Succulents are known for their toughness, but some varieties take that resilience and wrap it in shapes so bizarre, colors so surreal, and textures so strange, they barely look real. These aren’t your typical houseplants—they’re living sculptures that seem like they were grown in alien soil or sculpted by a science fiction artist. With translucent leaves, spiral formations, fang-like growths, and rock-mimicking bodies, these succulents don’t just survive in harsh environments—they thrive by looking like something from another planet. In this collection, we’ve gathered 22 of the most otherworldly succulents that exist on Earth—but look like they belong anywhere else.
1. Echeveria ‘Black Prince’
Echeveria ‘Black Prince’ is the kind of plant that looks like it’s been summoned from a volcanic underworld. Its leaves start green when young but darken into a dramatic near-black as they mature, forming tight, symmetrical rosettes that resemble obsidian flowers. This succulent thrives under bright light, and the more intense the sun, the richer its coloration becomes—sometimes appearing so dark it looks purple or even metallic. But the real surprise comes during blooming season. From the heart of this midnight rose emerges a tall, fiery-red bloom stalk, covered in star-shaped crimson flowers. The contrast is almost theatrical—dark, moody base topped with vibrant life. It’s not just a plant—it’s a visual contradiction in motion. Despite its edgy look, it’s easy to care for and perfect for adding a bold, mysterious edge to any plant display.
2. Haworthia Cooperi
If you’ve ever imagined what a plant from another galaxy might look like, you’re probably picturing something like Haworthia Cooperi. This succulent grows in low, tightly packed clusters of jelly-like leaves, each one plump and bulbous, ending in a transparent window. These windows aren’t just for show—they allow light to reach the inner tissues, enabling the plant to photosynthesize even when half-buried in soil. The effect is otherworldly. In the right light, the plant appears to glow from within, like it’s been crafted from sea glass or alien crystal. It’s soft, eerie, and almost translucent—delicate-looking but surprisingly tough. Whether grown in a minimalist pot or nestled among rocks, it never fails to attract curiosity. It doesn’t shout for attention—it gleams for it.
3. Euphorbia Obesa (Baseball Plant)
Perfectly spherical and charmingly odd, Euphorbia Obesa is often mistaken for a green marble or a small alien egg. Its surface is marked with subtle vertical ridges that alternate in color between muted greens and purples, creating a gentle striping that enhances its symmetry. Unlike cacti, it has no spines, giving it a smooth and almost artificial appearance. It stays compact for most of its life, quietly expanding like a breathing balloon. When mature and content, it produces tiny yellow or red flowers on its crown, which look like miniature antennae emerging from the orb. Originating from South Africa, this plant is extremely rare in the wild, which makes its survival all the more fascinating. It’s living proof that even something round and simple can be utterly extraordinary.
4. Crassula ‘Buddha’s Temple’
Stacked like an ancient structure from a long-lost alien civilization, Crassula ‘Buddha’s Temple’ doesn’t look like a plant—it looks like an architectural concept. Each layer of its squared-off, grey-green leaves is perfectly aligned, forming a tall, four-sided column that seems to spiral inward as it rises. Its name fits perfectly: it radiates a serene, sacred quality, as if grown specifically to inspire quiet awe. Under the right conditions, it may even bloom with small pink flowers at the top, transforming it into a literal temple crown. Every part of its design appears calculated, almost geometric in precision, and yet it’s completely organic. It’s a brilliant contradiction—both natural and artificial-looking at once. Whether you see a totem, a tower, or a sci-fi skyscraper, one thing’s for sure: this succulent looks like it grew in the gardens of another world.
5. Sedum Morganianum (Burro’s Tail)
Trailing from hanging pots like thick ropes of living pearls, Sedum Morganianum—commonly known as Burro’s Tail—feels like something designed to cascade from the cliffs of an alien canyon. Its stems grow long and heavy, packed densely with chubby, bluish-green leaves that are coated in a powdery film, giving them a pastel, luminous quality. When mature, the plant forms thick, winding braids that dangle several feet in length, swaying gently like otherworldly vines. It’s incredibly sensitive to touch—the leaves pop off easily—but those very leaves will root wherever they land, making it an endlessly self-propagating beauty. Under stress or in bright sunlight, it may blush slightly, adding a pink hue that only enhances its surreal charm. Burro’s Tail isn’t just a plant—it’s an animated sculpture of light, texture, and cascading form.
