Flowers may not seem like the perfect gift for guys on graduation day, but hand him a bowl full of succulents and watch him get giddy as a school boy. No one can resist the weird shapes and colors of these drought-tolerant cactus cousins, many of whom have adapted over thousands of years to harsh, desert-like conditions and can go long periods of time without water. What better way to send him off into the world, and into his first apartment, than with a pot full of plants that are virtually indestructible.

Succulents are plants that store water in their leaves and stems and often have a “fleshy” feel to them. They come in many unique forms and colors that really catch the eye when mixed together in a manly pot. Consider a collection that has at its center a florette-forming Echeveria or Aeonium. These come in bright greens, silvery blues and dark purples and grow well in bright to medium light. If your grad is heading to warm climates, they’ll even survive outside on his porch next to the shabby couch and ping-pong table.
Mix the more upright succulents above with ones that trail over the edges of the pot, such as String of Pearls, known as Senecio rowleyanus. This unusual plant looks like long strings of Mardis Gras beads and occasionally burst into white blooms. They love sunny windows and are easy to propagate when his roommate’s cat inevitably knocks it over.

Sedums are a genus of succulents that come in a wide range of textures and often have leaves that change colors from green and yellow to darker red. They have boy-friendly cultivar names like “Dragon’s Blood” and “Jelly Bean” and can handle a bit more shade than some succulents in case his windows go a long time without being cleaned. Mix a variety of these together for a look that is sure to have his friends saying, “Duuuude, cool plant.”