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Stonecrop Morgan is a very decorative looking plant that can forgive its owner for forgetfulness and endure a long period of “drought”. Refers to succulents that are adapted to a hot dry climate and store water in their own tissues.
All representatives of this group are very beautiful at a young age, but as they grow, they can lose leaves, remaining with a bare stem. These plants include the “rose” echeveria. Stonecrop, unlike her, with proper care retains foliage, which gives it an attractive appearance.
Description of the plant
Stonecrop Morgan is a succulent, that is, a plant adapted to living in regions where the drought is replaced by the rainy season every year. Belongs to the Tolstyankovye family. Like other representatives of this group, stonecrop survives without moisture for almost 6 months after it “drinks” plenty of water during heavy rains. Found stonecrop Morgan in the dry regions of Mexico. In nature, succulents often grow on steep rocky cliffs, fixing their roots in crevices.
Its official name in Latin is Sedum morganianum. In transcription – Morgan’s sedum. Because of its appearance, the succulent has received many other names. And in all there is the word “tail”:
- horse;
- a donkey;
- burro (also “donkey”, but in Spanish);
- monkey;
- lamb.
The association with the tail is caused by long, hanging stems of stonecrop, “braided” with leaves.
Stonecrop Morgan is a perennial plant with hanging stems. The length of the latter in nature reaches 100 cm. Very fleshy, slightly flattened leaves reach 2 cm. Thickness 5-8 mm. The cross section is an irregular oval.
The leaves grow on the stem in a circle and are located close to each other. Because of this, it really gives the impression of blue-green scaly tails hanging from a flower pot.
In nature, succulents bloom every year after the end of the rainy season. But at home, Morgan’s sedum, even with good care, very rarely forms buds. But if this was achieved, the tail acquires a brush of several peduncles with 1-6 flowers. The color of the petals is from pink to bright red.
In reality, the flowers of the original form of the Sedum Morgan succulent do not look as attractive as in professional photographs.
Peduncles are formed only on the longest stems and in an amount of up to 6 pieces
After the “monkey’s tail” began to be kept as an ornamental plant, 20 varieties were bred from the wild form of Morgan’s stonecrop: sedum burrito “donkey’s tail”, sedeveria “giant donkey’s tail”, Adolf’s sedum, Steel’s sedum and others.
The first two are the most interesting.
Sedum burrito «Baby Donkey Tail»
It is a dwarf variety of “monkey tail”, growing to about half its size. Good for small spaces. Its leaves are about half the size of a donkey’s tail, which gives it a very cute and quirky look. The color of the leaves is light green without a matte coating. The care of this plant is the same as for the original form of Morgan’s stonecrop.
In a small room it is more convenient to keep the “donkey’s tail”
Sedeveria “The tail of a giant donkey”
This plant is a hybrid of two different succulents: Stonecrop Morgan and Echeveria. The leaves are pointed, large. The shape and size are partly inherited from Echeveria. They are located in the same way as stonecrop. As a result, the stem, covered with such foliage, looks very powerful and thick. Some of the “tails” of this plant can grow upright.
“Giant donkey tail” looks good on an outside wall, but would be out of place in a small room
Thanks to hybridization, Sedeveria has an interesting color of flowers: yellow petals and a red core
Echeveria is one of the parental forms of Sedeveria.
How fast does Morgan’s sedum grow?
Like any succulent, Morgan’s stonecrop takes root easily and quickly. But with the cultivation of a long lash, the owner of the sedum may have problems. Even in nature, these plants are not very fast growing. At home, they slow down even more.
But slow growth can also be a boon for the grower. Sedum Morgana does not require an annual transplant, as happens with fast-growing species. It can be kept in the same small pot for several years. This is what allows you to grow beautiful “whips”.
Poison stonecrop Morgan or not
Monkey tail is a non-poisonous plant. But it is often confused with overgrown myrtle spurge. The juice of the latter leaves burns on the skin. Although spurge is also often planted as an ornamental plant, its handling requires caution.