6. Lithops (Living Stones)
Lithops are nature’s masters of disguise. Found in the arid deserts of southern Africa, these tiny succulents have evolved to look exactly like the rocks and pebbles around them. Each plant consists of a single pair of thick, fleshy leaves split down the center, resembling a clamshell or a pair of lips just barely opened. Their surfaces are textured and patterned with intricate designs—speckles, stripes, and cracks that mimic the colors of the soil. This camouflage protects them from grazing animals, making them nearly invisible in their native environment. But the real magic happens when they bloom. From that central slit emerges a stunning daisy-like flower, often in bright white, yellow, or orange, completely at odds with the stony appearance of the leaves. Lithops are like little aliens hiding in plain sight, conserving water, blending into their surroundings, and then suddenly erupting in color like a secret signal from another world.
7. Kalanchoe ‘Fang’
With its fuzzy silver leaves and brutal red spines, Kalanchoe ‘Fang’ looks like a cross between a cuddly plush toy and a hostile alien life form. From the top, the leaves seem soft and harmless, covered in a layer of dense, silvery hairs that give the plant a velvety texture. But turn it over, and the illusion vanishes—beneath each leaf lurk dozens of claw-like tubercles, small fang-shaped projections that make the plant look armored or insect-like. These odd features aren’t just for show—they’re the result of evolutionary adaptations to protect the plant from pests and help it manage moisture in arid environments. Native to Madagascar, this succulent thrives on a bit of neglect and rewards growers with its freakish, sculptural appearance. It’s the kind of plant that seems peaceful at first glance, then slowly reveals its sinister beauty the longer you look.
8. Aloe Polyphylla (Spiral Aloe)
Aloe Polyphylla isn’t just a succulent—it’s a living spiral staircase. This remarkable plant arranges its stiff, triangular leaves in a perfect geometric spiral, forming a five-pointed star when viewed from above. Each leaf emerges at a calculated angle from the one before it, creating a whorled pattern that looks engineered by advanced mathematics. And yet, it’s completely natural. Found high in the mountains of Lesotho, where fog and frost are common, the Spiral Aloe is tough, frost-tolerant, and strikingly symmetrical. The spirals can rotate clockwise or counterclockwise, and the total number of leaves per plant can range from 100 to 150—each placed with uncanny precision. It rarely flowers in captivity, but it doesn’t need to. Its mesmerizing form alone is enough to stop you in your tracks. With its aggressive geometry and pale green color edged with red, this succulent looks like a time-lapse of nature folding in on itself.
9. Graptopetalum Paraguayense (Ghost Plant)
Delicate yet enduring, the Ghost Plant has an ethereal quality that makes it feel like a relic from a dream. Its thick, paddle-shaped leaves form rosettes that shimmer in pale shades of silver-blue, lavender, and icy green. The matte coating on its surface reflects light softly, giving the plant an otherworldly glow that changes subtly with the time of day. What makes this succulent so fascinating is its ability to shift colors based on its environment—more sunlight brings out warmer tones, while shade draws it back to cool silvers and grays. It grows on long, gently trailing stems that curl and twist as the rosettes form, giving it a floating, cloud-like quality. Despite its delicate looks, it’s incredibly resilient. Each fallen leaf can take root and grow a whole new plant. It’s a gentle shapeshifter, always changing yet always beautiful—a quiet ghost drifting through your garden.
10. Monilaria Obconica (Bunny Succulent)
This succulent might be the most whimsical plant on Earth. Monilaria Obconica is best known for its cartoonish resemblance to rabbit ears—two long, cylindrical leaves that sprout straight upward from a rounded base. The resemblance is so uncanny that it became an Internet sensation, with plant lovers around the world dubbing it the “bunny succulent.” But beyond the novelty lies a fascinating growth cycle. During dormancy, the plant retracts into a dry, brown base, resembling a tiny stone or seed pod. When it’s ready to grow, it shoots up the iconic green ears, thick and juicy with stored water, perfectly adapted to survive desert droughts. Over time, the ears grow longer and more crowded, turning into a small tangle of antenna-like growth. It’s a surreal and endearing example of how strange and playful nature can be. You don’t just grow Monilaria—you root for it.
Read More: Top 10 Gardening Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Plants
11. Faucaria Tigrina (Tiger’s Jaw)
Faucaria Tigrina doesn’t whisper—this plant growls. Its thick, triangular leaves are arranged in an open rosette, and along the edges of each leaf are soft, tooth-like structures that look startlingly like a tiger’s gaping maw. Despite the ferocious appearance, the teeth are harmless, but they give the plant an unmistakable personality—equal parts predator and puzzle piece. Native to South Africa, this succulent thrives in full sun and develops a deep green hue that darkens with age, sometimes acquiring a purple tinge under stress. During autumn and winter, it surprises you again, sending up a bright yellow flower that looks like a sunburst blooming from a monster’s mouth. It’s a bizarre blend of beauty and intimidation, like a flower blooming from the jaws of a creature you’re not sure you should pet or flee from.
