Plants That Go With Ice Plants
A crystalline substance forms dots along ice plant leaves. These dots, sparkling in sunlight, gave ice plants their common name. Although ice plants will grow in hot and dry areas that have most plants running for cover, they are invasive and can easily take over a garden. Planting them among upright perennials that require the same growing conditions can keep ice plants' exuberant growth in check while adding color and providing weed control. Does this Spark an idea?
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Identification
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Ice plant is a generic term for two different species: The delosperma species, known as hardy ice plant, and the lampranthus species, known as bush ice plant. Both species are readily available to gardeners. Knowing the difference between the two species will help you choose the correct plants to grow with them.
Hardy ice plants reach a height of 2 to 6 inches with a spread of 1 to 3 feet. They have cylindrical, shiny green leaves and daisy-like flowers that come in purple and yellowy-orange. When choosing plants to grow with hardy ice plants make sure the mature height is more than 10 inches. Anything under 10 inches can be lost in the exuberant growth of ice plants.
Bush ice plants have a mature height of 10 to 15 inches with a 2-foot spread. These plants have three-sided, grayish-green leaves. Bush ice plants have the same daisy like flowers but bloom in colors of orange, yellow and gold. Hardy ice plants look best planted amidst tall perennials with a loose sprawling growth. Daisies and pampas grasses are examples of plants with a tall sprawling growth.
Cultivation
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Both species of ice plant are drought tolerant, spreading ground covers. Both require well drained soil in full sun. Ice plants are grown as annuals in most parts of the United States. However some cultivars are hardy to Zone 5 with winter protection. Because ice plants grow so aggressively, plant them with perennials and annuals that have the same cultivation requirements. Ice plants can suffer from crown rot (crown rot causes the plant to separate from the roots) so keep them away from plants that need a lot of water.
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Succulents
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Succulents are plants with thick fleshy leaves and stems, like aloes and cacti. Most succulents grow in desert or near desert regions and require the same growing conditions as ice plants. While succulents will produce flowers they are primarily grown for their leaves. Ice plants planted among succulents provide a burst of neon bright color. Grow purple ice plant with variegated aloes and agave or succulents with blue-green or blue-gray leaves. Plant ice plants with orange, yellow and gold flowers among prickly pear cacti. These lovely cacti produce pale yellow flowers which contrast nicely with the brighter ice plant flowers. Dark green to medium green succulents also look good planted near orange, yellow and gold flowering ice plants.
Mediterranean Herbs
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Use the delosperma species of ice plants with herbs. Choose herbs with an upright growth habit so that the delosperma specie's flowers can peek around stems and hide under leaves. Both the yellow and purple flowers look charming among Mediterranean herbs such as lavender, rosemary and thyme. Lampranthus ice plants can be used to edge a Mediterranean herb garden. The taller lampranthus is in scale with upright herbs and makes a nice border, particularly the orange flowered lampranthus aurantiacus.
Grasses and Yuccas
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Both species of ice plant can be mingled with bunch grasses (such as pampas grass or miscanthus) and yuccas. The small leaves and cheerful flowers are a nice contrast to the effervescence of grasses and angularity of yuccas. Use purple flowered ice plants with yellow or white variegated grasses and yuccas. Orange and yellow flowered ice plants look better with red, burgundy, and dark green plants.
Other plants
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Other plants that have similar cultivation requirements as ice plants and look good with ice plant foliage and flowers tumbling among them are hardy geraniums, columbines (specifically the red or yellow flowered cultivars), and purple or blue dwarf iris (white or white with purple or yellow falls also works).
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