On the left in the photo milk thistle, on the right – Morgan’s stonecrop:
With a careful attitude, it is difficult to confuse these two plants: in milkweed, the leaves are flat, with pointed tips, in stonecrop, “swollen”, droplet-shaped
It is even more difficult to confuse these two species in a flowering state. The flowers of Morgan’s stonecrop have a bright color and resemble either a small lily, or a half-blown tulip.
Euphorbia (left) has inconspicuous yellowish-green “plates”
Flowering at home
Succulents are stingy to bloom. At home, it is almost impossible to achieve this phase of vegetation from them. And they don’t need flowers to survive. They are well propagated by leaves and cuttings.
You can try to cause the stonecrop to bloom, but for this you will have to reproduce the natural conditions of its existence. The main requirement for flowering is not to move the sedum from its permanent place. Then there’s the matter of luck. But if the stonecrop blooms, he will do it in the summer.
Plant value
Unlike the egg-shaped fat woman, which is also called the money tree, Morgan’s stonecrop did not have time to acquire esoteric significance. There is only a version that in ancient times its leaves were used as a local anesthetic, applied to wounds. Hence the Latin name “sedum”. There are 3 versions of the origin of this name:
- sedare, that is, “pacification”;
- sedere – “sit”, as many types of sedums creep along the ground;
- sedo – “I am sitting”, due to the fact that some succulents grow on sheer walls.
But the importance of Morgan’s stonecrop in the decoration of the winter garden is difficult to overestimate. This plant, with proper care, can decorate any composition.
Features reproduction stonecrop Morgan
Seeds of Sedum Morgan, if it reproduces, then no one has seen this. But he perfectly rooted broken off pieces of the stem and fallen leaves. The most commonly practiced propagation of stonecrop Morgan with the help of leaves. To do this, it is enough to collect them and spread them out in a pot with prepared soil. After that, the soil is moistened, and the leaves are gently pressed into the wet ground.
Stonecrop foliage easily takes root and sprouts
The second method of propagation is cuttings. The stonecrop stem is cut into pieces 5-7 cm long. The lower part is cleaned of leaves and the planting material is left to dry in the air for a day. Dry in the dark. The “naked” part of the finished segments is sprinkled with earth and watered. The soil is kept slightly moist until Morgan’s stonecrop takes root. This takes about 2 weeks. Sometimes the cuttings are placed in water until the roots appear. But in this case, you need to make sure that the plant does not rot.
It is less convenient to propagate stonecrop by cuttings than by leaves. Therefore, the cut tops of the old stem often act as cuttings. Just because the rest of the leaves have already fallen off by themselves and the flower looks ugly.
Thin red hairs often appear on bare stems. These are aerial roots, with the help of which stonecrop catches summer dew in natural conditions. You can cut off the top with such a stem and immediately plant it in another pot. Rooting will be easier than cuttings.
The succulent branches very reluctantly. Pinching the top does not guarantee the appearance of side branches, but disfigures the flower. Therefore, the best way to quickly get a lot of stems hanging from one pot is to plant the right amount of cuttings or leaves there.
If there is nowhere to hurry, you can wait until the root system grows. Stonecrop stems almost do not branch, but it gives new shoots from the root. This ability is based on the third method of reproduction – the division of the bush.
The procedure is the same as for most colors:
- remove the stonecrop from the pot;
- divide the root into several parts so that there is at least one stem;
- slightly shake off the root part from the soil, but you can not clean it;
- plant all parts in pots.
The appearance of Morgan’s sedum after this method of reproduction is likely to be as in the photo below:
It is best to divide the sedum during transplanting into a new pot, during this procedure a very large number of leaves fall off.
Optimal Growing Conditions
The ideal temperature for stonecrop is in the range of 18-24 °C. The succulent needs a lot of sunlight, so the pot of Morgan’s sedum should be positioned so that the sun falls on the stems for at least 4 hours a day.
