If you like succulents and you also like bigger plants that grow vines, the Sedum morganianum is a fantastic plant for you! This succulent is very easy to take care of, like most other succulents. In this plant care guide, we’re going to explore how to take care of your Sedum!
I. Appearance and Characteristics
Sedum morganianum, the donkey tail or burro’s tail, is a species of flowering plant in the family Crassulaceae, native to southern Mexico. S. morganianum has been found wild in two ravines at Tenampa county, in central Veracruz, in eastern Mexico and on vertical cliffs of igneous rock in the Tropical Deciduous Forest zone. Due to its restricted geographic distribution, it should be regarded as a micro-endemic species.
With a minimum temperature of 5–7 °C (41–45 °F), in temperate regions S. morganianum is often cultivated as a houseplant in a suspended container, with the trailing stems hanging down, vertically. Alternatively, when the trailing stems are allowed to make prolonged, direct contact with the ground, or soil or other substrate (such as in an adjacent container), the nodes will be triggered to root and attach, as is the case with numerous genera among the Crassulaceae.
This plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.
Sedum morganianum grows well outside in appropriate climates, provided frost is not a threat, in very good light but protected from the brightest portions of the day. Indoors, the plant is best grown in a window full of sunlight for strongest growth and to enhance leaf coloration. It requires regular, moderate watering all year, except in winter, when it should be infrequently watered. Excess irrigation and poor drainage can rot the plant in a short amount of time. If grown outside, this plant should also be sheltered from extreme heat and excess rainfall; the delicate and fragile leaves will fall from the plant extremely easily, often with the slightest touch, especially during rainstorms.
However, even at high latitudes, removed or dropped leaves will readily propagate and produce roots, often rooting directly where they fall. These leaf propagations eventually form into new plants, especially if placed in a southern exposure (Northern Hemisphere) or northern exposure (Southern Hemisphere).
Plants are usually propagated by stem or leaf cuttings. The leaf attachment is quite loose, and leaves will often immediately break off of the stem when disturbed. The leaves will stay alive for many days and roots will emerge after a few days, especially with local humidity. Individual leaves will produce inches-long plants.
This plant exhibits a clearly visible wax layer (farina) on its leaves and stems, an indication of its preference for (bright) shade and sheltering from hot sun.
II. How to Grow and Care
Sunlight
Burro’s tail is native to southern Mexico, an area that receives plentiful sunlight year-round. As a houseplant, a donkey’s tail requires bright light, ideally in a full sun location of the home. Slowly introduce the plant to full sun once purchased to allow it to acclimate first, as light conditions vary from nursery to nursery.
A southern or western facing window provides sufficient light. In homes with poor light exposure, use an artificial plant light. This succulent needs at least 8 hours of bright light daily for optimum growth. In the summer, move the plant outdoors carefully to avoid breaking the stems. Hang it under a covered patio or the eaves, where it will receive light through most of the day.
Temperature and Humidity
Donkey’s tail prefers warm weather, though it stands up better to cooler temperatures than some other succulents. On average, try to maintain an environment of 65 degrees to 75 degrees Fahrenheit whether you keep your plant indoors or outdoors. It can survive when exposed to temperatures as low as 40 degrees Fahrenheit, but only briefly, so be sure to bring it inside before the first frost or move it away from drafty windows in the winter months.
When it comes to humidity, donkey’s tail has no special needs. In fact, it prefers average levels of humidity and can rot if attempts are made to increase the humidity of its environment (so no need to mist its leaves or keep it somewhere more humid, like a bathroom).
Watering
Most succulents are drought tolerant, and the burro’s tail is no exception. However, it does prefer infrequent but deep watering. This is where well-draining soil is key, as excess moisture needs to filter freely from the container to prevent rot issues. In winter, the plant is not actively growing and needs water only half the time. Apply tepid water when the top of the soil is dry, approximately every 9-14 days.
Soil
Purchased cactus soil is an appropriate habitat. A homemade mixture of regular potting soil combined with perlite, pumice, or sand to keep the medium well-aerated and freely draining is also useful. The best soil for this plant is porous with the ability to move water away from the stems quickly.
Fertilizing
Feed a burro’s tail succulent once or twice during its growing season using a balanced houseplant food diluted by half. Suspend feeding the plant in fall and winter, and resume fertilizing it in spring.
Pruning
There is no need to prune this plant. However, any stem that breaks or is purposely cut will develop branching nodes. This will create a thicker plant with more appendages. Dead or diseased stems may be taken off at any time.
