A succulent is botanically termed as an order containing several families. All plants within the order of succulents have the ability the store nourishing ingredients in their swollen leaves, stems, and roots, thus the Latin word succos, means juice. The most essential ingredient that succulents have the ability to store for long periods of time is water. For a more advanced page on how succulents are structured to store water for long periods of time, see Anatomy of a Cactus. Within the order of succulents lies the cactus family (Cactaceae Family). The main anatomical difference that classifies the cactus family, is that all species in this family have areoles.
