Sedum Rubrotinctum are graceful succulent plants. Common names of Jelly Bean Plants are , Pork and Beans, and Christmas Cheer, or Banana Cactus. They hail from the Crassulaceae family and they are native in mexico.
You could grow this in both outdoors and indoors.. They require minimal care treatment. Further it is an ornamental plant too. This is a hybrid plant which is a formation of Sedum Stahili and Sedum Pachyphyllum
It is very common to spot at least one jelly bean plant among the succulent plants fans. They love the summer and the full sun .
We need to provide them with a soil type which has good drainage. More importantly, this is a succulent which you could easily propagate too.
jelly bean succulents are toxic for both cats and dogs to a certain mild level. Hence, it is safer to place the succulents far from the domestic pets such as from cats and dogs. Aforesaid facts are some fundamental details to note on Jelly Bean plant.
Things you should know before buying
Interesting fact about Sedum Rubrotinctum is that it is an easy growing plant which requires minimal attention and care. So if there is somebody who doesn’t have much time to occupy on succulent gardening this may be the first choice.
It is toxic for both humans and for animals. As such, if someone has pests and little kids at home, they will have to be extra careful when growing them. These are a couple of important facts to be aware of before purchasing a succulent. Finally, you have to make sure that you buy the precise one as there are several varieties of jelly bean plant.
How do I identify a jelly bean succulent?
You could easily recognize them simply looking at their leaves as they reflect a shape of jelly beans. Once they get adequate levels of sunlight The tips of the leaves will turn red.
They blossom with flowers too. That will enhance the beauty of this succulent. The flowers will look more like a yellowish color. They will look like a star in shape.
You could see them during springtime. You will see the plant in green color briefly since it’s majority of the parts are in green color. This generally carries a woody stem.
It will be sometimes difficult to identify Sedum rubrotinctum succulents if they are among sedum rubrotinctum aurora or pink jelly bean sedum. However they have lighter and pink leaves and that will make the difference among those.
| Botanical Name | Sedum Rubrotinctum |
| Common Name | Jelly bean succulent, jelly bean plant, pork and beans, Christmas cheer, banana cactus |
| Plant Type | Succulent, |
| Mature Size | The sizes of the leaves , they will be 0.7 inches ( 2 cm s ) in length. |
| Sun Exposure | Direct sunlight for 6 hours to Partial Sun for the rest |
| Soil Type | Well-drained, |
| Soil pH | Neutral |
| Bloom Time | Spring |
| Flower Color | Yellow star shaped |
| Hardiness Zones | zones from 9a to 11b |
| Native Area | Mexico |
| Toxicity | Toxic for both humans and for pets |
Average price – $ 5 – $ 15 USD
How do you care for a jelly bean succulent?
We should plant Sedum Rubrotinctum in a sunny area. That will help to contain their colorful leaves. You could even place them in a partially shaded area for a color pop. After that you can relocate them to a place where it could get bright sunlight. We should water them as appropriate too.
Growing them in a soil type which is well draining is equally important. Sand, perlite , pumice mixed with peat along with sufficient potting soil could be very useful for this option. You have to be very vigilant on these plants as there could be pests attacks on them.
It is not common to spot those but in case you do, you should take them off using alcohol soaked Q tip. In the meantime, you should observe the soil type also since if the plant lacks water , that will be shown there.
Size
When these Sedum Rubrotinctum grow to their full potential , they would rise to 7-8 inches (20 cm ).If we elaborate more on the sizes of the leaves , they will be 0.7 inches ( 2 cm s ) in length.
Growth
Limited level of water along with enough sun rise are two fundamental facts which affect the growth of this succulent type. If the Jelly bean succulent doesn’t come out as you expect, the best thing to do is adjust the way you water the plant. Ideally you should minimize watering them.
Simultaneously, you should ensure that you do not expose the plant to frost and to chill weather conditions. They prefer to grow in places where they will get direct sunlight.
As such, when you are growing this succulent, you have to be extra careful if it doesn’t get the required sunlight. In fact It will badly affect the growth of the plant.
you should take necessary Steps to overcome it. You should ideally provide additional lighting for them which will make the plants grow better. .
Light Requirement
Like most other succulents, this will prefer the sunlight. It is essential to place them where they get sunlight at least for six hours per day. If they get too much heat, the leaves of the Jelly bean succulent will turn dark to protect them from the extreme heat they get from the scorching sun.
This will help the plant no not get sunburns. In the meantime, you could place the Jelly Bean succulent at a shady area for a few hours for a color pop. further you could do that to protect the plant from a heatwave too.
