Succulent plants are seeing better sales opportunities online in China. /CFP Photo

Succulents are a type of plant with thicker and fleshier parts than usual to retain water, for instance cacti and aloe vera. /CFP Photo

Some succulents have huge ornamental value. /CFP Photo

For a while, they were so popular in China that people would spend thousands of yuan for a rare plant. /CFP Photo

But now the fever has calmed down and many sellers are looking for ways to get rid of their stock. One seller in southern China said prices for normal succulent plants have now halved. /CFP Photo

Rare kinds worth 100 yuan (15 US dollars) or more are no longer popular. Another seller disclosed that succulent e-shops can sell over 500,000 plants per month, whereas very few sell off-line. /CFP Photo