Ice Plant (Delosperma cooperi)

General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit:	Cactus/Succulent
Life cycle:	Perennial
Sun Requirements:	Full Sun
Minimum cold hardiness:	Zone 5a -28.9 °C (-20 °F) to -26.1 °C (-15 °F)
Plant Height:	3 to 6 inches (8-15 cm)
Plant Spread:	18 to 24 inches (46-61 cm)
Leaves:	Evergreen
Flowers:	Showy
Flower Color:	Mauve Purple Other: Magenta
Bloom Size:	1"-2"
Flower Time:	Summer Late summer or early fall Fall Late fall or early winter Other: Depending on growing zone
Suitable Locations:	Xeriscapic
Uses:	Groundcover
Wildlife Attractant:	Bees
Resistances:	Deer Resistant Rabbit Resistant Drought tolerant Salt tolerant
Propagation: Other methods:	Cuttings: Stem Cuttings: Tip Division
Containers:	Suitable in 1 gallon Suitable in 3 gallon or larger Suitable for hanging baskets Needs excellent drainage in pots
Awards and Recognitions:	Other: UC Davis Arboretum All Star

Common names

Ice Plant
Cooper's Ice Plant
Trailing Ice Plant
Hardy Ice Plant
Purple Ice Plant

Photo Gallery

Uploaded by vic

Location: Utrecht Botanical Garden
Date: 2017-07-16

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Location: My Garden, Utah
Date: 2014-06-22

Uploaded by dirtdorphins

Uploaded by treehugger

Location: Botanical Garden of Köln
Date: 2017-06-17

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Location: In my Northern California garden
Date: 2012-05-08

Uploaded by zuzu

Location: Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
Date: 2019-03-28

Uploaded by BlueOddish

Location: Kyle, Texas
Date: 2017-09-26
Cold hardy, pretty, easy care

Uploaded by christinereid54

Location: Botanical Garden of Utrecht
Date: 2018-09-30

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Location: Pacific Northwest, zone 8
Date: 2013-06-19

Uploaded by valleylynn

Uploaded by BlueOddish

Location: Summer Winds Nursery, Phoenix, Arizona
Date: 2016-11-11

Uploaded by plantmanager

Uploaded by Hamwild

Location: Utrecht Botanical Garden
Date: 2022-10-09

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Location: N Ga - zone 8A
Date: 06/2/2008

Uploaded by CAKnapp

Uploaded by skopjecollection

Uploaded by plantmanager

Location: Glendale, AZ
Date: 2012-03-22
Delosperma cooperi

Uploaded by RobGlen

Location: Medina, TN
Date: 2011-08-28
Bloomed all summer here. Quickly becoming a favorite.

Uploaded by clintbrown

Uploaded by Lucius93

Uploaded by Lucius93

Uploaded by TexasPlumeria87

Uploaded by bwbillh

Location: West Valley City, UT
Date: 2012-07-15

Uploaded by Zencat

Location: Southwest Las Vegas, NV
Date: 2012-03-22
Ice Plant (Delosperma cooperi)

Uploaded by RobGlen

Uploaded by valleylynn

Location: Botanical Garden Utrecht
Date: 2017-09-24

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Location: My garden in Warrenville, SC
Date: May 5, 2014
Forms a great border along the koi pond

Uploaded by scflowers

Location: Bay Area California
Date: December 2021
Note the presence of water capsules around the leaf.

Uploaded by Aeonium2003

Location: Decatur, GA
Date: 2020-05-18
Ice Plant (Delosperma cooperi). 2020-05-18. Performed well despi

Uploaded by paleohunter

Date: 2021-08-29
Growing in the ground, at a place less harsh than mine

Uploaded by skopjecollection

Uploaded by CAKnapp

Location: Pembroke, GA
Date: 2014-01-23
Photo courtesy of Santa Rosa Gardens. Used with permission.

Uploaded by Lalambchop1

Location: In my garden in Kalama, Wa.
Date: 2007-06-28

Uploaded by Joy

Location: Pacific Northwest, zone 8
Date: Jul 29, 2012

Uploaded by valleylynn

Location: Pacific Northwest, zone 8
Date: Sep 29, 2012

Uploaded by valleylynn

Uploaded by DianeSeeds

Uploaded by Whitebeard

Uploaded by Rebekah

Location: Orem, Utah
Date: 2012-04-02
At Sunriver Nursery

Uploaded by Paul2032

Uploaded by Paul2032

Location: Botanical Garden Berlin
Date: 2017-03-26

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Location: Rose garden
Date: 2013-0622
Blooming a few weeks after planting.

Uploaded by pirl

Uploaded by clintbrown

Location: Rose garden, at driveway
Date: 2014-06-24
Growing very well despite regular watering.

