Content
The sedum 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 hot dry climates 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. The sedum plant, in contrast to it, with proper care, retains the foliage, which gives it an attractive appearance.
Description of the plant
Morgan's sedum is a succulent, that is, a plant adapted to habitat in regions where drought is replaced by the rainy season every year. Belongs to the Tolstyankovye family. Like other representatives of this group, sedum survives without moisture for almost 6 months after it has "drunk" plenty of water during heavy rains. Found sedum Morgan in dry areas of Mexico. In nature, a succulent plant often grows on steep rocky cliffs, fixing its roots in crevices.
Its official name in Latin is Sedum morganianum. In Russian transcription - Morgan sedum. Due to its appearance, the succulent has received many other names. And in all there is the word "tail":
- horse;
- donkey;
- burro (also "donkey", but in Spanish);
- monkey;
- lamb.
The association with the tail is caused by long, hanging stonecrop stems, "braided" with leaves.
Morgan's sedum is a perennial plant with drooping stems. The length of the latter in nature reaches 100 cm. Very fleshy, slightly flattened leaves reach 2 cm. The thickness is 5-8 mm. The cross section is an irregular oval.
The leaves grow on the stem in a circle and are close together. This really gives the impression of blue-green scaly tails hanging from a flowerpot.
In nature, succulents bloom annually after the end of the rainy season. But at home, Morgan sedum, even with good care, very rarely forms buds. But if this was achieved, the tail acquires a tassel 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 succulent sedum Morgana do not look as attractive as in professional photographs.
Peduncles are formed only on the longest stems and 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 sedum: burrito sedum "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 version of the "monkey tail" that grows 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 bloom. The care of this plant is the same as for the original form of Morgan sedum.
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: sedum 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 in 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
Due 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 quickly Morgan sedum grows
Like any succulent, the Morgan 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 is the case 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".
Morgan's poisonous sedum or not
Monkey tail is not a poisonous plant. But it is often confused with overgrown milkweed. The juice of the latter leaves burns on the skin. Although spurge is also often planted as an ornamental plant, handling it requires caution.
On the left in the photo is spurge, on the right is Morgan's sedum:
With careful attention, it is difficult to confuse these two plants: the milkweed has flat leaves with pointed tips, the stonecrop is "swollen", droplet-like
It is even more difficult to confuse the two species in bloom. The flowers of sedum Morgan have a bright color and resemble either a small lily, or a half-opened tulip.
Milkweed (left) has plain yellowish-green "plates"
Blooming at home
Succulents are stingy with flowering. At home, it is almost impossible to get this phase of the growing season from them. And they don't need flowers to survive. They reproduce well with leaves and cuttings.
You can try to cause sedum flowering, 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 location. Next is the question of luck. But if sedum blooms, he will do it in the summer.
Plant value
Unlike the ovoid bastard, which is also called the money tree, Morgan's sedum 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 - "to sit", as many types of sedums spread on the ground;
- sedo - "I am sitting", due to the fact that some succulents grow on steep walls.
But the importance of sedum Morgan in the decoration of the winter garden is difficult to overestimate. With proper care, this plant can beautify any composition.
Features of the reproduction of sedum Morgan
Even if Morgana sedum reproduces by seeds, no one has seen this. But broken off pieces of the stem and fallen leaves are perfectly rooted in it. The most commonly practiced reproduction of the Morgan stonecrop with the help of leaves. To do this, it is enough to collect and spread them in a pot with prepared soil. After that, the soil is moistened, and the leaves are gently pressed into the wet ground.
Stonecrop foliage takes root and sprouts easily
The second breeding method is cuttings. The stonecrop stalk is cut into pieces 5-7 cm long. The lower part is cleaned of leaves and the planting material is left to air dry for a day. Dry in the dark. The "bare" part of the finished sections is sprinkled with earth and watered. The soil is kept slightly moist until the Morgan sedum takes root. This takes about 2 weeks. Sometimes the cuttings are placed in water until the roots appear. But in this case, care must be taken so 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. Simply because from the rest of the leaves have already fallen off themselves and the flower looks ugly.
Thin red hairs often appear on bare stems. These are aerial roots, with the help of which sedum traps 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 grafting.
The succulent branches very reluctantly. Pinching the top does not guarantee the appearance of lateral branches, but disfigures the flower. Therefore, the best way to quickly get many stems hanging from one pot is to plant the right number of cuttings or leaves there.
If you have nowhere to rush, you can wait until the root system grows. Stonecrop stalks hardly branch, but it gives new shoots from the root. The third method of reproduction is based on this ability - dividing the bush.
The procedure is the same as for most colors:
- remove sedum from the pot;
- divide the root into several parts so that there is at least one stem;
- lightly shake the root part of the soil, but you do not need to clean it;
- plant all parts in pots.
The appearance of Morgan 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 amount of leaves falls off
Optimal growing conditions
The ideal temperature for sedum is between 18-24 ° C. A succulent plant needs a lot of sunlight, so the Morgan sedum pot should be positioned so that the sun falls on the stems for at least 4 hours a day.
The sedum 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 shine from the cracks.
At home, in winter, the succulent falls into a dormant state. At this time, watering is reduced and the air temperature is reduced by 10 ° C.
Planting and caring for Morgan sedum
Although sedum growing in nature is considered an unpretentious plant, at home the situation is different. And those qualities that help the succulent survive on the rocks can be harmful at home. Due to the adaptive nature of the Morgan sedum, you need to be careful when growing it at home.