Propagation
Since donkey’s tail rarely flowers indoors, propagating by seed isn’t a viable option. But, like most succulents, donkey’s tail is easy to propagate through stem cuttings or by its leaves which is good news, as they seem to fall off at the slightest touch.
How to propagate by stem cuttings:
- With a sterilized cutting tool, snip off a plump and healthy stem that measures a couple of inches.
- Take off the bottom few leaves (and you can propagate those, too).
- Place the stem in a shallow box or box top, place it in a room with bright light, and let it heal and develop a callus before planting. This should take a couple of weeks. However, some gardeners will put the cutting directly into a succulent potting mix without letting the callus develop.
- Stick the stem into a pot that you would like to keep the plant in for a while. Fill it with cacti or succulent potting mix. Keep it in a space with indirect light.
- Water only when the soil is dry.
- Roots can develop in a couple of weeks.
How to propagate by leaf cuttings:
- If you notice your plant has shed some of its leaves recently, simply put aside healthy plump ones until the skin has callused over, about two to three days. Avoid working with shriveled or damaged leaves.
- From there, fill a pot with cacti or succulent potting mix. Lay the leaves on top of the soil, making sure they make contact with the medium.
Mist regularly (about once a week), making sure the soil stays moist but not soggy, until you see new growth start to emerge. Then, reduce watering and treat the new plant as you would an established plant. Young plants do need more water than mature plants until they’re established, but be careful not to overwater.
Potting and Repotting
Because of their fragile nature, great care should be taken when repotting a donkey’s tail succulent. Wait until it’s absolutely necessary. The plant doesn’t mind being a bit root bound, so you’ll only need to repot once every few years. Be careful to avoid losing many of your “tails” and leaves to jostling when replanting. However, if you must repot your succulent, you will find the most success in the warmer months. Make sure the soil is completely dry before beginning, then gently remove the succulent from its current vessel, knocking away any old soil from the roots of the plant. Place it in a new pot (a shallow clay pot works best) and backfill with soil, making sure to spread out the roots in the new, larger pot. Allow it to “rest” for a week or so before giving it the first watering in its new home.
Overwintering
Whether you are growing donkey’s tail indoors as a houseplant or outdoors in a climate where it is hardy, reduce watering to every other month in the winter and omit feeding during this period of low growth.
Pests and Diseases
Common Pests & Plant Diseases
The donkey’s tail succulent is not particularly susceptible to pests, but if it does experience an infestation, it’s likely to be from aphids. Though aphids can typically be hosed off a plant, that’s not the best solution for donkey’s tail succulents given their fragile nature. Instead, opt to mist them every few days with diluted organic neem oil until the aphids disappear (typically around two to three weeks). Mealybugs can also be an issue and can also be handled with neem oil.
When planted outdoors, slugs and snails can be a problem, best handled by picking them off by hand or setting out baits for them.
The only significant disease problem is root rot, which can occur if the plant is overwatered or grown in dense, poorly draining soil.
Common Problems
Donkey’s tail is a largely problem-free plant that thrives on neglect, but several cultural issues may raise questions:
- Leaves Turn Gray
If you notice your plant turning grey or a very dull green (rather than its typical rich blue-green), that’s probably a sign that it’s getting too much harsh light. You may also notice a chalky white, waxy appearance on the beaded leaves of your donkey’s tail succulent. Don’t stress—it’s a completely normal occurrence called epicuticular wax, which the plant produces to protect itself from too much harsh sun exposure.
- Leaves Shrivel and Shrink
When the leaves of a donkey’s tail curl up and shrink, it is usually because the plant needs water. This is not such a big problem, as they will soon swell up again as soon as you give it a thorough watering. Many growers find that it’s better to wait for this sign before watering than to water too frequently.
- Stems Turn Soft and Collapse
If the stems on your donkey’s tail collapse and turn soft, it’s likely because the plant has been overwatered and rot is setting in. If you immediately allow the plant to dry out, it sometimes can be saved, but with advanced cases of rot, you’ll need to discard the plant.
- Leaves Wilt, Fall Off
If you notice leaves drooping and beginning to fall off, don’t mistake this as a sign the plant needs water—with a donkey’s tail, this is actually a sign that the plant is overwatered.
III. Uses and Benefits
With long draped succulent stems, the burro’s tail looks best when potted in hanging baskets that allow its tendrils to hang without disruption. It is also well suited to pollinator and children’s gardens. Good companion plants include Fire Sticks, Aeoniums, and Stonecrop.