If not, there will be sun damage due to the extreme heated conditions. If you have grown it indoors, you should place them near windows. If you cannot provide sufficient light , the best thing to do would be to utilize a grow light. Consequently that will avoid the plant from stretching out due to the light shortage.
Temperature and humidity
You could grow Jelly bean succulents outdoors easily in zone 9 and in zone 10. Jelly beans cannot withstand the intense winter conditions with colder temperatures for too long.
Hence, if you have grown a succulent plant in a zone where the temperature drops below 20 degrees Fahrenheit, the ideal thing to do is to plant them in containers. Then you could easily move them in and out from indoors. You could do this specially before the winter arrives.
If in case you cannot relocate these plants you should at least protect them with frost cloths. In addition to that you could provide Greenhouses for their well being and that will help them to protect from the winter conditions.
Is it cold hardy?
Jelly bean succulent is not a cold hardy plant. You should plant them in a container which you could relocate anywhere easily. That would be the ideal thing to do if you are living somewhere where the temperature drops down to 20 degrees Fahrenheit (-6.7° C).
We ned to place them where they get full sun rise to partial sun rise. When you are planting them ensure that they get six hours of sunlight per day. It will help them to thrive.
Zone
Jelly bean succulents could grow in USDA hardiness zones from 9a to 11b: from a temperature from 20 °F (−6.7 °C) to 50 °F (+10 °C).
Watering Requirement
Watering frequency
We can leave the jelly bean plant outdoors for the whole year whilst providing limited water. If in case there is a heat wave and temperature arises and if the plant lacks rainfall, then you should keep watering the plants on a regular basis.
In the meantime, you have to be vigilant whether the soil type is dry completely enough during one watering session to another.
During the heated times, you need to water these succulents whilst keeping a gap of ten days. It does not mean that we need to water them for a particular schedule. There will be no harm for the plant in case you forget to water them once or twice.
If you have grown the plant in such areas where it gets constant rain and moisture, you should water them less compared to a plant which is grown in heated areas
Signs of lack of watering
Observing the laves of the plants would be very useful, since then you can identify whether the plant is in a dehydrated condition. In fact, If you notice that the leaves are wrinkly or shriveled you should be a little more vigilant and water them on a constant basis.
Turning the leaves into that shape means their storage of water in those specific cells are running short. If the leaves of the plant are fresh and plump , that means they are doing well with the water requirement.
Moreover , inspecting the soil type will also help to identify whether the plant is in a dehydrated condition. If the top layer ( about 10 inches ) of the soil is totally dry , you should start watering them. In the meantime, if you think the soil is moist you should wait a little longer until it dries completely.
In addition to this you can use a moisture meter to check whether the soil type is dry enough to water them. Furthermore, if you can’t decide on the moisture of the soil by touching it , you can use a wooden skewer stick and stick in the soil for a certain extent.
When you take it out and if you realize that it is dry enough you can start on watering. If it is not, refrain from watering them.
Water storing in succulents
Succulents are unique since they can store water in the plants unlike the other plants in general. Hence the best thing to do is to underwater them instead of overwatering them. Anyway, too much heat for a longer period will also be unhealthy hence why we should also water them at least every 10 days.
When you are watering the plants, you may use a can which has a tiny spout. We would urge you to add water to the bottom of the plant until you totally soak it.. Refrain in watering the leaves of the plant as then it will lead to the leaves rot. Chances are that the plant will drown if we water the plants when they have soggy soil
Soil Requirement / PH
It is a well-known fact that jelly bean succulents are not fuzzy succulents. It will work fine with most varieties of soil types if they are not drowning.
Further the soil has to be a well draining one. In addition to this you can provide a decent succulent soil as well. You could even make it on your own by mixing potting soil and perlite.
If someone wishes to make a soil mixture for these succulents, it is essential to make the soil mixture by mixing a ratio of 2:1 solution of cactus mix and perlite.
Furthermore, you could use sandy soil which you could make by blending cactus mix or potting soil with coarse sand ( approximately about 2:1 ratio ) Jelly bean succulents are not particular about the Ph of the soil as well. These are the factors which cause the easy maintenance of the succulents.
Just as the other succulents, having a well-draining system with sufficient number of draining holes in the soil mix is vital for these succulent growth. We can use sand, perlite or pumice mixed with peat and enough potting soil when you are planting them. The best suitable soil type for Jelly beans would be porous sandy soil.
Having said that, if you are growing the Jelly Bean along with other plants in your indoor garden, it will be quite challenging to maintain the consistency in the soil type.
