Succulents are the best way to warm a space up with some spirit and liveliness. These exotic green plants radiate good vibes all year long. No worries if you think you are too busy and forgetful to care for a houseplant. Succulents are gaining popularity because they are “easy to care and hard to kill”.
Burro’s Tail is spreading over our lives more and more
Since they grow a big community, I made a deep research about Burro’s Tail succulents; what type of plants they are and how to care for them. I tried to give answers to all the questions if you want to grow a Burro’s Tail that looks amazing.
So, here we go!
Identification: Sedum Morganianum
Origin
Sedum morganianum is a popular flowering plant species of Sedum genus from the family Crassulaceae. Perennial and evergreen plant origins from southern regions of Mexico and Honduras. These are actually desert plants that are found where the air is hot and dry.
Sedums are a large genus that contains 600 species according to what is said. Succulents from this genus differ a lot by their sizes and shapes, but they are all really hardy and tolerant plant types. The cultivators refer to them as “stonecrop” because only a stone could be easier to grow.
Description
Burro’s Tail forms tiny fat leaves arraged around the long stems. Blue-green smoked leaves are storing the water inside so that the plant could survive long periods of drought.
With the long trailing stems, Sedum Morganinum makes a great succulent for growing in hanging pots. It looks even better when the pink-red flowers appear.
Common Names
Because of the elongating body of Sedum Morganianum, these plants are known with many common names like Donkey’s Tail, Burro’s Tail, Lamb’s Tail, Horse’s Tail… The succulent-lovers recognize them with this feature that is giving the plant its name.
How Long does Burro’s Tail Grow?
When you first buy or propagate your Burro’s Tail, it may be formed by only a few little leaves around a single stem. However, your small plant will not remain so small for long.
The plant can reach the maturity in almost about 6 years. By this time a Burro’s Tail could grow up to 1.5 meters long if it is cared very well. The ones I generally see are only around 60-70 centimeters long.
How to Care for Burro’s Tail Indoors?
Burro’s Tail is an effortless plant to care whether you place them at outdoor gardens or indoor spaces.
If you do not get through freezing cold winters where you live, it is so enjoyable to grow Burro’s Tail in your outdoor garden or balcony. But the opposite way, succulents cared indoor spaces are more under control.
These succulents will thrive with a lot of sun, and it is a fact that outdoor spaces are always brighter than the indoors. Yet, you can grow very healthy and pretty succulents also in your home if you learn these few tips.
Temperature
Succulents do not like sudden changes in the exterior conditions. You should avoid any extreme temperatures, especially cold weather. They are sensitive to lower temperatures while they can resist to hot weather. Burro’s Tail is not a cold hardy type of succulents.
Generally, the suggested temperature for the best looking Burro’s Tail is the room temperature. Plus, the ideal level of humidity should be around %50, same as the ideal level for a person.
Light Requirements
Sedum morganianum require plenty of bright sunlight everyday, directly or partially. Avoid displaying them at the Northern facade which will not get any direct sunshine during the daytime. Nearby a Southern facing window would be the best place for them in your house.
Also, the dramatically changing sun exposure is a stress source to your Sedums. If you are going to move your outdoor succulents to the interior places, try to move them gradually.
Good news: a Sedum morganianum that is exposed to a bright light changes color to a beautiful lilac or golden hue.
Watering Requirements
Water your Burro’s Tail generously and regularly but less frequent than other houseplants. In the wintertime, you can reduce watering even less frequent because the plant is dormant in winters and does not grow actively.
A good amount of watering only once in a while will be enough. Watering of succulents mimic the desert rain, so the leaves store all the water they need and use it for a really long period.
Watering periods will be changing by the climatic conditions of your zone and some specialties that your plant has. One way to understand when your succulent needs watering is waiting until the soil dries out completely and the leaves start to get wrinkles.
Soil Requirements
Sedum morganianum should be planted in a good draining soil. For this reason, you need to plant your Burro’s Tail in a specially prepared succulent soil.
Never use a regular potting or garden soil for the succulents. The one thing that they hate the most is sitting in a soaked soil for too long.
