Don Newcomer, owner of Serra Gardens, a succulent specialty nursery that operated in Malibu for 25 years and will soon relocate south to Fallbrook for business reasons. There are many succulents that are native to the continent. In the south, the climate is very similar to California's. Aloe Arborescens, which is native to South Africa and grows in Southern California, has dense plantings that rim the cliffs in coastal communities. California native plants can withstand wildfires quite well, but that doesn't mean they won't burn.