Leaving these plants in too much moisture for too long will cause root rot just like the other succulents. Hence why , it is important to provide them a well-draining soil type.
Flowering and Fragrance
The usual season for flower blossoming of Jelly bean succulents is the springtime where there would be perfect weather conditions. The flowers usually grow in flat clusters and do not carry any specific fragrance. The flowers will be yellow.
We need to provide Bright sunlight to partial sunlight constantly for these plants to blossom too. Usually the plant will blossom after about three years and matured enough
Pot size Potting and Repotting
Jelly bean succulents don’t require repotting very often due to the fact that they are slow growers. It can remain healthy in the same container for two years. Selecting an ideal container or a pot for jelly bean would be very vital since they have a shallow root system.
Refrain in using deep pots and containers as if not the soil will tend to keep moisture and it will lead to root rot.
If we can provide a shallow container along with a good draining system, that will be useful for these succulents. Further, terracotta pots will also come handy in this process since that assists the clay to absorb the extra moisture in the soil.
You should do repotting if it has taken over the whole area of the container. In case you witness the steams are sprawling you can just ignore that. This succulent will be fine with rootbound but having said that they will enjoy the adequate room even more. If the plant does not look vibrant and elegant , it indicates that it is struggling. Then you should do repotting .
Where to Plant
You should grow it where it would get sunlight for at least for six hours per day. Simultaneously you should be able to relocate it to a shaded area too. In the heated times, this plant will be happy with little shade. Literally it will do better from bright sun rise to partial sun light.
Fertilizer and time of year
This plant requires minimum care for the growth. What ascertain it is that we don’t need to fertilize them frequently. If you wish, we could only use a cactus and a succulent fertilizer once a month during summer. If the plant shows that it’s not healthy enough, we should fertilize them.
Better to refrain from fertilizing if we had just repotted them . we should avoid doing that since it will be in fresh potting soil then. When you begin fertilizing, fertilize them from spring to early fall and use quarter to half standard dosage.
Same principle for watering will apply for fertilizing as well since if we over fertilize it will be harmful for the plant. Chances are that it could die too. Hence, fertilizing these plants adequately is important.
Dormancy
They are summer dormant plants.
Other plants Pair Well With
They could grow well with Crassula arborescens.
Can be toxic to pets
Unfortunately, jelly bean plants are toxic. Chances are that we could get skin rashes if we do not use our glows when handling them. It is mandatory to keep them away from children as well as from pets. If they ingest the leaves, it will lead to unwanted side effects.
Handling the plant
You have to be mindful of handling jelly bean plants since its leaves are very gentle and fragile. You have to be extra careful especially during the repotting process as the leaves tend to fall off. Whenever you are watering or repotting make sure soil is dry.
Common bugs and illness issues.
If we over water these plants, there could be severe repercussions. Chances are that it would sometimes form powdery mildew if we give them too much moisture. Having said that , Jelly Bean Succulents are well known as a disease resistant plant.
They do not usually get diseases. Moreover , jelly bean succulents have a high tolerance for pests and for insects as well.
However randomly, you could find odd bugs or pests lurking around it , but they won’t also last for too long. It’s better to keep an eye on them whether they have got mealybugs and scale too . Best would be to conduct constant inspections on the plant so that you could protect your plant.
Special Care tips
This does not really expect special attention from you as long as we fulfill their requirements. Do not over water , and don’t expose them to too much heat for a longer period etc.
However specially during repotting, we have to be vigilant since these succulents could lose their leaves during this process. Further plant could also get damages.
To be on the safer side during the repotting process , we can break the pot or the container when you want to relocate them, so that there will be no harm for the plant.
Why are the leaves on my Jelly Bean Plant Falling Off?
One of the common issues which we encounter with jelly bean succulents is the leaves falling off. This issue mainly happens due to the faults we do in watering. It will start dropping off the leaves if we overwater or under water them.
If we consider a plant which is under water it will begin to lose their leaves from the bottom for water conservation. This is how they have structured naturally to adjust to the heated climate.
This will be the same situation with an overwatered plant too. Excess water will cause the leaves to get swollen and to lose them eventually. In addition to this despite the fact that jelly beans can withstand the heat , their leaves tend to fall off due to extreme heat conditions as well.
You can recognize this , if their leaves have turned brown and if they have sunburn patches on them. Exposing the plants for too much heat and leaving them under the scorching sun for longer periods will cause these repercussions
Ultimately the leaves will also fall off from sun burns if we do not take proper steps to overcome this issue. We should immediately relocate them to a shady place. Moreover you could use shade clothes to protect them.