Succulent soils are mixed with perlite or coarse sand in order to maintain good drainage for the roots, so they do not rot. Grainy soil does not hold water in and lets the water drain through.
You can find pre-mixed succulent soils with a lot of options, or you can mix yourself just like I do. See the recipe I use here from my guide for succulent soil.
Propagation of Burro’s Tail
Burro’s Tail is a plant that is so simple to multiply with leaves or cuttings, and the success rates are so high.
Cut out a stem from your Sedum morganianum in a length you want and peel off some bottom leaves. Wait a while for the cutting to heal. After that you can replant the stem.
Be careful that you use a clean cutter to avoid infections. Water the plant before you take a cutting and leave the cutting on a dry surface for a few days before replantation. Although the best season for propagation is early spring, Sedums can grow a new plant all year long.
Repotting Burro’s Tail
Together with the succulent soil, the best drainage for Burro’s Tail is achieved also by a good draining pot. Don’t place it in a pot without the drainage holes on the bottom. I like to use a ceramic or clay planter, this way the roots of my plants stay dry and breathe air easily.
A mature plant gets heavier when the stems grow long. While your Burro’s Tail grows, you might need to replace the pot a couple of times in years. Choose a solid and steady planter for them, that can carry the load.
Be careful that the leaves of Burro’s Tail are very fragile and they tend to fall off easily with a slight bump. Handle them with care when repotting. Don’t worry, you can propagate a new succulent from the fallen leaves.
Flowers of Sedum Morganianum
Burro’s Tail does not bloom very often and it can take several years for it to start giving flowers. And even when they bloom, you might not be lucky enough to get a lot of dense flower clusters.
If your Sedums are generous, they produce little vivid pink colored flowers with yellow stamen inside. In nature, these flowers are helping to attract many insects and flies.
Is Burro’s Tail Poisonous?
Like a lot of species of Sedums, Sedum morganianum is not reported as a poisonous succulent. It is totally safe to keep your Burro’s Tail together with your children or pets at the same house.
Moreover, I found out that some types of Sedums have edible leaves and used as food.
Is Your Burro’s Tail Dying?
If you think your once gorgeous Sedum morganianum is not looking as healthy as before and it is about to die, there are three signals you will see beforehand. It is usually possible to recover Burro’s Tail with an early diagnosis.
The problem is generally either overwatering or underwatering. Also sometimes, the plant might get disturbed by some pests and insects or the burning sun. Let’s see how to save an ill Burro’s Tail.
Leaves Turning Yellow
The leaves turning a yellowish and transparent color is an early sign of overwatering succulents. After this stage, the leaves get squishy and fall off very easily when touched or shook.
In the wintertime, Burro’s Tail does not need as much watering as in the other seasons. A lot of them suffer from overwatering in winter because some of us do not know that they are dormant during this time.
Cut out the water if you see the leaves turn yellow and transparent, and wait for the plant recover itself. Continue less frequent irrigation once the plant is fully cured.
Wrinkled Leaves
Wrinkly and creasy surface of the leaves of Burro’s Tail is telling us that it needs water. If these plants lack a watering for so long, the leaves start to dry out completely and fall off one by one.
Dry succulents will recover and turn back to life quickly with one good irrigation. They are forgiving for inadequate watering, even that they hate to be overwatered.
Spotted Leaves
Black spots and dark marks on the leaves of a Sedum morganianum may be caused by very hot afternoon sun. During the summer, do not leave your plant under the direct hot sun for too long. Sunburns on the leaves are not possible to recover for succulents.
White spots on the leaves that are looking like tiny cotton balls are probably a pest infection called powdery mildew. You can treat the plant by spraying some alcohol on the leaves and clean these white spots.
Sedum morganianum is definitely a showstopper in a hanging pot. It looks perfect with the stems that are dramatically draping over the side of a pot or shelf. But be careful with the extraordinary foliage of Burro’s Tails. Leaves of these succulents tend to drop off easily. Though, I am sure you will love how they stay beautiful even you neglect them.
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