Donkey’s tail succulents are a great option for anyone who wants a low-maintenance trailing plant that doesn’t require a ton of care to thrive and look great. This drought-tolerant plant adds texture and style to any room, and is so easy to take care of that even beginners can find success with this succulent.
In the donkey’s tail succulent care guide, you’ll learn that this plant thrives in warm environments where the temperatures are between 65 and 75 degrees, and that it needs bright indirect light. The guide also breaks down what diseases this plant can experience, as well as how to propagate them.
Donkey tail’s succulent are extremely versatile and can be grown in a wide array of containers. They do, however, look stunning in a hanging basket, which allows their long trailing stems to hang down.
This plant is native to Southern Mexico, and it produces bluish-green leaves that are plump and soft, while still being firm and not mushy. These leaves appear on the plant’s trailing stems, which can reach, on average, up to 24 inches long.
In its native habitat, the donkey’s tail succulent will produce terminal red or pink colored blooms during the summer. Keep in mind, however, that this plant rarely blooms when grown indoors. So if you are growing the donkey’s tail succulent as a houseplant, it probably won’t produce flowers.
Other Names Of Donkey’s Tail Succulent
Most plants go by several different names, and some of these names are more common than others. Let’s examine the donkey’s tail succulent and whether or not it is known by any other moniker.
Donkey’s tail succulent is known by many names, including burro’s tail, lamb’s tail, horse’s tail, and stonecrop. Its scientific name is Sedum morganianum and it produces long trailing stems that can reach up to 2 feet long.
Frost Tolerance And USDA Hardiness Zones Of Donkey’s Tail Succulent
Frost can quickly damage and even kill plants if they are not tolerant of this harsh type of weather. Thankfully, you can easily determine whether or not your plants are frost tolerant and what regions they are hardy in by checking the USDA hardiness zones.
Donkey’s tail succulents are not frost tolerant, but can be grown outdoors in USDA hardiness zones 10a to 11b. Even though it can’t tolerate frost, the donkey’s tail succulent can handle temperatures as low as 30 degrees.
How Many Hours Of Sunlight Does Donkey’s Tail Succulent Need?
One of the tasks that comes along with gardening is ensuring your plants get the right amount of sunlight every day. This can be easier said than done, since not all plants share the same sunlight needs.
Donkey’s tail succulents don’t require an abundance of sunlight, but will grow best when it receives about four hours of bright light. The morning sun provides the succulent with the right amount of sun without being too harsh.
Putting the donkey’s tail succulent in the scorching sun will cause the foliage to burn. Any burned or damaged leaves will not “get better” even if you correct the lighting situation. Unfortunately, there is no reversing the damage caused by incorrect sunlight. However, new growth won’t become damaged as long as you maintain the right type of light.
Donkey’s Tail Succulent Needs Direct Or Indirect Sunlight?
Direct and indirect sunlight are two completely different types of lighting, and some plants need one over the other for the best growth. Let’s take a look at which one the donkey’s tail succulent needs.
The donkey’s tail succulent needs bright, direct light but only from the morning sun. Setting the succulent in direct harsh light, such as during midday, will result in the leaves burning.
Is Donkey’s Tail Succulent An Indoor Plant, Outdoor Plant Or Both?
The donkey’s tail succulent can be grown outdoors, as well as indoors, as long as you live in a region that has warm weather all year round.
The donkey’s tail succulent is most commonly grown as an indoor houseplant, but for people in USDA hardiness zones 10a to 11b, this plant can grow outside. Donkey’s tail succulents can handle temps as low as 30 degrees, but they grow best in 65 to 75 degree temperatures.
What Are The Indoor Lighting Requirements?
Trying to get the right lighting for indoor plants can sometimes be a challenge. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to give the donkey’s tail succulent its ideal lighting requirements.
When grown indoors, the donkey’s tail succulent will need bright light that isn’t harsh. The morning sun provides the ideal sunlight for this plant. Avoid allowing the plant to sit in direct sunlight during midday.
Donkey’s tail succulents also do well under artificial lighting, which is a good option if you need to supplement the sunlight.
What Are The Outdoor Lighting Requirements?
Whether you grow the donkey’s tail succulent indoors or outdoors, it will need the same type of lighting. In the case of the donkey’s tail succulent, that type of lighting is bright but not too harsh.
Donkey’s tail succulents grown outdoors will need bright sunlight that isn’t too harsh. The morning sun provides the ideal lighting situation since it is bright without being harsh. Try not to position your succulent in an area where it gets the hot sun rays during midday.
What Soil Requirements Does Donkey’s Tail Succulent Need?
There are various different soils out there, and not all of them work for all plants. In fact, trying to grow the donkey’s tail succulent in the wrong soil could severely damage the plant.
Donkey’s tail succulents grow the best when they live in sandy, well-draining soil. This goes for both indoor and outdoor donkey’s tail succulents. A growing medium designed for succulents and cacti is a good choice for the Donkey’s tail succulent.
How Much Water Does Donkey’s Tail Succulent Need?
Because the donkey’s tail is a succulent, it doesn’t require an abundance of water. While this can make caring for the plant easier, it also means that the plant is more susceptible to overwatering. That is why it is important to know how much water this plant needs.
