • Rosularia platyphylla (zone 5 hardy)
  • List of Hardy Succulents | Mountain Crest Gardens

Succulent Wreath

Wreath planters start with a good metal wreath form like this one on Amazon.

Garden wreath decorated with succulents.
Wreath planted with succulents

How to Plant It

  • Use a leg of pantyhose filled with succulent potting mix placed in and around the form.
  • Cut small holes where you want to place each plant.
  • Cover gaps with moss or coir and hold in place with fishing line.

Plant Suggestions

  • Sempervivum ‘Oddity’ (zone 5 hardy)
  • Echeveria ‘Perle von Nurnberg‘ (zone 9)
  • Crassula ovata ‘Baby Jade’ (zone 10)
  • Graptopetalum paraguayense (zone 9)

Giant Teacup Planter

If you get one of these giant teacups, see if you can drill drainage holes in the base to prevent your succulents from getting water-logged. I use a diamond drill bit for this.

Or, water carefully, never overfilling the cup.

Succulent teacup planter
Giant teacup planted with succulents

Similar Succulent Suggestions

  • Sempervivum arachnoideum ‘Cebenese’ (zone 5 hardy)
  • Sedum reflexum ‘Angelina’ (zone 4 hardy)
  • Sedum spathulifolium ‘Harvest Moon‘ (zone 6 hardy)

Boot Planters

Old work boots planted with succulents.
Old hiking boots planted with succulents

Imagine how many damaged boots and shoes end up in landfills each year. These old work boots make fine planters.


Hand painted canvas shoes featuring popular sci fi characters.

Related: How To Paint Shoes


Plant Suggestion

  • Sedum spurium ‘Bronze Carpet’ (zone 4 hardy)

Picture Frame Succulent Planter

This gorgeous framed succulent planter is from the book, Gardening on a Shoestring by Alex Mitchell. It’s one of my favorite creative gardening books.

Framed succulent planter from the book Gardening on a Shoestring.
Picture frame succulent planter by Alex Mitchell

Framed succulent garden art project.

Related: DIY Succulent Wall Planter (Living Picture Frame Art)


Plants Suggestion

  • An assortment of sempervivums.

Plant Shelf

This is another creation by Susan St. Louis. She is equal parts creative gardener and artist.

The shelf (instructions here) is made from plain 2×4 boards. The magic comes with the addition of burlap fabric and various tropical plants.

If you like to put your houseplants outdoors in the summer, a covered spot like this is a good option for preventing overexposure to the sun, rain, and wind.

Simple wood wall shelves with tropical plants and burlap fabric.
Burlap plant shelf with succulents and tropical plants

Outdoor plants shelves with burlap liners and an assortment of potted tropical plants.

Related: DIY Outdoor Plant Shelf (Easy Build)


Plants Used

  • As assortment of tropical houseplants including some succulents that benefit from summer outdoors. In winter, these plants will be kept indoors.

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Watering Can Planter

Yes, just about anything can be a succulent planter. Drill drainage holes if you can or water carefully to prevent root rot.

Bright green watering can with succulent plants.
Watering can planted with succulents

My favorite trick is to keep plants in removable pots that sit inside the watering can.


Watering can garden art

Related: Gallery of Watering Can Garden Art Ideas


Rectangular Hypertufa Planters

If you are making a batch of hypertufa pots, consider making a matching set in various sizes. They look great grouped together in the garden.

Hypertufa flower planters.
Hypertufa flower planters.

How to Make Hypertufa Containers has instructions for making planters like this.

Birdbath Planter

How beautiful is this? Barb of Our Fairfield Home and Garden is so talented at creating wonderful plantings.

Birdbath planter by Barb Rosen.
Birdbath planted with succulents

Succulents growing in an old birdbath.

Related: Turn a Birdbath into a Planter


Plants Suggestions

  • “Blue Chalk Finger” (Senecio vitalis)
  • “Chocolate Ball” Sedum
  • “Chinese Dunce Cap” (Orostachys)
  • annual purslanes

Succulent Fairy Garden

There are numerous small succulents that work nicely in a fairy-themed container garden. Browse your local nursery and see what’s available. Or divide existing ones from your own garden. You can always transplant the hardy ones back into the garden in early fall to keep them going through the winter.

Fairy garden in a pot with succulent plants.
Container fairy garden with succulents

Fairy garden in a suitcase

Related: How to Make a Fairy Garden in an Old Suitcase


Donkey Tail Wall Planter

Donkey tail (Euphorbia) plants hanging from metal wall planter.
Wall planter with trailing succulents

Donkey tail or burro tail (Sedum morganianum) are used as houseplants. I love how these ones hang from the planter. A zebra plant and aloe vera are also tucked in there.

Euphorbia myrsinites or creeping spurge is a poisonous and sometimes confused with donkey tail.

Birdhouse With Green Roof

This is another garden art creation by Barb of Our Fairfield Home and Garden. She created roof top planters on her birdhouses. 

Ladder with birdhouses with green roofs by Barb Rosen.
Decorative birdhouses with succulent rooftops

Plants Used

  • Sedums
  • Sempervivums (Hens & Chicks)
  • Ice Plant
  • Creeping Jenny

Strawberry Pot With Succulents

Yes, Barb of Our Fairfield Home and Garden made this one too. Start with a selection of robust succulents and wow, what a gorgeous planter.

Strawberry pot with succulent plants.
Strawberry planter with succulents

Strawberry pots used as planters.

Related: Strawberry Pot Planter Ideas: Flowers, Succulents, & Herbs


Succulent Typewriter

Typewriter planted with succulents
photo and art by jimagination studio
Typewriter planted with succulents
photo and art by jimagination studio

Cast Coal Fireplace

Cast coal fireplace planted with succulents in garden
photo and art by jimagination studio

Succulent Painted Shoes

Be sure to wear your love of succulents!

Canvas shoes painted with Echeveria succulents.
Succulent design on hand-painted shoes

These Echiveria shoes were hand-painted using these instructions.

If you enjoyed these ideas, be sure to sign up for the free Empress of Dirt Creative Newsletter for fresh ideas every second Friday.

~Melissa the Empress of Dirt ♛

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Assorted succulent plants in a container.
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I’m Melissa J. Will a.k.a. the Empress of Dirt (Ontario, Canada).
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