Delosperma sutherlandii

Delosperma sutherlandii, also known as Sutherland's Ice Plant, is a charming creeping perennial that carpets walls, rockeries, and borders, thanks to its succulent and evergreen foliage. Its numerous small vibrant pink flowers with yellow centres bloom throughout the summer until frost. Preferring dry soils and very sunny exposures, it is ideal for covering walls and filling rockeries or hanging baskets. Semi-hardy, it will prefer to be in a container if temperatures drop below -10°C (14°F).

This Delosperma is named sutherlandii in reference to the Sutherland region located in South Africa. This perennial is perfectly suited to hot and dry climates. It settles between stones, paving slabs, or on a dry slope, as long as it finds some substrate. However, if your region experiences frosts close to -10°C (14°F), place it in a pot or container that you bring indoors during winter.

This Ice Plant has creeping, branching stems that easily root, thus colonizing the space up to a width of 50cm (20in) under good conditions. They bear succulent, opposite, gutter-shaped leaves, in a bright green colour. These leaves are sessile, very fleshy, warty, and measure about 4cm (2in). It forms a low clump that is covered with solitary flowers measuring 4cm (2in) (the largest in the genus), in a vibrant pink with a lemon yellow centre. Its flowering extends over a long period, bringing vibrant colours to neglected areas. If you want to enhance the flowering, you can remove faded flowers.

Delosperma sutherlandii is a quintessential rockery plant. It therefore thrives in the company of Sedums, Dianthus, and Wall Bellflowers. However, it will be perfect at the feet of Stachys and Valerian, with which it shares the same needs: sun and dry soil.

Did you know: The word Delosperma means "visible seed" and refers to the carpels of the fruits that have no membranes, thus leaving the seeds visible when the valves are open.