Delosperma cooperi

Delosperma cooperi

Quantity:

Common Names

Cooper's Ice Plant (english)
Hardy Ice Plant (english)
Klipvygie (afrikaans)

Taxonomy

Family MESEMBRYANTHEMACEAE
Genus Delosperma
Species cooperi
SA Plant Number
Basionym Delosperma cooperi

Description

Delosperma cooperi is a hardy, evergreen, fast-growing, prostrate, succulent groundcover. The narrow, elongated leaves are soft and fleshy and vary in shape from triangular to cylindrical. They have a glistening appearance that protects them by reflecting harsh sunlight. This gives them their common name “Ice Plants”.

In spring and summer, large, glistening, magenta to mauve flowers are borne, that attract bees and other insects to the garden.

Some of the leaves turn a maroon-red colour in winter, giving the plant a speckled, bicoloured appearance.

Good ground cover for sandy soils and in rockeries or on embankments, as they require very little care and are easy to grow.

Grey Louries are known to enjoy eating the succulent leaves of this plant. Many pollinating insects are attracted to the flowers, from regular honey bees to unusual non-honey-bee pollinators

Plant this flat, spreading Vygie in sun or partial shade (grow equally well in both) in dry areas of the garden and be careful not to overwater.

Size: 10cm

Wildlife

Birds:

Grey Louries love eating the succulent leaves of Delosperma cooperi

Uses

Landscaping:

Valuable as a hardy, easy to grow, low maintenance groundcover is sandy, dry areas and on slopes.

Distribution

Mpumalanga

 

Natural Habitat:
Lydenberg Montane Grassland

 

+

Admin Notice: