A fascinating North American Agave, Agave chrysantha (Golden Flowered Century Plant) is an evergreen, perennial succulent forming a pretty rosette of fleshy, sword-shaped, gray-green leaves which radiate gracefully from the center of the plant, giving it a neat and rounded shape. Deeply guttered, the leaves are lined with sharp spines along their edges and with a terminal spine.

Extremely cold-hardy, Agave havardiana (Havard Agave) is an evergreen, perennial succulent forming a tight rosette of fleshy, broad, cupped, silver-gray leaves. Adding an attractive texture and interest year-round, the leaves are heavily lined with dark brown teeth along their margins and tipped with a wickedly sharp black terminal spine. While this Agave is usually solitary, it may produce offsets.

Resembling a large artichoke, Agave montana (Mountain Agave) is an evergreen, perennial succulent forming a rosette of fleshy, broad, upright, apple green leaves with large cinnamon-red teeth along the margins and a stout terminal spine. Adding intriguing beauty, the leaves carry on their lower surfaces the distinct imprints of the thorny leaf margins of the previous outer leaf-bud.

An unforgettable sight, Agave nickelsiae, previously named Agave ferdinandi-regis, is an evergreen, perennial succulent forming a striking compact rosette of stout, smooth and spineless, dark olive green leaves. Each leaf is beautifully adorned with ornamental white bud prints. Lacking teeth along the edges, they instead exhibit narrow white margins and are tipped by a contrasting black terminal spine.

Surprisingly cold hardy, Agave ovatifolia (Whale's Tongue Agave) is an evergreen, perennial succulent forming a solitary rounded rosette of thick, broad, slightly cupped, gray to powdery-blue leaves. Adding interesting texture and interest year-round, the leaves are lined with small teeth along their margins and tipped with a long terminal spine.

Slow-growing, award-winning Agave parrasana (Cabbage Head Agave) is a compact evergreen, perennial succulent forming pretty rosettes of broad, closely packed and overlapping, pale blue-gray leaves, armed with gnarled teeth along the edges. The thick, rigid leaves are often irregularly dusted with a silvery blue coating, that shows impressive bud imprints and creates a lovely mottled appearance.

Surprisingly cold hardy, award-winning Agave parryi (Artichoke Agave) is an evergreen, perennial succulent forming pretty rosettes of thick, rigid, silvery-blue to silvery-green leaves, tipped and edged with short, dark spines. While infrequent, mature plants (over 10 years) flower only once. They are topped with a magnificent flowering spike that can reach 15 ft. (5m), and bears dense clusters of yellow flowers, tinged red or pink in bud.

Fairly compact and cold tolerant, Agave parryi var. huachucensis (Artichoke Agave) is an evergreen, perennial succulent forming tight rosettes of broad, thick, rigid, silvery-gray leaves with a conspicuous dark terminal spine. Amazing when massed in a sunny garden, as a groundcover, or in large containers.

Highly sought after, Agave parryi var. truncata 'Huntington' (Artichoke Agave) is an evergreen, perennial succulent forming tight rosettes of thick, broad, short, pale blue-gray leaves with widely spaced small teeth and a wavy terminal spine. Dark reddish-brown on new leaves, the spines fade to gray on older leaves. Adding intriguing beauty, the leaves carry on their lower surfaces the distinct imprints of the thorny leaf margins of the previous outer leaf-bud.

Fairly compact and cold tolerant, Agave parryi var. truncata (Artichoke Agave) is an evergreen, perennial succulent forming tight rosettes of broad, short, thick, silvery-blue leaves with conspicuous reddish-brown teeth and terminal spines. While infrequent, mature plants (over 10 years) flower only once. They are topped with a magnificent flowering spike that can reach 15 ft. (5m), and bears dense clusters of yellow flowers, tinged orange in bud.

A very hardy Agave from northeastern Mexico, Agave striata (Narrow Leaf Century Plant) is an evergreen, perennial succulent forming interesting rosettes of thin, gray-green leaves with a sharp, dark brown terminal spine. Radiating from the center, the leaves can be stiff or upward curving, and may add lovely purple tones in drought or cold. This Agave produces abundant offshoots or pups after flowering to form small colonies.

An exquisite small Agave, Agave univittata 'Quadricolor' is a highly ornamental evergreen succulent forming colorful rosettes of toothed, strikingly-striped leaves about 6-12 in. long (15-30 cm). Dark green in their center, the leaves are adorned with a pale green mid-stripe and golden-yellow edges, which are lined with a row of dark reddish teeth. Under cold or drought, the leaves add lovely shades of pink to red, further enhancing the colorful display.

Regarded as one of the most cold-tolerant agaves, Agave utahensis (Utah Agave) is a small, evergreen perennial succulent forming rosettes of thick, narrow, upward-curving, spiny-edged, blue-gray leaves with a long dark spine at their tips. Mature plants bloom in late winter, producing clusters of bright yellow flowers arranged along a 6 to 12 ft. tall spike (180-360 cm).

Incredibly attractive, award-winning Agave victoriae-reginae is an evergreen, perennial succulent forming a perfectly spherical, solitary rosette of thick, smooth and spineless, dark green leaves. Each leaf is adorned with almost 'hand-painted' white margins and a small terminal spine. Very slow-growing, this distinctive Agave is terrific for sunny borders or containers.

Most Aloes are frost tender and cannot handle a hard freeze. However, there are some Aloes that are remarkably hardy and can handle temperatures as cold as 20ºF to 25ºF (-6ºC to -4ºC).

If you limit yourself to the succulent palette, there is a high probability your garden will look heavy and rigid since lacking the movement ornamental grasses provide.

There is a wide range of perennial plants that will bring out the best qualities of your succulents and share their space with a serene balance.

Find a list of pretty shrubs that share most of the growing requirements of cacti and succulents. They will bring out the best in both the succulents and their world.

With their perfect shapes, agaves are versatile plants that add drama in sunny gardens but also in pots.

Echeverias are regarded by many as one of the most beautiful succulents. Evergreen, they form attractive rosettes of fleshy leaves and often resemble plum-petaled roses, waterlilies or ruffled lettuce.