Stonecrop should not be placed too close to windows and doors. In summer, the sun will burn the leaves through the glass, and in winter, cold air will come through the cracks.
At home, in winter, the succulent falls into a dormant state. At this time, reduce watering and reduce the air temperature by 10 ° C.
Planting and caring for Morgan’s sedum
Although the stonecrop growing in nature is considered an unpretentious plant, at home the situation is different. And those qualities that help a succulent survive on rocks can be harmful at home. Due to the adaptive features of Morgan’s stonecrop, care must be taken when growing it at home.
In the photo, Morgan’s sedum with improper care and an unsuccessful choice of landing site:
Leaf discoloration is caused by excess direct sunlight at noon.
Preparation of containers and soil
Stonecrop Morgan does not need a lot of soil, and its roots do not penetrate to great depths. Therefore, in the case of this succulent, you can get by with a small capacity. But you also need to take into account that the soil in the pot should pass water well. Usually the pot is filled with soil for cacti or a mixture for flowers, but mixed with sand in a ratio of 1: 1. Another option: take one part of the flower soil, sand and agroperlite.
At the bottom of the container, it is necessary to pour a layer of expanded clay or pebbles. If the pot will stand in the pan, after watering the excess liquid must be drained.
When planting a plant in open ground, you need to consider a drainage system. It is best if Morgan’s stonecrop grows on a small hill. Large pebbles should be placed under the soil layer. Dig a drainage groove around the landing site.
Landing algorithm
Depends on what the stonecrop owner plans to plant. If it’s just leaves:
- fill the pot with drainage and soil mixture;
- lay out the leaves on top;
- press firmly to the ground;
- water.
Cuttings are planted in holes, sprinkled with earth and watered. A container with soil is prepared in the same way as for leaves.
Morgan’s stonecrop care at home
Hang where the morning or evening sun will fall, occasionally water, fertilize and do not touch with your hands. And it’s not a joke. If you need beautiful, decorative stems, stonecrop should not be touched. Ideally, it doesn’t need to be moved at all, but this may not be feasible. Usually, Morgan’s sedum is placed on an east or west window. The south is too hot for him.
The photo shows the correct care for Morgan’s sedum:
The succulent has completely retained its attractive appearance and blooms willingly, you can’t refuse the creativity of the owner of the installation either
Microclimate
Since succulents do not tolerate high humidity, Morgan’s sedum should not be kept in the kitchen or bathroom. He does not need to create any special microclimate. It grows well with normal humidity in the room or on the street.
Watering and top dressing
Ideally, the soil for Stonecrop Morgan should be slightly moist. He does not like too dry, but, like any succulent, he is able to withstand drought. The ideal is hard to come by. Under the externally dry layer, there may still be quite wet soil.
Regarding watering, you can find different recommendations. Some believe that it is necessary to water the plant when the topsoil dries out by 1,5-2 cm. Other flower growers say that it is necessary to navigate according to the situation.
The first method is quite complicated, since you have to dig up the soil, risking damage to the roots. The second is simpler: watering is carried out as soon as the stonecrop leaves begin to wrinkle.
Stonecrop planted in open ground is watered about once a month. A potted plant will need water more often, especially if the sedum is in full sun. You may need to water every 10-14 days, or even more often in the summer.
For Sedum Morgan, a rare but plentiful watering is recommended. Frequent, but scarce, harms the plant. A large amount of water washes away mineral salts that are undesirable for succulents from the soil. But in order for moisture not to stagnate, stonecrop needs well-drained soil. If the “monkey tail” grows in a pot with a tray, after watering the water is completely drained.
Fertilize sedum once a month. In fact, it is not uncommon for top dressing to coincide with watering. But the need for nutrients in succulents is lower than that of other plants, so the manufacturer’s recommended dose of fertilizer should be doubled. Morgan’s stonecrop is fed from March to September. During the dormant period, sedum does not need nutrients at all.
