Appearance
Covering the ground with a solid mass of brilliant fuchsia-purple flowers, Hardy Ice Plant (Delosperma cooperi) demands a second look. The succulent green leaves glimmer in the sun, giving the plant its common name, while the flowers have glistening thin petals surrounding a yellow center. Waves of bloom carpet the foliage from late spring until late summer. The show even continues in winter, when plants turn a deep burgundy-red. Other species of Delosperma, with yellow or salmon-pink flowers, are also now available.
Cultivation
Hardy Ice Plant is very easy to grow in full sun. Well-drained soil is essential; the roots will rot if kept constantly damp. If rainfall is inadequate, add enough water to thoroughly moisten the root zone, then let dry completely before watering again. Fertilize sparingly. Plants should survive temperatures to -20° F. New plants may be started from cuttings, or buy plugs at a garden center.
Landscape Use
With it’s ground-hugging habit, ice plant is well-suited for rock gardens, where it will spill over ledges and grow into crevices. Give it room to spread; you may have to restrain it occasionally. It’s also an excellent groundcover for small-to-medium areas, particularly next to walkways. Consider companions with gray foliage that won’t compete with Delosperma’s intense flower colors—or look for equally vivid flowers in complementary hues.
Article and photos by Leslie Holzmann, Certified Colorado Gardener.
Pikes Peak Area Garden Help 
July 1, 2010 at 10:37 pm
Would you tell me if ‘Hardy Ice Plant (Delosperma cooperi)’ is the same as Pig Face (Mesembryanthemum)?
I have similar plants and here in Australia and people call them Pig Face or Mesembryanthemum.
Thank you:)
July 2, 2010 at 5:32 pm
Hello Lois!
It’s fun to hear from someone in Australia!
The plant you refer to is in the genus Mesembryanthemum and the ice plant Leslie wrote about is in the genus Delosperma. Both of these genera reside in the overall family of Aizoaceae and are native to southern Africa. So they are somewhat related but definitely different plants. There must be some clear botanic differences between the two. But I bet they take the same or very similar growing conditions. I suspect we both are gardening in fairly dry areas, and so its no wonder that we would have some related plants thriving in our gardens. (We’ve had about 3.5 inches of precipitation so far this year…that includes the snow from January to May and any rain since then.)
Thanks for writing in!
Carey Harrington
Certified Colorado Gardener