12. Conophytum Bilobum
At first glance, Conophytum Bilobum looks like a cluster of green hearts or perhaps a pile of miniature brain lobes. Each growth is formed from two thick, fused leaves that rise out of the soil like split pebbles with a central groove. These alien-like succulents are tiny—most under an inch tall—and they grow in colonies that resemble a miniature field of strange, fleshy clams. During the growing season, they put on a mesmerizing display by erupting with disproportionately large flowers—usually pink, orange, or yellow—that seem to burst from the seam between the lobes. The blooms are almost too large for the plant, like a bizarre magic trick. When they go dormant, the outer layer dries into a papery husk, protecting the next generation hiding inside. It’s weird. It’s wonderful. It’s the kind of plant that looks like it’s hibernating between dimensions.
13. Senecio Rowleyanus (String of Pearls)
Senecio Rowleyanus, better known as String of Pearls, is nature’s jewelry. This trailing succulent sends out long, vine-like stems adorned with nearly perfect green spheres—each a tiny water reservoir wrapped in chlorophyll. The effect is visually striking: a cascade of living beads that dangle from hanging baskets, shelves, or window sills. The pearls even have a translucent slit, like a cat’s eye, to allow light to penetrate deeper inside for photosynthesis. Native to southwest Africa, these plants evolved to grow in the shade of rocks, letting their vines sprawl into the open while the roots stay cool. The plant blooms in summer with delicate white flowers that smell sweetly of cinnamon—a surprising touch of fragrance from such an odd-looking form. The contrast of soft scent and alien visuals makes String of Pearls feel like a relic from an elegant alien civilization, both practical and ornamental.
14. Tylecodon Paniculatus
At first sight, Tylecodon Paniculatus doesn’t even look like a plant. In its summer dormant phase, it becomes a twisted mass of bare, gnarled stems that resemble bleached antlers or fossilized coral. Its thick trunk stores moisture, and the limbs branch out like something from a Dr. Seuss sketchbook—strange, spindly, and hauntingly dry. But as the seasons change and winter arrives, it comes back to life. Tiny green leaves begin to sprout along the arms, and eventually it produces clusters of small, tubular yellow flowers at the tips. Native to Namibia and South Africa, this succulent has adapted to an environment of extremes, going dormant in heat and thriving in cool weather. It’s a plant of transformation—an eerie, skeletal sculpture one month and a bizarre blooming shrub the next. Tylecodon doesn’t just change with the seasons; it reinvents itself entirely.
15. Echeveria ‘Raindrops’
Echeveria ‘Raindrops’ takes a familiar shape—a rose-like rosette—and makes it strange. Its bright blue-green leaves are broad and slightly cupped, but what sets it apart are the small, raised domes that form near the center of each leaf. These glistening bumps resemble water droplets frozen in time, giving the plant its name. The visual effect is mesmerizing, like dew suspended on soft, matte petals. The coloration deepens to blush pink at the tips under sunlight, making the plant look like a pastel painting that’s been glazed with little bubbles. It grows slowly and maintains a neat, symmetrical form, perfect for spotlighting in a planter or succulent arrangement. It’s gentle, strange, and subtle all at once—a quiet marvel that tricks the eye and rewards close inspection.
16. Astrophytum Myriostigma (Bishop’s Cap Cactus)
The Astrophytum Myriostigma, often called the Bishop’s Cap, looks like a fossilized sea star that’s been carefully etched by time. This spineless cactus has a uniquely ribbed body—usually five ribs, but sometimes more—forming a star-shaped silhouette when viewed from above. The surface is dusted with tiny white flecks, giving it a speckled, snow-dusted appearance that softens its angular form and adds an almost galactic shimmer. There are no thorns to distract from its sculptural geometry, only a gentle dome of symmetry rising from its pot. During blooming season, it produces buttery yellow flowers at the tip, adding a sudden pop of warmth to its otherwise cool, stone-like body. It’s a plant that looks like it was carved from ancient limestone or dug up from the ruins of an alien temple. Calm, quiet, and slightly surreal, the Bishop’s Cap doesn’t demand attention—it earns it.
