In the German language, ice plants are used to describe various plant species that have the peculiarity of only opening their flowers when the sun is shining and closing them again in bad weather and in the evening. One of the most cultivated, low-maintenance ice plants is that of the Delosperma genus.
Ice plants bloom from about May to October
Perennial carpets of flowers for the rock garden
Depending on the location and the weather, the midday flowers of the succulent plant genus Delosperma bloom from around May to October. While dense carpets of flowers often form in spring and early summer, the density of flowers usually becomes somewhat thinner over the course of summer. The Latin name Delosperma derives from the Greek translation for "open seed", since after the flowering period the seeds are visible in open seed pods before they are ripe. Popular Delosperma subspecies with particularly magnificent flowers are:
- Delosperma aberdeenense
- Delosperma Badenia Salmon
- Delosperma cooperi
- Delosperma Golden Nugget
- Delosperma Perfect Orange
tips
Since the natural area of origin of the Delosperma species is in some cases at fairly high altitudes in South African countries, they are usually hardy outdoors in this country too. However, the substrate with appropriate drainage should always be fairly dry, even in winter, so that there is no root rot.