Uploaded by pirl

Location: Rose garden at driveway.
Date: 2014-06-24

Uploaded by pirl

Uploaded by pirl

Uploaded by Paul2032

Uploaded by Paul2032

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Location: In my garden in Kalama, Wa.
Date: 2008-07-05

Uploaded by Joy

Location: In my garden in Kalama, Wa.
Date: 2008-07-04

Uploaded by Joy

Uploaded by vic

Uploaded by vic

Uploaded by sedumzz

Uploaded by robertduval14

Location: Pacific Northwest, zone 8
Date: Dec 7, 2012

Uploaded by valleylynn

Location: Pacific Northwest, zone 8
Date: Aug 28, 2012

Uploaded by valleylynn

Location: Pacific Northwest, zone 8
Date: Jun 29, 2012

Uploaded by valleylynn

Location: Salem, Oregon
Photo courtesy of Perennial Obsessions.

Uploaded by Lalambchop1

Location: Pacific Northwest, zone 8
Date: Nov 10, 2012

Uploaded by valleylynn

Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania
Date: 2015-07-03

Uploaded by plantrob

Location: Pacific Northwest, zone 8
Date: Oct 24, 2012
Still blooming the end of October.

Uploaded by valleylynn

Location: Cheyenne, Wyoming
Date: 2020-02-16

Uploaded by MrsBinWY

Uploaded by Hamwild

Photo Courtesy of Mountain Crest Gardens. Used with Permission.

Uploaded by Joy

Uploaded by TexasPlumeria87

Location: West Valley City, UT
Date: 2012-06-21
Planted as one small plant 4 years ago.

Uploaded by Zencat

Uploaded by Zencat

Photo Courtesy of Lazy S'S Farm Nursery.

Uploaded by Joy

Location: Fairfax, VA | July, 2022
Date: 2022-06-17

Uploaded by sedumzz

Location: Longwood Gardens PA
Date: 2023-06
D. cooperi 'WOWDRW5'

Uploaded by skylark

Uploaded by sedumzz

Uploaded by jooshewa

Uploaded by jooshewa

Uploaded by jooshewa

Uploaded by jooshewa

Uploaded by jooshewa

Location: Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina | June, 2022
Date: 2022-06-12

Uploaded by sedumzz

This plant is tagged in:

Comments:

Posted by valleylynn (Oregon City, OR - Zone 8b) on Nov 9, 2013 3:44 PM concerning plant:

I have had this plant for 1-1/2 years now. It started out as a plant in a 3" pot, summer of 2012.

Ice Plant (Delosperma cooperi)
Uploaded by valleylynn

A year and half later this is what it looks like. Notice the shadows, the sun is going down, so the blooms start closing for the night. When the blooms are fully open the plant is covered in beautiful purple blooms.

Ice Plant (Delosperma cooperi)
Uploaded by valleylynn

There is another 4 foot long wall filled with D. cooperi. Both walls of cooperi go all the way to the ground. I have lost count of the times this summer that I have pruned them way back, so they won't overtake the rest of the beds, and I have given many starts to other gardeners.
This plant starts easily from cuttings, blooms heavily until winter freeze (here in my zone 8 PNW), and is evergreen for me. After two hard freezes it is still blooming.

This is a wonderful plant for using as a ground cover. It makes a dense carpet that seems to repel weeds. I do find a rare bindweed which has been very easy to remove. In a day or two you can't even tell where you disturbed the D. cooperi.

This has provided food for the bees from late spring until November.

Reply to this comment

Posted by bsavage (Santa Clarita, CA - Zone 9b) on Dec 7, 2011 4:43 PM concerning plant:

We bought small ice plants a few years ago for our (then) new heather bed. We planted a few... and they grew, and grew, and grew! We've since added them to other beds because they are such great plants! Great for full sun, they survive our zone 5 winters with flying colors... great ground cover and pop of color, AND they bloom all summer long!

Reply to this comment

Posted by valleylynn (Oregon City, OR - Zone 8b) on Oct 28, 2012 3:35 PM concerning plant:

Here it is the end of October and this delosperma is still blooming and setting new buds. It has bloomed all summer without slowing down.

Reply to this comment

Posted by Skiekitty (Denver Metro - Zone 5a) on Feb 11, 2013 4:45 PM concerning plant:

Survives Colorado Zone 5 in a rock garden w/no winter protection at all.

Reply to this comment

Plant Events from our members
MrsBinWY	On March 27, 2022	Cuttings stuck On 3-27-2022, stuck 8 2.25" pots of cuttings & put them on the plant rack on the back patio.
MrsBinWY	On June 11, 2020	Transplanted 1 behind stream where D. floribunda 'Stardust' was on 5-24-20; 1 along path in back yard on 5-31-2020; 1 at point of back stone path south-west of iron pot on 6-11-2020; 1 on north side of front sidewalk with Festuca glauca on 6-11-2020; 2 on south side of front sidewalk ~6" apart on 6-11-2020
MrsBinWY	From May 29, 2020 to May 28, 2020	Potted up 16 pots, most with multiple plants in them
MrsBinWY	On February 16, 2020	Seeds sown 16 groups from GeoSeed in milk jug @ room temp
paleohunter	On April 14, 2022	Cuttings stuck
piksihk	On March 22, 2024	Miscellaneous Event These are planted in bed near utility door. They are doing well and mutiplied. Survived the winter.

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Delosperma Ice Plant (Delosperma cooperi)

Delosperma
Ice Plant (Delosperma cooperi)