If properly cared for, donkey tail succulents can reach maturity in about 6 years and grow up to 4 feet long during that time. They grow slowly and consistently. However, the donkey tail plant typically reaches a length of 24 inches.
Why Is My Donkey Tail Succulent Losing Leaves?
Due to its fragility, leaf loss is the most frequent issue with donkey tail succulents. Because the plant’s beaded leaves are so delicate, handling it needs to be done with extreme care. Therefore, it is preferable to set the plant down and forget about it, and to avoid continuously handling it.
Always water the plant wherever you have it and try to avoid moving or disturbing it frequently. Your donkey tail plant should ideally be placed in a spot where it won’t be disturbed, such a windowsill or hanging pot in a corner. As far as you can, refrain from repotting the succulent, and keep it away from children and pets.
The donkey tail or burro’s tail succulent is a well-liked indoor plant that is extremely common. These magnificent long, trailing, grey-green succulents are simple to grow and care for and can bring elegance to any area of your home.
What part of a succulent do you put a donkey tail on?
Like many succulents, donkey’s tail does best in a place with a lot of warm sunshine, though it will tolerate some shade. If you decide to keep your plant indoors, choose a sunny windowsill with enough of everyday light.
Is growing a donkey tail simple?
You will probably agree that a donkey’s tail is a challenging plant to grow, especially indoors, if you have one in your collection of succulents. Despite being a member of the hardy sedum family, this succulent is delicate and loses its leaves easily.
This succulent, sometimes known as a burro’s tail, may thrive in sandy soil and morning sunlight. However, in order to give donkey’s tail the greatest care possible, you must be aware of the ideal growing conditions. Here are the perfect circumstances for your burro’s tail to grow.
Do you water donkey tails frequently?
Both inexperienced and experienced gardeners like burro’s tail: It is aesthetically pleasing, grows quickly, needs little maintenance or space, and is very simple to propagate—that is, to create new plants from stem or leaf cuttings. Here are some suggestions for maintaining succulents:
- 1. Put in a sunny spot. Burro tails require bright light or some sun for at least four hours each day. If your burro’s tail is an indoor plant, make sure it’s close to strong light but away from windowsills with full, intense sun. Full sun will turn the leaves pale green or yellow. If you live in a chilly climate, bring your burro’s tail inside because they prefer temperatures between 50 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
- 2.Use water prudently. Since burro’s tails are succulent plants, the leaves can hold water. Your burro’s tail plant will decay if you overwater it. Although experts advise watering the plant roughly every 10 days throughout the growing season when temperatures are typically above 40 degrees Fahrenheit, outdoor plants only require water every 10 to 14 days. Use the “soak and dry” procedure when it’s time to water, which specifies that the soil must be entirely dry before additional irrigation. Depending on the temperature and amount of light in your home, indoor burro’s tails only require thorough watering once a month. Discover more about succulent plant maintenance.
- 3. Use soil that drains effectively. Burro’s tails need well-draining soil, much like all succulents do. A mixed soil is best for succulents because pure garden soil would encourage root rot. Additionally, you can create your own well-draining soil by combining potting soil with equal parts horticultural grade sand, perlite, or pumice. Compost and worm castings can be fed to your burro once a month during the warm months and not at all during the winter to add extra nutrients to its tails.
- Pest surveillance. Fortunately, burro’s tails appear to be resistant to the majority of insect pests, however your plant may still have aphids or mealybugs. A burst of water from the hose or a solution of water and rubbing alcohol can be used to spritz them. Burro’s tails can be safely be treated with neem oil, a naturally occurring insecticide derived from the seeds of the neem tree.
- 5. Repot as required. Although mature plants are frequently too fragile to repot, repotting a burro’s tail is simple to perform if the plant becomes too large or outgrows its pot. The best container is a terra-cotta pot with draining holes since it will let the plant breathe and store water. Remove the plant once the dirt is completely dry, look for and remove any rotten roots, and then repot it in a fresh pot with well-draining soil. After a week of keeping the burro’s tail dry, lightly irrigate the soil to promote root growth and prevent root rot.
How often should I water the tail of the burro?
- The burro’s tail can withstand drought (those pillow leaves retain water). Limit your watering to once per month. (Be sure to fully soak the soil, then wait until the topsoil is completely dry before watering again.)
- Use potting soil made for cacti and a pot with a drainage hole for your container plant.
- Burro’s tail is a perennial in USDA growth zones 9 to 11, and as it is a native of eastern Mexico and Honduras, it anticipates warm weather all year long in the garden.
Burro’s tail was found by American botanist Eric Walther in Mexico in the 1930s, and he brought it back to California where it has been grown ever since.
Can donkey tails be grown from stems?
A Burro’s Tail requires no special maintenance. That and propagation, which you should learn how to do because everyone of your pals will want a cutting or two, will be covered further down. At the conclusion of this list, I’ll also tell you what it needs if you want to grow it indoors since mine grows outside.
Light
Bright shade or moderate sun are preferred by Sedum morganianum. In the blazing sun, it will burn. It enjoys the morning sun, which mine receives. It now receives some afternoon sun as well because my neighbor took down two of his pine trees last year.
The stems that are receiving too much sun are a pale green, as you can see if you watch the movie at the very end. Ideal color for this plant would be a gorgeous blue-green. I’ll keep an eye on it and decide whether I need to transfer it to a less sunny area.
Watering
Don’t overwater it because all those leaves are storing water. If you do, it will waste away. I give my Burro’s Tail a thorough drink every 10–14 days because it is well-established (it is about 5 years old). This method of watering also aids in the flushing out of some salts from the water and fertilizers. That is aided by the wintertime rainwater that the mine receives. Don’t splash and pee every other day, in other words.
I water it more frequently every 9 to 11 days throughout the growing season, when the days are longer and warmer. Plants in clay pots typically dry out more quickly than larger plants in smaller pots. Adapt your actions in accordance with the weather.
Soil
This succulent requires proper drainage, just like any other. Use a combination made specifically for cactus and succulents as the water needs to drain out of it quickly. If you reside nearby Pasadena, I get mine at California Cactus Center. Alternately, you can lighten any existing potting soil by adding horticultural grade sand and perlite (or fine lava rock, gravel, or pumice).
Worm castings are my go-to planting tool. That would be wonderful for your burro’s tail as well. By the way, every spring I top dress all of my garden’s pots with compost and worm castings.
It’s uncommon to find your Burro’s Tail flower. Despite the fact that there were only 3 clusters on that massive plant, mine blossomed for the first time ever this year.
Temperature
Here in Santa Barbara, the wintertime low temperature is typically in the mid-40s. Occasionally, but rarely for longer than a few days, we plunge into the thirties. Mine is next to the house and doesn’t seem to be under any strain during those brief cold spells. Our summertime temperatures, which are often in the mid to upper 70s, are perfect for the Burro’s Tail.
Insects
I simply spray them off once a month because the only pests my garden ever encounters are aphids. Burro’s Tail isn’t particularly sensitive to a wide variety of insects. If hosing it off doesn’t work, you can spray it with a solution of 1/5 rubbing alcohol to 4/5 water. Neem Oil is a natural insect control solution that is quick and easy to use on a variety of insects.
Propagation
Similar to most succulents, Sedum morganianum is simple to grow from seed. Simply trim the stems to the desired length, remove the bottom third of the leaves, and then wait 2 to 3 months before planting them to heal (the cut end of the stem will callus over).
Your cuttings may need to be staked down in the pot when you plant them since the weight of the stems will pull them out. Additionally, you can grow it from individual leaf cuttings, as shown in the image below. Please be aware that this plant’s leaves break and fall off quite quickly. If you’re interested in learning more about this topic, I wrote a lengthy blog entry about sedum propagation.
It can also be multiplied using the individual leaves. Where the leaf joins the stem, little plants are beginning to appear. Simply place the leaves on top of your mixture of succulents and cacti, and they will take root. Keep it relatively dry.
It is frequently offered as a hanging plant for indoors. You can purchase a burros tail right here. Place it away from any windows that receive direct sunlight and in a location with nice, bright light. In the winter, you might need to reposition it because the sun moves to a location with more light.
It’s crucial to avoid overwatering this plant. Do not water those leaves every week because they store a lot of water. A thorough watering once a month should be sufficient, depending on the temperature and lighting in your home.
In the video below, I demonstrate my burro’s tail plant in my front yard.
Why are the leaves on my burro’s tail falling off?
Burro’s tail, also known as Sedum morganianum, is a tough yet fragile plant. Burro’s tail is a succulent plant whose leaves can easily come off and is referred to as the drama queen of the succulent family. Although the plant is simple to maintain, many plant parents are dismayed by the bald spots on its tendrils.
The fact that burro’s tail is a naturally delicate plant is the main cause of its leaves coming off. This plant’s tendency to slough off its leaves at the slightest provocation is quite normal.
However, occasionally a different reason for the falling leaves may exist and demand your attention. Following are all the causes for the loss of burro’s tail leaves:
Overwatering
The burro’s tail does not require much water, like many succulents. As a result, it is vulnerable to overwatering.
Observing the leaves will help you determine whether you are overwatering your burro’s tail. You are likely overwatering the plant if the leaves shrivel up before they fall off.
Rotting
Succulents frequently struggle with root rot. The burro’s tail gets root rot if the plant was not properly replanted or if the roots are kept submerged for an extended period of time.
This weakens the plant and makes it easier for the leaves to fall off. To find out whether the burro’s tail has root rot, you must examine its roots.
New Leaves
Burro’s tail leaves can occasionally come off due to the plant’s top developing new growth. You shouldn’t worry, though, because new leaves will soon replace the ones that have fallen.
When the burro’s tail leaves fall off, you may notice very small offsets, which just indicates that the plant is active and expanding.
Why is the tail on my burro shriveling?
The burro’s tail is a common succulent houseplant with eye-catching, teardrop-shaped, plump, meaty leaves. They develop along a vine in a row, and the vine looks lovely trailing over the edge of a hanging basket.
This plant may grow up to four feet long in six years and is indigenous to Mexico and Honduras. It produces summer-blooming white, yellow, or red blooms.
The burro’s tail is a low-maintenance plant that isn’t particularly prone to issues, but when its leaves begin to wilt, that can be a concern.
If this occurs, it typically indicates that the plant is under stress due to a change in its environment, thus you must identify the precise cause of the shriveling in order to take the appropriate action to address the issue.
The most frequent reasons why burro’s tail leaves become shriveled are soil that is excessively dense or has turned hydrophobic, underwatering, overwatering, excessive sunshine, and these conditions.
Do dogs get sick from donkey tail plant poison?
In the end, it’s a good idea to keep the Burros Tail (and other Sedum) out of the reach of children, pets, and animals even though it isn’t toxic to cats and dogs.
Donkey’s Tail plants are a wonderful option for usage as hanging succulent plants due of their fragile nature and cascading growth pattern.
The heavy, succulent leaves are prone to falling off; if they land in soil, they will germinate and develop.
When growing burro’s tail, it is best to put the plant in a hanging basket and out of harm’s way in order to safeguard it.
When it comes to other Sedum varieties, keeping the plant out of children’s, pets’, and other animals’ reach safeguards indoor plants from potential harm.
Call 911 or the poison control hotline (USA 1-800-222-1222) as soon as you have any suspicions of poisoning.