Succulent of the Week: Sedum Burrito

Other names: Donkey's tail, Burro's tail
Origin: Mexcio
Family: Crassulaceae
Genus: Sedum
Light Requirements: full sun to filtered light
Water Requirements: drench well and let dry fully between waterings
Best Pot: Hanging planter

This exceptional plant is an explosion of beauty.  It's erotic dreadlocks are yet another example of nature's incredible imagery.

When I first started researching this plant I was a little unsure as to whether it was Sedum Burrito or Sedum Morganianum.  As it turns out the two are often confused and hard to distinguish one from another.  Sedum Burrito was officially titled a distinct species in 1977, however the information was recorded from two plants that were bought from a nursery in a small town outside of Guadalajara, Mexico and no data has ever been collected from the wild.   Sedum Morganianum was titled in the 1930's from cultivated material in the same small town.  Some people believe that Sedum Burrito is a hybrid, but there is no definitive answer as to who both parents are... Clearly Sedum Morganianum would be one, but the other isn't as obvious.   The main difference that I can see is that Sedum Burrito's leaves are a little shorter and a little rounder than Morganianum's. You can see the difference in the pics below.

Sedum Burrito: shorter, rounder leaves and stronger stem

Sedum Morganianum: longer leaves  and weaker stem

I own a smaller sized Sedum Burrito and I'm eager to watch it grow into long, thick locks!  However, it's going to be a while because  apparently this plant grows pretty slowly.  The longer it gets, the heavier the stems will get and breakage will more than likely occur.  The bright side of a stem breaking off is you can easily propagate it by sticking it in a pot filled with succulent and cactus soil; it should root on its own  in a couple of weeks.

My Sedum Burrito in a windowsill 

Notice how the leaves are growing upward instead of down like the other photos I put up. This tells me I need to get this plant in a hanging planter because the leaves are growing towards the light and will eventually get too heavy.