In
botany,
succulent plants, also known as
succulents or sometimes
fat plants, are
plants having some parts that are more than normally thickened and fleshy, usually to retain water in
arid climates or
soil conditions. The word "succulent" comes from the Latin word
sucus, meaning juice, or sap. Succulent plants may store water in various structures, such as
leaves and
stems. Some definitions also include
roots, so that
geophytes that survive unfavorable periods by dying back to underground
storage organs may be regarded as succulents. In
horticultural use, the term "succulent" is often used in a way which excludes plants that
botanists would regard as succulents, such as
cacti. Succulents are often grown as
ornamental plants because of their striking and unusual appearance.