How To Care For and Propagate Sedum Morganianum (Burro’s Tail)
This sedum is one handsome succulent. Mine happily resides in a large square terra cotta pot with my now 5-year-old Coleus “Dipped In Wine” (yes, they’re technically perennials) and a Golden Weeping Variegated Boxwood which I brought home from Kew Gardens as a wee cutting.
One would not think to use these 3 plants in a container together but it works for me and that’s another story. In this post, I’m going to tell you how I care for and propagate my Sedum morganianum or Burro’s Tail, Donkey’s Tail or Horse’s Tail.
If you want a real icebreaker at parties, then wear your Burro’s Tail as a necklace!
This plant eventually grows to 4′ long which will take around 6 years or so. As it grows it gets very thick with those trailing stems heavily laden with overlapping plump, juicy leaves that form a groovy braided pattern.
As you can imagine, a mature plant gets very heavy. This plant is not for a flimsy pot with a flimsy hanger. It’s best grown in a hanging basket, in a large pot like mine, in a pot that hangs against a wall or trailing out of a rock garden.
Sedum Morganianum Care
In terms of care, a Burro’s Tail couldn’t be easier. I’m going to cover that below along with propagation which is something you’ll want to know how to do because all your friends will want a cutting or two. Mine grows outdoors but I’ll also tell you what it needs if you want to grow it in your house at the end of this list.
Light
Sedum morganianum likes bright shade or partial sun. It will burn in strong, hot sun. Mine gets morning sun which it prefers. And now, because my neighbor cut down two of his pine trees last year, it gets some afternoon sun too.
If you watch the video at the end you’ll see the stems that are getting too much sun are a pale green. This plant should ideally be a lovely blue-green. I may have to move it to a less sunny spot – I’ll watch it and see.
Watering
All those leaves store water so be sure not to overwater it. It will rot out if you do. My Burro’s Tail is well established (around 5 years old) so I water it every 10-14 days but give it a thorough drink. Watering this way also helps some of the salts (from the water and fertilizers) to flush out of the pot. The rainwater mine gets in the winter helps with that. In other words, don’t splash and go every other day.
In the growing season, when the days are warmer and longer, I water it more often every 9-11 days. As a rule, plants in clay pots will dry out faster as will larger plants in smaller pots. Adjust accordingly as well as to the weather conditions.
Soil
Like any other succulent, this one needs good drainage. The water needs to drain out of it fast so it’s best to use a mix specially formulated for cactus and succulents. I buy mine at California Cactus Center near Pasadena in case you live in that area. Or, you can add horticultural grade sand and perlite (or fine lava rock, gravel or pumice) to lighten up whatever potting soil you have.
My secret planting weapon is worm castings. Your Burro’s Tail would love a bit of that too. By the way, I top dress all the containers in my garden with compost and worm castings every Spring.
To have your Burro’s Tail flower is rare. Mine bloomed for the first time ever this year although there were only 3 clusters on that big ole plant.
Temperature
Here in Santa Barbara, the average low temperature for the winter months hovers around the low 40’s. We occasionally dip into the thirties but not for more than a couple of days. Mine is up against the house and shows no signs of stress during those brief chilly spells. Our average summer temps are in the mid to high 70’s which is ideal for the Burro’s Tail.
Insects
The only pests that mine ever gets are aphids so I just hose them off every month. Burro’s Tail really isn’t susceptible to a wide range of insects. You can spray it with a mixture of 1/5 rubbing alcohol to 4/5 water if hosing off isn’t doing the trick. Neem Oil, which works on a wide range of insects, is an organic method of control that is simple and very effective.
Propagation
Like most succulents, Sedum morganianum is a snap to propagate. Simply cut the stems to the length you want, peel the bottom 1/3 of the leaves off and then let those stems heal off (this is where the cut end of the stem callus over) for 2 weeks to 3 months before planting.
When you plant your cuttings, you might need to pin them down in the pot because the weight of the stems will pull them out. You can also propagate it by individual leaf cuttings which you’ll see in the picture below. Just a head’s up because the leaves break and fall off this plant very easily. If you want to know more on this subject, I’ve done an entire blog post about propagating sedums.
My Burro’s Tail cuttings are healing off.
You can also propagate it with the individual leaves. Baby plants are emerging where the leaf meets the stem. Simply lay the leaves on top of your cactus & succulent mix & they’ll root in. Keep it on the dry side.
Burro’s Tail makes a fine houseplant.
It is commonly sold as an indoor hanging plant. You can get your own burros tail here. Put it in a spot with nice, bright light but out of any windows with strong, hot sun. You might have to move it in the wintertime as the sun shifts to a place where the light is brighter.
It’s very important to not overwater this plant. Those leaves store a lot of water so don’t do it every week. Depending on the temperature and light in your home, a thorough watering once a month will probably be enough.
