Meet the Hardy Ice Plant
Hardy Ice Plant | Delosperma cooperi
How do you know it’s me?:
I am a low-growing, spreading perennial plant.
My flowers have long, glossy, narrow petals surrounding a yellow center. They are daisy-like in shape, and about 1" - 3" wide.
My leaves are long and linear in shape.
My leaves and stems are thick and fleshy. They are often textured with tiny bumps, like Velcro.
How big do I grow?: 3" - 6" height and 1' - 2' spread.
Sun-seeker or shade-lover: Full sun.
Where I prefer to put my roots: Medium to dry, well-drained soils. I enjoy sandy soils and am heat, drought, and salt tolerant.
Hardiness: Zone 6-10
Original home: I am native to southern Africa.
Colors: Usually purple or pink, though there are yellow, orange, and red varieties.
When I bloom: I bloom continuously from summer to fall.
Wildlife friends: I attract bees and butterflies.
Flora Fun Facts: Some describe my stems and leaves as "sparkly" because their texture reflects light, glittering like ice. This is due to surface cells that look like water filled balloons under a microscope. These help me retain water.
More Info: Make your eastern garden look like coastal California! The Hardy Ice Plant is an outstanding choice for hot, dry gardens, and will cry out "Summer!" in June with its bright, neon blooms that last all summer long. The succulent leaves are an additional fun feature, like scaly little lizard tails.
Member of the Aizoaceae family (the Stone plant family).
Evergreen in warmer winter climates.
Does not tolerate poor drainage. Great selection for a rock garden, groundcover, container, slope stabilization, and along walls.
Not reliably hardy through the winter in zones 6 and below, but it can be grown as an annual in these areas.
The flowers will close at night, and open again in the morning.