In the photo, Morgan sedum with improper care and an unsuccessful choice of a landing site:
Leaf discoloration caused by excess direct sunlight at midday
Preparation of containers and soil
The Morgan sedum 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 container. But it must also be taken into account that the soil in the pot must pass water well. Usually the pot is filled with cactus soil or flower mixture, but mixed with sand in a 1: 1 ratio. 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 a pan, the excess liquid must be drained after watering.
When planting a plant in open ground, you need to consider a drainage system. It is best if the Morgan sedum grows on a small hill. Large pebbles should be placed under the soil layer. A drainage groove is dug around the landing site.
Landing algorithm
Depends on what the owner of the stonecrop is planning to plant. If it's just leaves:
- fill the pot with drainage and soil mixture;
- spread 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.
Caring for sedum Morgan at home
Hang where the morning or evening sun will fall, occasionally water, fertilize and do not touch. And it's not a joke. If beautiful, decorative stems are needed, sedum should not be touched. Ideally, it doesn't need to be moved at all, but this may not be feasible. Typically, Morgan sedum is placed on the east or west window. The south is too hot for him.
The photo demonstrates the proper care of Morgan sedum:
The succulent plant has completely retained its attractive appearance and blooms willingly, the owner of the installation also cannot be denied creativity.
Microclimate
Since succulents do not tolerate high humidity, Morgan 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 a room or outdoors.
Watering and feeding
Ideally, the soil for sedum Morgan should be slightly moist. He does not like too dry, but, like any succulent, he is able to withstand drought. It is difficult to achieve the ideal. Under the seemingly dry layer, there may still be quite moist soil.
There are different recommendations regarding watering. Some believe that it is necessary to water the plant when the topsoil dries out by 1.5-2 cm. Other growers argue that it is necessary to navigate according to the situation.
The first method is quite difficult, since you will 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. The potted plant will need water more often, especially if the sedum is in the sun. You may need to water every 10-14 days, or more often in the summer.
For Morgan sedum, rare but abundant watering is recommended. Frequent, but scarce, damages the plant. A large amount of water washes out mineral salts undesirable for the succulent from the soil. But, so that moisture does not stagnate, sedum 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, fertilizing often coincides with watering. But the need for a succulent in nutrients is lower than that of other plants, so the fertilizer dose recommended by the manufacturer must be diluted in half. Sedum Morgan is fed from March to September. During the resting period, the sedum does not need nutrients at all.
Stonecrop Morgan leaves can change color not only due to excess sun, but also with improper fertilization
Pruning
In the traditional sense, that is, the shortening of the stems, sedum trimming is not carried out. Otherwise, it will lose its decorative appearance. But sometimes it is necessary to remove the bare stems. Then they just cut off the tops and root them.
Another option when you need to cut off the tops and re-plant them is rejuvenation. Morgan's sedum grows only for 6 years. After that, he degenerates and dies. To avoid this, the tops of the sedum are cut off and re-rooted every few years.
Stonecrop, degenerated over time, is normal for this species.
Transfer
Desirably, 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 nudity will depend on the skill of the grower. But sometimes a transplant is necessary. How to do this, and why large pots are undesirable, is well illustrated in the video below:
Can I grow outdoors
With good drainage, sedum Morgan will grow outdoors as well. But only in those regions where there is no subzero temperature in winter. There are no such areas in Russia. Even in the southernmost regions, winter temperatures drop below zero.
A compromise is optimal: in summer, Morgan sedum grows in a pots outside, and in winter it is brought into a room with a temperature of 8-13 ° C.
Beneficial features
If we put aside the mysticism copied from the oval-leaved fat woman, then the Morgan sedum has almost no useful properties. It is better to replace the possible analgesic effect with medications today. Minor bleeding is well stopped by a pressure bandage, and with large bleeding, an urgent need to go to the hospital. In fact, the only purpose of stonecrop is to please the eyes of the owner.
Possible problems
Morgan sedum 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. The main one is the sun.
If sedum is under midday rays, it can get burned. At best, the leaves will change color from bluish green to orange yellow. Although the color will recover in the winter, the burnt flower will look sick in the summer.
Sometimes stonecrop leaves begin to dry out. It may seem that this is due to lack of water, but you need to check the base of the stem with dry leaves. It is possible that the stem has rotted due to excess moisture. Drying and dying off of leaves that have failed to take root is a natural process.
If the Morgan sedum pot is misplaced, the stems may start to grow in one direction. The relatively short shoots even rise to capture the sun's rays. Experienced flower growers advise in this case to provide sedum with additional lighting using a phytolamp.
Sunburns received by sedum due to being in the sun can cause its death.
Diseases and pests
Evolution-hardened succulent is less susceptible to disease. He has almost no pests either, since his natural enemies remained on the American continent. But some problems may arise in Eurasia as well:
- root rot;
Disease is a mistake of the owner who made stagnant water
- mold fungi;
Causes of damage - stagnant water and high humidity
- nematodes;
Nematodes are common if sedum was planted in contaminated land
- aphid.
Aphids are a pest common to all continents
When rot appears, Morgan 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 off and burned.
You cannot get rid of nematodes in the soil without damaging the plant. The sedum of Morgan is restored by cuttings, and the maternal 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 prevents them from feeding. Therefore, the effect of the oil will take effect only after a few weeks. Morgan's sedum is sprayed with oil from a spray bottle every 10 days until the aphid disappears.
Conclusion
Sedum Morgan, when properly grown and cared for, is a very ornamental plant. Since it is unpretentious, it is suitable for novice growers. Also, his plus is that he “forgives” his owners for a long absence from the house. You can safely go on vacation without worrying about the state of the succulent.