Morgan’s stonecrop leaves can change color not only due to excess sun, but also with improper fertilizer.
Trimming
In the traditional sense, that is, shortening of the stems, pruning of stonecrop is not carried out. Otherwise, it will lose its decorative appearance. But sometimes it is required to remove the bare stems. Then just cut off the tops and root them.
Another option when you need to cut off the tops and plant them again is rejuvenation. Stonecrop Morgan grows only 6 years. After that, he degenerates and dies. To avoid this, every few years the tops of the sedum are cut off and re-rooted.
Stonecrop degenerated over time is normal for this species.
Transfer
Preferably the less often the better. And no more than once every two years. When transplanting, the leaves from the stems will inevitably crumble. And the level of exposure will depend on the skill of the grower. But sometimes a transplant is needed. How to do this, and why large pots are undesirable, is well shown in the video below:
Can it be grown outdoors
With good drainage, Morgan’s stonecrop will grow outdoors. But only in those regions where there is no minus temperature in winter. There are no such regions in Our Country. Even in the southernmost winter temperatures drop below zero.
A compromise is optimal: in summer, Morgan’s sedum grows in a pot on the street, and in winter it is brought into a room with a temperature of 8-13 ° C.
Useful Properties
If we put aside the mysticism copied from the oval-leaved fat woman, then Morgan’s sedum has almost no useful properties. It is better to replace a possible analgesic effect with medicines today. Minor bleeding is well stopped by a pressure bandage, and with large ones, you must urgently go to the hospital. In fact, the only purpose of stonecrop is to please the eyes of the owner.
Possible problems
Sedum Morgan is not always pleasing to the eye. In addition to diseases and pests, there are other factors that can spoil the appearance of the plant. Chief among them is the sun.
If the stonecrop is under the midday rays, it can get burned. At best, the leaves will change color from bluish-green to orange-yellow. Although in winter the color will be restored, but in summer the burnt flower will look sick.
Sometimes stonecrop leaves begin to dry. It may seem that this is from a lack of water, but you need to check the base of the stem with dry leaves. It is possible that the stem rotted due to excess moisture. Drying and dying of leaves that failed to take root is a natural process.
If the pot of Morgan’s sedum is not positioned correctly, the stems may begin to grow in one direction. Relatively short shoots even rise to capture the sun’s rays. Experienced flower growers advise in this case to provide stonecrop with additional lighting using a phytolamp.
Sunburns received by stonecrop due to being in the sun can cause his death
Diseases and pests
A succulent hardened by evolution is not very susceptible to diseases. He also has almost no pests, since his natural enemies remained on the American continent. But some problems may arise in Eurasia:
- root rot;
The disease is the mistake of the owner who allowed the water to stagnate
- molds;
Causes of damage – stagnant water and high humidity
- nematodes;
Nematodes – a frequent occurrence if the stonecrop was planted in contaminated land
- aphid.
Aphids – a pest common to all continents
When rot appears, Morgan’s sedum is transplanted, removing all damaged parts. Or rooted again.
A sign of fungal infection is dark spots on the leaves and stems. The affected parts are cut and burned.
You cannot get rid of nematodes in the soil without damaging the plant. Stonecrop Morgan is restored by cuttings, and the mother part of the succulent is burned.
Aphids are destroyed by following the instructions on the insecticide package. But you can use a safer remedy: neem oil. It does not kill aphids, but only interferes with their nutrition. Therefore, the effect of the oil will affect only after a few weeks. Morgan’s stonecrop is sprayed with oil from a spray bottle every 10 days until the aphid disappears.
Conclusion
Stonecrop Morgan, with proper cultivation and care, is a very ornamental plant. Since it is unpretentious, it is suitable for beginner gardeners. Also, its plus is that it “forgives” its owners for a long absence from home. You can safely go on vacation without worrying about the condition of the succulent.