17. Adromischus Cristatus (Key Lime Pie)
Adromischus Cristatus is what happens when geometry and whimsy collide. This compact succulent has thick, wedge-shaped leaves that emerge upright from the soil, each one ending in a wavy, crimped edge that resembles ruffled fabric or a curled pastry crust. Covered in a fine coating of silvery fuzz, the plant glows softly in bright light, giving it a plush, velvety texture that begs to be touched. The nickname “Key Lime Pie” fits—its green color and crust-like curves are oddly dessert-like. Native to the Eastern Cape of South Africa, it stays low and manageable, ideal for quirky containers and windowsill displays. Its unusual form makes it feel like a cross between coral and origami. This isn’t a plant that fades into the background—it’s one that sparks conversation and makes your collection feel playfully strange.
18. Trithrinax Campestris Seedling
While the mature version of this South American palm is a rugged tree with fan-like leaves, the seedling stage is something else entirely. Emerging from the soil like a cluster of prehistoric paddles, the young Trithrinax Campestris looks like it belongs in a Jurassic terrarium. Its stiff, silvery green leaves radiate outward in a rough whorl, thick and short like reptilian blades. The leaf surfaces are waxy and faintly scaled, and the base often shows the beginnings of woody armor. It doesn’t resemble any plant you’d expect to find in a nursery—it looks like something that would sprout from lava rock on a distant moon. As it matures, the exotic appeal shifts, but the early growth is undeniably one of the most otherworldly phases in the plant kingdom. Even seasoned collectors pause when they see it.
19. Ariocarpus Trigonus
Ariocarpus Trigonus breaks every rule of what a cactus should look like. Instead of spines or tall stems, it grows as a low, flattened mound of thick, triangular tubercles arranged in a rosette. Its body resembles sculpted stone or hardened coral, blending perfectly with the rocky terrain of its native Mexico. For most of the year, it looks like an alien relic—compact, symmetrical, and quiet. But when it blooms, it transforms. A massive flower bursts from the center, often bright yellow or pale pink, disproportionately large and vividly colored against its earthy base. This sudden burst of life feels like a flare shot into the sky—brief, unexpected, and dramatic. Ariocarpus grows slowly and lives a long time, making it a prized specimen for collectors who understand that the weirdest things in nature often take the longest to reveal themselves.
20. Kalanchoe Delagoensis (Mother of Thousands)
This plant doesn’t just grow—it multiplies. Kalanchoe Delagoensis is a slender, upright succulent with tall, tubular leaves speckled with maroon markings. Along the leaf margins, it grows rows of tiny baby plantlets—miniature clones that detach, fall, and root wherever they land. It’s like a living nursery, constantly reproducing itself with eerie precision. Over time, the main plant develops a tree-like form, with long stems and dangling baby plants ready to drop. The effect is haunting. It looks like a forest of self-replicating aliens, always growing, always spreading. In the wild, this reproductive strategy is genius. In a pot, it’s fascinating—and occasionally overwhelming. But for those drawn to strange plants with a story, the Mother of Thousands offers a surreal combination of form and function, mystery and abundance.
21. Pachyphytum Oviferum (Moonstones)
Pachyphytum Oviferum doesn’t look real—it looks like candy or something crafted from frosted glass. Its plump, oval leaves are coated in a pastel bloom that gives them a powdery, velvety sheen. Ranging in color from pale blue to dusty pink and lavender, each rosette resembles a cluster of eggs or polished pebbles. The plant is compact and low-growing, with tightly packed leaves that look like they’ve been carved and smoothed by gentle hands. Its Latin name means “thick plant bearing eggs,” and it’s easy to see why. Under bright light, the colors intensify, but they always retain that soft, moonlit glow. It’s not a loud plant—it’s dreamy, calm, and oddly calming. Like holding a stone that’s always slightly cool to the touch. It’s an alien object of beauty hiding in plain sight.
22. Avonia Papyracea
Avonia Papyracea looks like something out of a lunar greenhouse. Its small, wiry stems are covered in overlapping white scales that shimmer in sunlight, giving the whole plant a metallic, armor-plated look. These papery flakes are modified leaves, tightly pressed to the stem like reflective roof shingles. They protect the plant from extreme sun while trapping just enough moisture to survive long droughts. The contrast between its armored texture and its tiny scale is striking. Up close, it resembles the tail of a mythical dragon or the exoskeleton of a space insect. It doesn’t look green. It doesn’t look soft. But when it blooms, it opens up delicate, pale pink flowers that appear almost too tender for something so well protected. It’s a study in contradiction—hard outside, gentle within. The perfect plant for anyone who likes their flora a little futuristic.
Read More: 9 Beginner Houseplants For Anyone Who Kills Everything They Touch