Delosperma - Ice Plants

Succulent plants for full sun and very well drained soils that are typically hardy from zones 6 to 9 ( unless otherwise noted ). The Ice Plants prefer a gravel rather than organic mulch. They are excellent for gravelly rock gardens and on slopes. Very drought tolerant; they are excellent groundcovers for use in xeroscaping in the west. Many of these are also excellent for use in containers as well as trailing over a wall. Also commonly used for the fronts of borders.
Tolerant of deer, drought, heat, fire, hail, high winds and salt. Few are better for holding loose sandy soil in place. Most really don't enjoy wet winter conditions. They are not prone to insect pests or disease.
Many species of Delosperma contain DMT - oddly enough the same substance that causes dreaming in humans and animals.

Delosperma aberdeense
Forms a tight mound up to 8 x 20 + inches, with very small leaves.
The abundant, large, bright red-pink flowers appear all summer long.

Delosperma alba
Low creeping plant with thick, succulent foliage. White flowers

Delosperma ashtonii ( Ashtons Delosperma )
Reaching up to 8 x 20 inches; this is an excellent plant for dry sandy soil in full sun. The deep green foliage looks like 3 sided succulent tubes and is up to 0.5 inches in length.
The daisy like flowers, up to 3 inches wide, are borne from June to October. They are fushsia-pink with a yellow to white eye.

* photos taken on May 5 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum, D.C.




Delosperma 'Beauford West'
Originated in the Niewveld Mountains in South Africa. The plant forms a tight cushion up to 2 x 12 inches in size.
The foliage is deep green.
The light pink flowers are up to an inch across and are borne from spring until the first fall frost, though they might be scarce in the middle of summer in very hot humid climates.
Hardy zones 5 to 9 ( if soil is very well drained ) in full sun.

Delosperma congestum
Similar to D. nubigenum; it reaches up to 2 inches x 2 feet. The foliage is bright green and pink tipped flowers are borne in early summer. Hardy zones 4 to 9.

Delosperma cooperi
A fast growing groundcover, forming flat mats reaching a maximum size of 12 x 48 inches. It can spread to 2 feet in 1 year.
The succulent leaves are 3 sided and appear like fat tubes. The gray-green foliage reddens in the fall and winter.
The magenta purple flowers up to 3 inches across appear all summer long up until the first fall frost. Well drained soil is essential; it is hardy zones 6 to 9 and colder where winters are dry. Used as a perennial groundcover in the southwestern U.S. in the east it often dies off in wet winters but can be used as an annual.
Very resistant to drought, fire, erosion, salt and deer. It is more moisture tolerant than some other species, even thriving in much of the Pacific Northwest.

* photos taken on June 10 2011 in Columbia, MD


* photo taken on July 18 2011 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Aug 30 2019 in Elkridge, MD

Delosperma eckloensis supsp latifolia
Thick, succulent foliage on a low cushion.
The purple, daisy-like flowers appear all summer long.

Delosperma edulis
Is not grown in cultivation due to invasive tendencies. Previously used for erosion control in California where it now runs wild. Tolerates drought, fire, salt, wind and wet soil.

Delosperma 'Fire Spinner'
A dense, mat-forming perennial, reaching up to 2 inches x 2 feet in just 2 years.
The orange ( ringed pink with a white eye ) flowers are up to 1.5 inches across. They are borne late spring into early summer.
Hardy zones 5 to 9 in full sun to partial shade.

Delosperma floribundum 'Starburst'
Reaches up to 6 x 20 inches with metallic, glossy, deep green, succulent foliage. The flowers are bright, hot pink centered white and last from June to October. Hardy zones 4 to 9

* photo taken on June 1 2010 in Columbia, MD


Delosperma 'Garnet'
Also called 'Jewel of the Desert Garnet'. Forms a mat up to 4 x 12 inches in size. This cultivar of Delosperma cooperi originated as part of a planned breeding program in Japan.
The leaves are up to 1.5 x 0.2 inches in size.
The intense bright scarlet-red flowers, up to 1 inch wide, appear during late spring.
Hardy zones 5 to 8

* photo taken on May 27 2023 in Burtonsville, MD

Delosperma 'Gold Nugget'
Tidy mounds up to 2 x 30 inches, with fat deep green foliage that reddens in the winter.
Bright golden yellow flowers appear in summer and fall
Hardy zones 4 to 7.

Delosperma 'John Profitt'
A prostrate, evergreen groundcover reaching up to 4 inches x 2.5 feet in size and spreading fast up to 2 feet per year.
The foliage is bright green.
It is covered in fuschia-pink flowers from June through September.
Hardy north to zone 4

Delosperma 'Kelaidis'
A low, evergreen groundcover perennial, reaching up to 6 inches x 3 feet in 3 years, eventually more.
The abundant, salmon-pink ( with yellow center ) flowers, up to 1.5 inches across, are borne early summer to late autumn.
Hardy zones 6 to 9 ( 4 & 5 on sheltered sites in dry climates ).

* photo taken on Sep 23 in Burtonsville, MD

Delosperma lavesii
Glowing pink flowers on a low growing plant with fine foliage

Delosperma 'Mesa Verde'

* photos taken on May 5 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum, D.C.


Delosperma nubigenum
An excellent fast growing groundcover forming dense mats up to 4 inches x 3 feet in size. The lime green foliage is tubular and succulent; it turns to bronze-red in the winter.
The flowers are bright yellow and up to 1.5 inches across from June to July.
Hardy north to zone 3 and prefers dry sandy soil. Very drought tolerant as well as being more tolerant of extended winter cold and wet soil than most Delospermas.

'Basutoland'
An improved form reaching up to 4 inches in height with foliage that reddens in winter. Hardy zones 5 to 9 ( tolerating as low as -30 F )

* photos taken on May 21 2011 in Howard County, MD



Delosperma 'Ousberg'
White flowers from May to July and succulent foliage on this low growing plant that forms a flat mat, reaching only 2" high

* photos taken on May 5 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum, D.C.


* photos taken on May 17 2012 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on June 20 2012 in Columbia, MD

Delosperma 'Ruby Stars'
Very heavy flowering with intense deep red flowers all summer long.

Delosperma sphalmanthoides
Forms a tiny stemless cushion up to 4 x 8 inches. Foliage consists of gray-green upward facing succulent leaves and the spring flowers are red-purple.

Delosperma sutherlandii
Fast growing and reaching up to 20 x 32 inches in size. Similar to D. cooperi but with showier pink flowers. Recommended for hot sunny sites.

Delosperma 'Table Mountain'
A vigorous groundcover, reaching up to 3 x 18 inches in size, with bright fuschia pink flowers all summer long.
Hardy north to zone 4

Delosperma 'Wheels of Wonder'

* photo taken on Aug 30 2019 in Elkridge, MD