Donkey’s tail succulents don’t need much watering, and generally do well with only one heavy watering every month. Outdoor plants usually need a little more watering, typically about every three weeks. A good general rule of thumb is to allow the soil to dry out between waterings.
Is My Donkey’s Tail Succulent Overwatered, What Are The Symptoms?
Overwatering your donkey’s tail succulent is one of the worst things you can do to the plant. Not only does it make it harder for the succulent to absorb the vital nutrients it needs to survive, but it also opens the plant up to potentially deadly diseases.
The most common symptom of an overwatered donkey’s tail succulent is wilting leaves that fall from the plant. If the overwatering continues, the plant will start to experience stunted growth, discolored leaves, and mushy or soft foliage. Root rot can also occur, which can be fatal to the plant.
Is My Donkey’s Tail Succulent Underwatered, What Are The Symptoms?
Underwatering isn’t as serious as overwatering, especially when it comes to the donkey’s tail succulent. This is because the plant is drought tolerant and actually prefers to have its soil dry out between waterings.
When a donkey’s tail succulent is underwatered, the foliage will feel more spongy and less firm, and even appear thinner. The entire plant can appear wilted and the leaves may even discolor to a brown or yellowish color and fall off the succulent.
Many of the symptoms associated with an underwatered plant are also the same for an overwatered plant. You can easily tell the difference between the two by checking the soil. An underwatered plant will have dry soil, while an overwatered plant will have soggy soil.
We at Plants To Trees first published this article on November 8, 2022. Copyright protected.
How Much Fertilizer Does Donkey’s Tail Succulent Need? What Kind?
Just like your outdoor plants, your indoor succulents will need a little feeding every now and again. With that said, however, refrain from over fertilizing the plant as this can lead to its own set of serious and damaging problems.
Donkey’s tail succulents can benefit from cactus fertilizer applied once or twice during its growing season, which is in the spring and summer. Keep in mind that feeding this succulent isn’t required, but it does help boost its health and encourage strong growth.
Donkey’s Tail Succulent Diseases To Be Aware Of
As with most succulents, the donkey’s tail is a fairly easy to care for plant that doesn’t deal with a slew of health issues.
Donkey’s tail succulent doesn’t have too many problems, but the disease that can infect it is a serious one. Root rot will quickly kill this succulent and, to make matters worse, there is no cure for it. Thankfully, root rot is preventable and you can keep it at bay by not overwatering the succulent.
Are There Different Types Of Donkey’s Tail Succulent?
Most plants have more than one variety, and these different types can have their own unique appearance and characteristics.
There are two donkey’s tail succulents. The original, whose scientific name is Sedum morganianum, and the burrito variety, whose scientific name is Sedum morganianum ‘Burrito’. Some people actually call the burrito variety burro’s tail, while others use the name interchangeably between the two.
You can tell the difference between the two by their leaf shape. The original donkey’s tail succulent has crescent-shaped leaves that are clustered loosely around the stem. The burrito variety has round-shaped leaves that are clustered tightly around the stem.
How To Propagate Donkey’s Tail Succulent
Propagating succulents is a fairly easy process that can quickly increase the amount of plants you own, and even make great gifts for friends and family members.
The donkey’s tail succulent can be propagated in a number of ways, including via stem or leaf cutting. It can also be rooted in both soil and water. The quickest way to propagate the succulent is using a stem cutting. For the best results, only propagate during the plant’s active growing season.
Is Donkey’s Tail Succulent Toxic To Humans?
Plants can pose a serious threat to the health and wellness of humans. In fact, a lot of the most commonly grown houseplants are actually toxic to humans. Let’s take a look at the donkey’s tail succulent and whether or not it is considered toxic to humans.
The article owner is Plants To Trees dot Com and this article was first published on November 8, 2022.
Donkey’s tail succulents are listed as non-toxic to humans, which means it is a safer option for homes with small children. That doesn’t mean you should allow children to chew on the plant. Even though it isn’t toxic, it can still cause stomach upsets if ingested.
Is Donkey’s Tail Succulent Toxic To Dogs?
Houseplants can sometimes pose a serious risk to dogs, and can even result in irreversible organ damage. Thankfully, the donkey’s tail succulent is not one of these dangerous plants.
If you’re looking for a trailing succulent that is non toxic to dogs, the donkey’s tail succulent is your best option. This plant doesn’t pose a threat to the health of your dogs even if they ingest the succulent.
With that said, you should still try to keep your dog from chewing on the plant as this will damage the plant and could still cause gastrointestinal distress in your pooch.
Is Donkey’s Tail Succulent Toxic To Cats?
Many cat owners have just accepted the fact that most common houseplants are toxic to cats, which means they cannot grow plants indoors. But did you know there are more than a few completely safe plants that pose no risk to your feline’s health? And the donkey’s tail succulent is one of them.
Donkey’s tail succulents are safe to have in homes with cats. If ingested, it won’t cause any serious or long-term side effects. Keep in mind that you should still refrain from allowing your cat to ingest the succulent since it may still cause gastrointestinal distress and even damage the plant.
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PlantsToTrees.com is the owner of this article and we first published this on November 8, 2022.