Aloes:

Aloe africana is one of the most prolific of all the tree aloes this month, cranking out many flower stalks per plant sometimes. This aloe can be identified by its typical upward swoop of the opening flowers

Aloe 'Blue Elf' is a common sight blooming throughout southern California in March (left); Aloe claviflora (middle) is a much less common sight; Aloe conifera (right) is represented in some of hte botanical gardens

Aloe debrana is fairly well represented at several botanical gardens, as well as private gardens, in southern California and this species is a wonderful landscape aloe when planted in groups. Some gardens may have it identified as Aloe behrana (old name).

Aloe debrana flowers close up (left); right is the end of Aloe petricola flowering time... this is really a February flowerer, but one can usually catch glimpses of it in March as well (right) . It is a welcome change from the predominance of red flowers one seems to encounter in aloes in March (this is red flower month to me)

This curious plant, Aloe camperi 'Cornuta' is another fairly common bloomer seen in southern California botanical gardens in March (left), but what it's relationship to Aloe camperi is unclear, as it is a very different looking plant (huge in comparison), had different colored flowers, and blooms at a different time of year... are they really related? Makes great mass plantings, too, though. Left is Aloe spicata (which could just as well be Aloe vryheidensis for all I can tell), another later-in-the-season bloomer.

Aloe globulogemma is one of my favorites as it has a unique inflorescence. It starts in February and ends in mid March almost like clockwork (both above shots)

Aloe striata is one of the most commonly planted landscape aloes in public areas, and for good reason. It is an extremely reliable and easy March bloomer

Aloe aristata is a plant that blooms sometimes several times in the year, and March is one of them (left); Aloe broomii is often seen in bloom this month, when it flowers at all (center); and Aloe umfoloziensis is a major bloomer in my yard this month, sometimes the only remaining aloe in bloom by the end of March (right)

Aloe excelsa is still in bloom in March, but only about half way through (left is less common orange flowering form, right is plant in my yard)

Aloe capitata is usually finishing up in March (left) as is Aloe chabaudii (middle photo), while Aloe hildebrandtii (right) is usually in bloom every month of the year

Aloe dorotheae (left) is often in bloom this month, but many other months as well; Aloe cremnophila is a March bloomer only (center), and Aloe hereoensis blooms over several months, this usually being the last (right)

Aloe glauca does most of its flowering activity in March. left photo shows both forms of Aloe glauca, which is eihter a small suckering form (also seen in right photo) or a large, solitary plant in the foreground of the left shot

Aloe humilis is another dependable March bloomer and not an uncommon plant to find in both arboretums as well as private collections

Aloes vryheidensis and castanea (left), Aloe lineata (center) and Aloe littoralis were seen blooming in my front yard in March

Aloe ellenbeckii is a smaller species, but has nice bright two-toned flowers in March

These three aloes were seen this March blooming at the Huntington Gardens in southern California: Aloe 'Goldilocks' (left); Aloe percrassa (center) and the nice Madagascan species, Aloe divaricata (right)

Aloe harlana is one of my favorite species and flowers very nicely every March

though it does nof flower for me every year, when it does, Aloe ortholopha makes these nice laterally oriented orange to red flwoers in March

Aloe vera blooms in March, but many other months as well (left); Aloe aculeata blooms in March in my yard (center) but usually a bit earlier elsewhere for some reason; and Aloe pratensis (right) is a nice aloe to have 'end the flowering season' with

Aloe rupestris is one of the last tree aloes to flower in the season, and they can be really showy

Aloe sabaea from Yemen is another late season tree aloe bloomer and one of the odder looking species

this unique tree aloe, Aloe plicatilis, is another late season tree aloe bloomer

in the pink fuzzy flower department, Aloes pubescens (left) and trichosantha (center and right) produce these similar looking fuzz-covered flowers in March (though Aloe trichosantha blooms duringa few other months as well)

Aloe 'virens' is another late season bloomer and makes a fantastic red spash in the landscape this month when planted in large numbers

Euphorbias

Euphorbia milii varieties seem to be endless, and many of them are blooming nicely starting in March, adding nice pinpoints of color to any succulent garden

Above are some of the variations I spied this month around southern California of Crown of Thorns (Euphorbia milii)

other Euphorbia species are in flower (or in 'cythia') as well, including Euphorbia atropurpurea (left) and Euphorbia esculenta (right)

Euphorbia polygona typically flowers this month ('Snowflake' version left, normal green version right)

Euphorbia lambii 'trees' make spectacular masses of lime green when in flower in March (above and below)

many species of columnar Euphorbia are in their finest yellow bloom this month. Euphorbia grandialata (left) and Euphorbia pseudocactus (right)

Euphorbia xanti makes a large, shrubby bush, but when in flower (left) can be quite showy; right shows some small, but interesting Euphorbia antisyphylitica cyathia

one of my favorite ornamental Euphorbias in my yard is Euphorbia characias 'Tasmanian Tiger' and it always blooms in March

Crassulaceae

Aenoniums tend to bloom over much of the year, but March seems to be a particularly active month for these winter growers (above and below)

March is the best month to see Echeveria elegans planted in large masses in the ground (or pots) as it is cranking out nice, colorful flowers this month

