How to Grow Ice Plant (Lampranthus)

Ice plant is an evergreen, succulent ground cover for warm weather climates. Its flowers come in bright shades of pink, orange, yellow and red. It's a good cover for sunny slopes and rockeries or along paths. Ice plant thrives in USDA zones 9 and 10.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Shovels
• Garden trowels
• Compost
• Balanced organic fertilizer
• Gardening gloves

1. Look for plants at nurseries year-round.

2. Choose healthy-looking plants with signs of new leaves and flower buds. Buy ice plant in 4-inch to 1-gallon containers.

3. Choose a site with full sun and well-drained soil.

4. Dig a hole for each plant that is no deeper than the soil the plant was growing in. Dig holes 1 foot apart.

5. Add a light application of organic fertilizer to the planting holes before setting the plants in.

6. Mulch around--but not on top of--the plants with 3 inches of organic compost.

7. Water well weekly until the soil is completely moist the first year only. Ice plant doesn't need extra water once it is established.

Tips & Warnings

• Use ice plant along a pathway or on a slope where it won't get stepped on to keep its plump "leaves" from being crushed.

[desdwell]

on 3/14/2009 where are zone 9 and 10

[desdwell]

on 3/14/2009 Can Ice Plants thrive in the Desert? ThanksIrwin Solk