These rosette succulents share a love of bright light and a talent for trailing. Ghost Plant (Graptopetalum) goes porcelain-pink in sun, while Sedum and Graptosedum give you beaded trails perfect for a high shelf.
What's Inside
Alpenglow
Donkey Tail
Ghost Plant
Jelly Bean Plant
General Care Principles
Frequently Asked Questions
Alpenglow — Graptosedum vermiforme
A Graptopetalum x Sedum cross -- rosy, tough, and fast.
Care at a glance: light: full, direct sun for most of the day; water deeply every ~14 days (far less in winter); a gritty, free-draining succulent mix; happiest around 45-80F; propagate by a single leaf laid on dry soil or a stem cutting left to callus then rooted; keep it away from cats and dogs.
Quick facts
Light: full, direct sun for most of the day.
Water: deeply every ~14 days, far less in winter.
Temperature: 45-80F (7-27C).
Humidity: dry air is fine.
Soil: a gritty, free-draining succulent mix.
Propagate: a single leaf laid on dry soil or a stem cutting left to callus then rooted.
Pet: keep away from cats and dogs.
It shrugs off short frosts better than most rosette succulents.
Donkey Tail — Sedum morganianum
Trailing stems break easily -- handle by the pot, never the strands.
Care at a glance: light: lots of bright light and some direct sun for the best colour; water deeply every ~16 days (far less in winter); a gritty, free-draining succulent mix; happiest around 50-80F; propagate by a single leaf laid on dry soil or a stem cutting left to callus then rooted; keep it away from cats and dogs.
Quick facts
Light: lots of bright light and some direct sun for the best colour.
Water: deeply every ~16 days, far less in winter.
Temperature: 50-80F (10-27C).
Humidity: dry air is fine.
Soil: a gritty, free-draining succulent mix.
Propagate: a single leaf laid on dry soil or a stem cutting left to callus then rooted.
Pet: keep away from cats and dogs.
Each 'tail' can reach two feet and is covered in fleshy blue-green beads.
Ghost Plant — Graptopetalum paraguayense
Pale purple-rosy leaves flush deeper colour in more sun.
Care at a glance: light: full, direct sun for most of the day; water deeply every ~16 days (far less in winter); a gritty, free-draining succulent mix; happiest around 45-80F; propagate by a single leaf laid on dry soil or a stem cutting left to callus then rooted; keep it away from cats and dogs.
Quick facts
Light: full, direct sun for most of the day.
Water: deeply every ~16 days, far less in winter.
Temperature: 45-80F (7-27C).
Humidity: dry air is fine.
Soil: a gritty, free-draining succulent mix.
Propagate: a single leaf laid on dry soil or a stem cutting left to callus then rooted.
Pet: keep away from cats and dogs.
It is one parent of the popular Graptoveria hybrids.
Jelly Bean Plant — Sedum pachyphyllum
Leaves go red-tipped when thirsty and rounder when happy.
Care at a glance: light: lots of bright light and some direct sun for the best colour; water deeply every ~16 days (far less in winter); a gritty, free-draining succulent mix; happiest around 50-82F; propagate by a single leaf laid on dry soil or a stem cutting left to callus then rooted; keep it away from cats and dogs.
Quick facts
Light: lots of bright light and some direct sun for the best colour.
Water: deeply every ~16 days, far less in winter.
Temperature: 50-82F (10-28C).
Humidity: dry air is fine.
Soil: a gritty, free-draining succulent mix.
Propagate: a single leaf laid on dry soil or a stem cutting left to callus then rooted.
Pet: keep away from cats and dogs.
Squeeze a leaf and it feels exactly like a jelly bean.
General Care Principles
No matter the species in this handbook, a handful of principles carry most of the weight. Get these right and the individual notes above become fine-tuning.
Match the plant to the light: sun-lovers go in the brightest window or under a grow light; shade-lovers go in east or north light. Wrong light is the single most common cause of failure.
Water on the plant's schedule, not the calendar. Soak thoroughly, then let the soil dry before the next drink. In winter, ease right off — most of these plants want a cool, dry rest.
Use the right soil and a draining pot. Free-draining for succulents, moisture-retentive but aerated for ferns and foliage. A drainage hole is non-negotiable.
Propagate to multiply. Almost every plant here can be cloned from a leaf, offset, division, or cutting — see each species for its best method.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I really water?
Forget frequent sips. Soak the soil completely, then let it dry out fully before the next drink. In winter most of these plants want a long, dry rest. The lift test (light pot = dry) beats any calendar.
My plant is stretching and pale — what does that mean?
It wants more light. Move it to a brighter window or add a full-spectrum LED grow light. New growth will be compact and colourful; the stretched part will not undo itself, so behead and re-root the top if you like.
What soil should I use?
A free-draining mix is non-negotiable. For succulents that means gritty, sandy soil in a pot with a real drainage hole. For leafy types a peat-free houseplant mix is fine. Sitting in wet soil is the fastest route to rot.
Is this plant safe around my pets?
We note pet safety per species in this guide. 'Pet-safe' means it is not on the usual toxic lists, but no plant is food — keep curious cats and dogs from chewing leaves, and call a vet if you are worried.