Echeveria pallidas are in bloom this month (left); Echeveria pallida flower (center) compared to Echeveria elegans flower (right)

Dudleya brittonii seems to bloom over many months, but March has to be the primary month (left); large planting of Kalanchoe fedtschenkoi all in bloom at the same time, mid March (right)

Kalanchoe bracteata, a species becoming rapidly popular, is a very timely March bloomer (left); Kalanchoe mortagei has spectacular flowers that start in February, but don't actually open up for the bees and hummingbirds until March (center), and the colorful Kalanchoe walheimii only flowers in March that I can tell (right)

Crassula multicava is a nice ground cover species, and has lots of delicate white flowers in March (left); this remarkable hybrid between a Graptopetalum and Pachyphytum makes a fascinating group planting, particularly when they are all flowering in March (right)

Crassula pubescens ssp. radicans is a nice groundcover or potted plant in March (left); and Crassula 'Morgan's Beauty' sometimes flowers for me in March (right)

Sedum pachyphyllum (left and below) and Sedum praeltum (right) and two more members of the family Crassulaceae that bloom in March

Cacti

The very common Astrophytum ornatum is a reliable March bloomer (left); Matucanas aureflora (center) and formosa (right) also tend to bloom this month

Cleistocactus samaipatanus is a prolific flowerer in March (left and center); other species of Cleistocacti also tend to flower this month (right)

In my garden, Cleistocacti are also blooming this month: left is one of my favorite of all cacti, Cleistocactus ferrarei; middle is the ever blooming Cleistocactus strausii and Cleistocactus winteri on right

Some other cacti with great pink color in March: an Echinocactus sp. (left), Stenocactus sp. (center) and Eriosyce sp. (right)

Ferocactus glaucescens var. nudum always flowers for me this month (left); Rebutia hoffmanii in March (center) and my Rhipsalis grandiflora also gets covered with tiny white flowers in March (right)

Ferocactus glausescens, the spiny normal form can sometimes bloom this early, too, as is the colony on the right here in the Huntington Gardens, California

Aporophyllum 'Cascade' is a hanging cactus that blooms for much of late winter and early spring in my yard, but March is by far the most prolific month

Mammillarias wagneriana (left), melanocentra (center) and compressa (right) are all March bloomers in southern California

Mammillaria geminispina (left) and Mammillaria mystax are two more that flower this month (many more than these do, too)

Pilosocereus pachycladus (left), lanuginosa (center) and ulei (right) bloom in March

Thelocactus conothelos (left) and Thelocactus rinconensis (right) can be seen in flower in March, too

Mesembs

Cephalophyllum 'Red Spike' is just one of dozens of brilliantly flowering 'ice plants' in March

Cephalophyllum frutescens (left) and this unnamed species of Cephalophyllum (right) were seen this month blooming in the Huntington Gardens

Erepsia heteropetala (left) flowering in March and Glottyphyllum oligocarupum in flower the same time (right)

Lampranthus amoensis makes a wonderul bright purple carpet in march

Lampranthus arauntiacus (left) and Lampranthus saturatus (right) also produce colorful carpets of flowers in March

Lampranthus arauntiacus 'Orange' is another March flowerer

Lampranthus glaucus (left) and this un-named Lampranthus sp. (right) were also spied at the Huntington this month

Malephora crocea is another early spring Mesemb bloomer

Ruschia pulchella (left) and dichroa (right) also flower this time of year

Malephora 'White' (left) and these other two unlabeled Mesembs were seen in flower in southern California this month

two more March sightings in the Huntington in March

Other Succulent Plants

Two forms of Agave attenuata (the Foxtail Agave) seen above - variety 'Boitin Blue' on the right has upright flowers while the 'normal' form (left) has the classic arching flowers

Agave capensis flowers often, but mostly in March (left); this Agave parryi-like plant is starting to shoot up a flower this month (center), and Agave salmaniana is also shooting up a huge flower spike (right)

Beschornearia yuccuoides is a close Agave relative that makes a colorful, red and green flower in March (left); Agave parryi truncata making a huge flower spike this month (right)

Veltheimia capensis is a succulent bulb that makes wonderful flowers this month

Bulbine alooides (left) and Bulbine latifolia (right) are Aloe relatives that flower in March

Gasteria glomerata (another Aloe relative) always seems to pick March to show off its deep orange-pink flowers

Perhaps far from spectacular, Haworhias can often be seen blooming throughout the year, but activity is particularly high in some species in March

Jatropha podagrica (left) and malaphensis (right), though not exclusively limited to March, do seem particularly apt to make flowers this month

Non-Succulents

Puya berteroniana, though not a succulent, is a terrestrial xeric bromeliad that is often grown among succulents and has some of the most spectacular flowers of all the winter and spring bloomers

Also not really a succulent, this Erythrina acanthocarpa has a succulent root, and some of the most amazing flowers around this month. This shrubby tree is sometimes planted in cactus gardens as its needs are very similar to those of many cacti and succulents.

(Editor's note: This article was originally published on April 2, 2012. Your comments are welcome, but authors of previously published articles may not be able to respond to your questions.)