Sedum morganianum 'Burrito'

Sedum morganianum 'Burrito'

Family: Crassulaceae
Common Names: baby burro’s tail, donkey’s tail, stonecrop
Origin: Sedum morganianum ‘Burrito’
Description: Sedum morganianium ‘Burrito’ is a succulent plant that grows in cascading habit (1,2,3,4). Its stems initially grow in an upright orientation, until their increasing length causes them to slump in a weeping fashion (1,2,4). The pendulous branches can grow up to 3ft in length and become quite heavy from the weight of its leaves. The leaves are each less than an inch long, have a green-blue hue and a powdery bloom coating their surface, sometimes giving it a silver coloration (1,2,4,9). Traditional Sedum morganianum and the ‘Burrito’ cultivar are nearly identical in appearance, aside from one key difference (4,9,10). The leaves of both are fleshy and turgid, however, Sedum morganianum has pointed leaves whereas the ‘Burrito’ cultivar has more blunt, rounded leaves (1,2,4,5). The leaves are densely packed along the stem in a spiraling position, and they are quite delicate, easily being dislodged from the stem when handled (1,2,6,9). Its flowers are less than an inch long and form on a pendulous cyme, usually having 1-6 flowers, each with a star shaped corolla of five petals (1,2,3,4). The petals range from pink to red in color, with bright yellow stamens, and the corolla is encased in a green fleshy sepal structure with light pink streaking (1,2,3). This plant develops seed capsules when pollinated (1).

Interesting Features:
- There is debate concerning whether this plant should be labeled a cultivar, or variety given its true origin is obscure (2,3,6,7). Sedum morganianum ‘Burrito’ was discovered in 1970, with two specimens being found in separate nurseries, one in Veracruz and the other in Guadalajara (3,6,7). It has yet to be discovered in the wild but given its close relation to the traditional Sedum morganianum (native to Veracruz), it is speculated that this plant may be a vegetative sport or natural hybrid/variety rather than a true cultivar (2,3,6,7).

Uses: Sedum morganianum ‘Burrito’ is a beloved houseplant for its attractive, pendulous stems, and dense spiraling leaf orientation (2,4,5,7). This plant’s sole ethnobotanical use is as an ornamental, commonly being showcased in hanging baskets due to its cascading habit (2,4,5,7,8). This plant is an excellent low-maintenance accent piece, and its ease of propagation makes it widely accessible. This plant is considered non-toxic to humans, although it can be mildly toxic to children and pets, so care should be taken to keep it out of reach (3).

Cultivation and Care:

Watering: Low
- This plant requires routine watering during the hottest period of the year, allowing the soil medium to almost dry out between waterings (3,4,5).
- Watering frequency should be reduced during the winter, possibly as little as once a month, allowing the soil to dry out completely between waterings (2,3,4,5).
- Shriveling of the leaves is a good sign of prolonged drought, and mushy, wilted leaves is indicative of overwatering (2).
Soil: The baby burro’s tail plant will not tolerate water-logged soil, as overwatering or poor drainage will result in root rot (3,4,5).
- This plant requires well-draining soil, a soil medium formulated for succulents is recommended, and fortification with sand or rocks for extra drainage can be beneficial (1,2,3,4,5).
Lighting: Full sun
- This plant prefers full sun to thrive, but will tolerate part-shade, though excessive shading will cause leggy growth (3,4,5,6).
- Baby burro’s tail is noted for having very densely packed leaves along its stem, and inadequate light levels will result in stretching and exposure of its branches, causing visibly sparse leaf cover (2).
Propagation: This plant is easily propagated by stem and leaf cuttings however leaf cuttings will take considerably longer to generate a new plant (1,2,3,4,7).
- Both leaf and stem cuttings should be allowed to “callous-over” before insertion into damp potting medium, to reduce risk of rot (2,3,4).
Cold Tolerance: This plant has a minimum cold-hardiness of zone 10a and will thrive between zones 10a-11a as it does not tolerate extreme heat well (3,4,7).
- Baby burro’s tail is not frost tolerant and must be protected from exposure (7).
Special Accommodations: Sedum morganianum ‘Burrito’ is a generally low-maintenance plant, although it should be handled with care, as its leaves are quite delicate and detach readily. However, leaf-drop does occur naturally and should not be interpreted as a problem (1,2,4,5).
- This plant is generally pest-free, however infestation is often caused by overwatering (1,2).
- This plant is not considered a heavy feeder, although light fertilizing once or twice during the summer is recommended (1,2,3).
- This plant rarely flowers, especially indoors, however a cooling period of 50-60 degrees may encourage flowering (1,2,4).

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