other than antarctica, succulents can be found within each continent. while it is often thought that most succulents come from dry areas such as steppes, semi-desert, and desert, the world's driest areas do not make for proper succulent habitats. australia, the world's driest continent, hosts very few native succulents due to the frequent and prolonged droughts. even africa, the continent with the most native succulents, does not host many of the plants in its most dry regions. however, while succulents are unable to grow in these harshest of conditions, they are able to grow in conditions that are uninhabitable by other plants. in fact, many succulents are able to thrive in dry conditions, and some are able to last up to two years without water depending on their surroundings and adaptations. succulents may also occasionally occur as epiphytes, growing on other plants with limited or no contact with the ground, and are dependent on their ability to store water and gain nutrients by other means; this niche is seen in "tillandsia". succulents also occur as inhabitants of sea coasts and dry lakes, which are exposed to high levels of dissolved minerals that are deadly to many other plant species. potted succulents are able to grow in most indoor environments with minimal care.