Scientific Name
Delosperma basuticum L.Bolus
Common Names
White-eyed Ice Plant
Scientific Classification
Family: Aizoaceae
Subfamily: Ruschioideae
Tribe: Ruschieae
Genus: Delosperma
Description
Delosperma basuticum is the hardiest and cutest of the ice plants. It is up to 1.5 inch (3.7 cm) and forms a low cushion of rubbery, succulent green leaves. Good-sized starry yellow flowers have a white center, the blooms resting right on top of the leaves in summer.
Photo via stewo.no
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zone 5a to 10b: from −20 °F (−28.9 °C) to 40 °F (+4.4 °C).
How to Grow and Care
Delosperma plants grow in USDA plant hardiness zones 5-9 and will bloom for most of the summer and fall. Their foliage is mostly evergreen and, because of this, they make a great year-round ground cover. While the plant is evergreen, it will often have some dieback of foliage in the winter.
Delospermas prefer full sun but can tolerate some light shade in the garden. Because Delosperma are succulents, they do not tolerate wet soil, though they do well in poor soils. In fact, wet soil, especially during the winter months, is likely to kill the plants. In areas where the soil stays consistently dry, this plant can become invasive, so it is best to take this into consideration when planting it.
The Ice Plant can be propagated by division, cuttings or seeds. If propagating by division, it is best to divide the plants in the spring. Cuttings can be taken anytime in the spring, summer or fall. When grown by seeds, scatter the seeds on the surface of the soil and do not cover them, as they need light to germinate… – See more at: How to Grow and Care for Delosperma
Origin
Native to South Africa.
Subspecies, Varieties, Forms, Cultivars and Hybrids
Links
- Back to genus Delosperma
- Succulentopedia: Browse succulents by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, Origin, or cacti by Genus
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