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succulent tree on platter
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Succulent Christmas Tree

A tree that will stay fresh all season long. This succulent Christmas tree adds a pop of color to any table. Made out of floral foam and succulent stems, it is a quick and easy 1 hour project.
Prep Time10 minutes
Active Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
Yield: 1 tree
Cost: $50

Equipment

  • thin dowel or paintbrush

Materials

Instructions

  • The number of succulent cuttings that you use will depend on the size of the floral foam cone that you use. I used a 12" cone, but covered the bottom with a small tree collar, so I basically only covered the surface area of a 9" cone.
    If using wet foam, soak the foam in water before beginning the project. Fill a bucket or sink with water then set the foam into the water. Don't push it down or rush it. It will sink fairly quickly as it absorbs water. You can also make this tree without soaking the foam.
    two floral foam wet cones
  • Succulent cuttings are not the same thing as succulent plants. Sometimes you can separate one plant into more than one cutting (you can cut the stem with scissors).
    I ordered a bunch of small succulents online and was able to divide some of them into two sections.
    You'll need 30+ stems/cuttings. Clean any dirt off, and preserve a much of the stem as you can. You can always trim it shorter if you need to once you begin assmebling the tree.
    plate of succulent cuttings
  • Use a small dowel or chopstick to gently poke a hole into the floral form before adding each stem.
    Make sure that the hole you poke is slightly smaller than what you need to ensure a snug fit as you slide the cutting into it. If the hole is too big, the succulent may fall out of the cone.
    hand positioning succulent cutting onto christmas tree
  • Inserting a toothpick in stems that are shorter is helpful for getting them to stay. A toothpick works well for thick stems as well.
    succulent stem with toothpick in it
  • Once you've filled your tree with succulent cuttings, fill in any of the gaps with moss. Tuck more moss in between the succulents and the foam, in any areas large enough to do so, to give the succulents something to lean on. The moss also acts as a barrier between the moist foam and the succulent “leaves”.
    hand positioning succulent stem in floral foam
  • Place your tree on some sort of base (platter, planter, plant saucer, etc.) to protect your furniture.
    Remember: your floral foam is full of water! It will leave water on whatever surface it is touching. I placed my tree on a platter and added moss around the base.
    small tree collar around succulent christmas tree
  • Keep tree in a sunny area, rotating every few days so that all of the cuttings get exposure to the sun.
    You can expect some of the stems to have mold on them at the end of the season. A way to prevent that would be to use dry floral foam (which is a harder to work with). You may need to use a dab of hot glue to keep them stems in place for dry foam (hot glue does not hurt succulents).
    variety of succulent cuttings on tree

Video

Notes

After the holiday season is over, remove the succulent cuttings and add them other projects or place in well-draining soil designed for succulents.