In botany, succulent plants, also known as succulents or sometimes water storage plants, are plants that have 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.
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