Delosperma cooperi Ice Plant
We have some areas on our property that are still pretty bare and needs some type of ground cover. I have planted clover and grass in those areas with great success. However, last year I was looking for a perennial ground cover that would be pretty maintenance free, drought resistant, and add colorful blooms to our property. I did some research online for suitable ground covers that would fit the bill.
Ice Plant
My husband and I ended up deciding on this hardy, low maintenance succulent known as “Delosperma cooperi Ice Plant”. Ice plant is native to South Africa and can be grown in USDA zones 5-9. This is a mat forming plant that gets about 3 inches tall. It has beautiful bright purple/red flowers that cover the entire plant and bloom mid Spring to Summer. The flowers are about 2 inches in diameter and are loved by butterflies and bees. I am amazed with the colors of blooms.
We didn’t want to spend a ton of money buying a lot of ice plants to cover the entire area we need, so we purchased a few plants last year and have been growing and expanding our own supply of Delosperma cooperi ice plant. Looks like we now have enough plants to cover the area. Time to get busy.
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How many time do you spend taking care of your food forest? It's a 24/7 job? Or there are days that you don't do gardening?
There were more work in the beginning. Once everything is set up, it's just maintaining, so much less work. I don't go into the food forest to work everyday. Some days I just walk around to check things out and enjoy what we have created.
I grew ice plant here one year. But it was not hardy here and died in winter. I loved the feel of the leaves. :))
The leaves do feel very different than most things I grow here. You can feel the water they hold in their leaves. Too bad it's not hardy enough for your area. The blooms add such beautiful colors in the garden.