In the video below I am in my front yard showing you my Burro’s Tail Plant:
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Nell, the founder of Joy Us garden, was born into a gardening family and grew up in Connecticut’s countryside. After living in Boston, New York, San Francisco, & Santa Barbara, she now calls the Arizona desert home. She studied horticulture & garden design, working in the field all her life. Nell is a gardener, designer, blogger, Youtube creator, & author. She’s been gardening for a very long time & wants to share what she’s learned with you.
Hello Nell,
Thank you for all the valuable advice you give about properly caring for succulents. I bought a Burro’s Tail about a month ago and I’ve noticed that all its leaves are drying out. I had it outside in a very shaded area, but moved it to a more sunny area after noticing that it is not doing well. It hasn’t improved. I live in Florida, so I think the temperature is not a problem. If you can help me with any comment or advice, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks again. Be well. Happy succulent-ing!!!
Hi Tatiana – You are certainly welcome, I’m happy to share what I’ve learned. It likes some light so it may have been too dark for it. Also, they like to be on the dry side & knowing you’re in Florida, it may have gotten too wet, especially if the mix is too heavy. Here where I live, we don’t get summer rain & the humidity is much lower. Also, Burro’s Tail doesn’t like extreme heat. Sometimes people confuse being too wet with being too dry. If one gets too much water, the damage occurs pretty quickly. How much water is it getting? Nell
Hi Nell! Your succulent looks amazing! Thank you for the great advice! I do have a question. I have a small burro’s tail and it’s growing a little faster over the summer but I’ve noticed that the top half of the succulent has the juicy leaves/buds spread out more than the other half that’s closer to the root (which are tightly together). In the top half, I can see the stem of the plant as there are gaps between the leaves. Is this a sign of something? The plant’s been in the same location in my apartment the entire time at a sunny windowsill that gets a few hours of morning sun. Does over or underwatering cause this? I just want it to look more like the leaves closer to the base of the plant where the leaves are tightly packed in with no gaps in between. Thanks so much in advance for your thoughts!! Liz
Hi Liz – First of all, a big thank you! My Burro’s Tail Sedums are looking great this year too. The leaves on these plants fall off extremely easily just by being touched or brushed. Yes, over or under watering could definitely be causing it. Indoors, it’s best to water your plant thoroughly, let all the water drain out, & then water again when the top half of the soil has dried out. This might be every 14 days in summer, depending on the temps & size of the pot. In winter, back off because the plant needs to rest. Maybe every 4 weeks. The bare stems will never fill in, but if you pinch a bit on a few stems, new growth will appear at the top. Hope that helps! Nell
Hi, Guys . . Terrific info here & in videos, Nell!!! Thx much!
Bought 6″ plastic hanging pot of burro about 10 days ago &, of course, now obsessed . . It’s growing & was looking good, but noticed a few little spots today on some leaves, panicked, & watered. Think now might be sunburn as see the same on one of your plants. Live in New Orleans northshore area & have at edge of covered porch in morning & noon sun. Still 80s- low 90s.
Hi Katie – Thanks so much for stopping by! Yes, succulents do become an obsession but on the grand scale of things, they’re a healthy obsession. My Burro’s Tail in bright shade with just an hour of sun looks better than the one getting more sun. Those spots could be one of 2 things: sunburn or too much water. By the way, I water both of mine every 7-10 days in the warmer months depending on the temps. Hope that helps, Nell
Appreciate the specifics, Nel ! . . I’ll try to watch the sun move through locations for a better spot. Backyard would be great for bright shade but no protection from rain. Today, pulled up & transplanted 2 stems with roots so now have room to check dampness to mid-depth of pot. Surprised still VERY wet from water 2 days ago. Pressed a tightly rolled paper towel down the side & soaked up excess. Think soil needs less often & less amount.
Hi Nell
Wow…have I ever been mistreating my Burro! Actually it’s not mine and that is why I am losing sleep over caring for it. I’m babysitting it for my son in law who was given it by his deceased grandmother. Having read your blog I see where I may have been going wrong but would still like some advise about transplanting. How big a pot should it be in? It is currently in a six inch clay pot and the spindly trails are about six inches long and have not grown in the year that I have had it. What mix should I use and should I fill the new pot half way and try to extracate the burro with as much of the existing soil as possible or shake it off? Will there be roots that I should be careful with? If you think I’m nervous about this, you’d be right. Thanks for your help.
H Carole – Oh the pressure of babysitting plants! Succulents can be closely planted & packed in or grow in large pots – that’s another wonderful thing about them. Be prepared to loose leaves when you transplant it – this is not due to shock but because they fall off easily. You can take cuttings from those spindly trails & replant them. You can go up to a 10″ pot or larger if you’d like. I prefer to keep the pot size in scale with the plant I’m transplanting. And, use succulent & cactus mix if it’s available in your area. The plant would appreciate having some new soil but you don’t want to loose too many leaves so tap the existing soil off gently. Hope that helps! Nell
Hi Nell,
I am from Singapore & I find it extremely difficult to grow this Burros tail succulent. I watered my Burros tail about 14days but the leaves continue to shrivel like dried raisins and eventually die. Bought another pot but it lasted only a couple of months!!!
Can advise me where did I go wrong?
Thank You