Jelly Bean Plant Leaves Grow Back?
The leaves of jelly bean plants can grow back. These plants are generally resilient plants. It has the capability to adapt and get back to a normal growth process despite the obstacles they get. Imagine you notice your plant losing the leaves and you identify where you have made the mistake and you rectify them. Then this plant will grow freshly again.
At the beginning the growth rate will not be fast. Nevertheless , the plant will not disappoint you as it will start flourishing again particularly at the places where it lost the leaves.
How to Propagate Jelly Bean
One special thing about Jelly Bean succulents is that we could easily propagate them. There are two options for that and they would be through leaf cutting and from Stem cuttings.
However since their leaves are very fragile , we have to be extra vigilant when handling them.
Propagate jelly bean plants through leaves.
Step 1 – collect a leaf which has fallen from the plant or even a leaf from the stem. However the leaf should be a proper one which has its full surface from the top to the end for the propagation to succeed. Best would be to use plump-, healthy- and fresh-looking leaves. You should not use Dried up or shriveled or unhealthy leaves as if not, it won’t be successful.
Step 2 – Move aside the leaves and let them dry. Afterwards place them in a well draining soil type. Refrain in doing misting here.
Step 3 – Avoid the leaves getting direct sunlight. There will be repercussions such as leaves will shrivel up and burn if that happens.
Step 4 – within a few weeks’ time, roost will start to appear. You could misting every few days once you get the grown roots and when the soil is dry.
Step 5 –. Once it matures you could gradually increase the sunlight and do watering when the soil is dry.
Propagate jelly bean plants through stems cuttings
Step 1 – first and foremost select a stem ideally one which has begun to trail or a long one which you could cut off. You could also use stems that have roots growing on them. You should utilize clean sharp equipment for this cutting process.
Step 2 – let the stem cuttings dry for a couple of days just like in the leaf propagation method. One unique thing about these stems is that they dry faster than other succulents with thicker stems.
Step 3 – Now it is the time that you need to arrange the potting mix .. After that stick, the stem cuttings in the soil.
Step 4 – Arrange them a place where they get bright sun light but not direct sunlight.
Step 5 – you could do misting every few days when the soil is dry enough.
Step 6 – once you can spot the roots are well set, you could minimise watering and you could do it like once a week.
Step 7 – It’s the high time to increase the sunlight exposure to the plant as it matures.
Repot Jelly Bean Plants Without Losing or Damaging the Leaves?
However specially during repotting, we have to be vigilant since these succulents could lose their leaves. To be on the safer side during the reporting process, we can break the pot or the container when you want to relocate them, so that there will be no harm for the plant.
Are Jelly Bean Succulents poisonous?
They are toxic for pets as well for humans too.. If we handle them in an inappropriate manner our skin could get damages. . Hence, people who have kids and pets at home will have to be careful when growing these plants.
Jelly Bean Succulents plants benefits
This is a very elegant looking plant which will grace wherever we place them. , be it at the office or at home. It could be a great ground cover as well. Best would be to grow them under tall trees which will have a narrow base.
FAQ
Is jelly Bean Succulent an indoor plant ?
This is a famous indoor growing plant. This is quite famous as a home grown plant due to the little care and attention they need and due to the elegance they have when they grow. . Their trailing stems will give a magnificent look if we grow them in a hanging container.
Not only that but also their yellow star shaped flowers will add more grace to the location.
Do jelly Bean Succulent need direct sunlight ?
Like most other succulents, this will prefer the full sunlight. It is not mandatory to be direct sunlight though.
It is essential to place them where they get sunlight at least for six hours per day. If we give them too much heat, The leaves of the Jelly bean succulent will turn dark to protect them from the extreme heat.
This will help the plant to not get sunburns. In the meantime, you could place the Jelly Bean succulent at a shady area for a few hours for a color pop. further you could do that to protect the plant from a heatwave too as if not, there will be sun damage due to the extreme heated conditions.
If you have grown them indoors, you should grow them near windows. If you cannot provide sufficient light , the best thing to do is to utilize a grow light that will consequently avoid the plant from stretching out due to the light shortage.
Should I mist my jelly bean succulents ?
You could do misting during the propagating process through both stem cuttings and through leaf cuttings. During the leaf propagation, once the roots start to appear and once they get grown, you could do misting every few days when the soil is dry enough. You can keep misting it even after the new plant is shown up.
Credit to : EmsVi Garden and everyday’s life topic
