Introduction

Succulent plants have evolved many shapes, and the rosette is a common form. You see it in agaves, nolinas, yuccas, etc. Why is it a successful plant shape?

The Details

There could be multiple reasons that the rosette shape is common among succulents. The rosette is also found in other groups as well including bromeliads, palms, ferns, and cycads. Many ferns are definitely not succulent. Why are their leaves arranged in rosettes?

A rosette is not that different from other plant shapes except that the distance between leaves is very short–many rosette plants have essentially no trunk,  or their trunk grows very slowly.

Probably there are multiple reasons that the rosette shape has evolved in so many diverse plants. One school of thought is that the leaves (especially leaves with a channel–like some yucca or agave leaves) help funnel water to the roots. This could be important for succulents but perhaps for many types of plants.