Though winter has really just begun in some parts of the country, it never hurts to look ahead to see what newer succulents will be available for the new growing season.

Pandorra crown of thorns is a delightful new variety of an old-time favorite. This flowering plant can be grown indoors as a house plant, or outdoors in container plant. The unusual feature of this plant is the very large, pinkish-white flowers. Pandorra is especially floriferous. Give it direct sun. This is an easy care plant that doesn’t require any special care.

Kiwi aeonium is a tender perennial species that can be grown in pots in colder climates. Elsewhere, it can be planted outside as a ground cover or in rock gardens. Kiwi has a mounding growth habit. Since is a low growing species that forms rosettes, plant this at the front of beds or borders, or in pots where it will be easily seen and enjoyed. The succulent foliage is spoon shaped. Towards the center of the rosette, the leaves are pale yellow. These darken towards the outer edges. The leaf margins are shocking red. This variety has attractive yellow blossoms throughout the growing season.

Fuchsia portulaca is a new addition to the Stopwatch series from Bodger. The fully double blooms are brightly colored with yellow centers. They’re borne well above the foliage. This annual variety is particularly floriferous.

Gold Nugget Delosperma congesta is a perennial variety of the hardy ice plant. This can be used as a ground cover or in borders. It bears lots of lemon yellow, daisy-like blooms. This variety is hardy to zone three provided the soil is well drained. This is native to South Africa.

Gold Ribbons Yucca recurvifolia is a tall variety that can eventually develop a trunk. The foliage has gorgeous blue and yellow ribbons of color. Hardy to zone six, this is a variety of a species that is native to the Southeastern U.S.

Huachuca Blue Agave parryi var. huachucensis has lovely, blue-green foliage that grows in the form of a neat rosette. Hardy to zone seven, this is native to the Southwest.

If you’re discontent with the massive size of Autumn Joy sedum, now you have a choice. Mini Joy is a much more compact variety. It only grows to about 1½ feet in height with about an equal width. With a neat, upright, well-shaped growth habit, Mini Joy will find many uses in the landscape. During the late summer and fall, it is just as floriferous as the larger Autumn Joy. At that time the plant is covered with pale salmon pink blooms that open in large, rounded, fluffy heads.