Ice plants, primarily members of the genera Delosperma and Lampranthus, are succulent groundcovers widely used in xeriscaping for their color and resilience. These low-growing perennials feature fleshy, conical leaves that often glisten, giving them their common name, and produce daisy-like flowers in hot colors. Selecting appropriate planting partners is important for a cohesive, low-maintenance landscape. Companions must thrive under the same demanding environmental conditions, ensuring the planting scheme remains healthy where water conservation is a priority.
Essential Growing Conditions for Ice Plants
The success of an ice plant garden begins with understanding the requirements of the groundcover itself. Ice plants require intense, full sunlight, ideally receiving at least six hours of direct sun daily to promote growth and flowering. Insufficient light results in leggy, weak stems and a reduction in the number of blooms produced.
The most important soil requirement is sharp, rapid drainage, as ice plants are succulents highly susceptible to root rot in wet conditions. They perform best in sandy, gravelly, or shallow rocky soils that are naturally lean and do not hold excess moisture. Dense clay or constantly moist soil will cause the plants to fail.
Once established, these plants are drought-tolerant and require minimal supplemental irrigation. Watering should be done sparingly during the growing season, typically once every two weeks in the absence of rain. Allowing the soil to dry out completely between waterings mimics their native South African habitat and prevents waterlogged conditions.
Selecting Companion Plants for Shared Needs
Ideal companion plants must mirror the ice plant’s preference for full sun, poor, well-draining soil, and low water use, making other succulents and desert perennials excellent choices. Certain varieties of Sedum, or stonecrop, are compatible, sharing drought-tolerance and thriving in gritty soil. Upright varieties like ‘Autumn Joy’ provide vertical contrast to the ice plant’s creeping habit. Their broad, flat leaves offer a textural difference from the ice plant’s narrow, rounded foliage.
Small Agave species can be scattered throughout the planting to introduce a sculptural element that contrasts with the trailing form of the ice plant. The rigid, architectural structure and sometimes blue-gray coloring of the Agave leaves create a visual anchor in the low groundcover. For perennial flowers that offer height and different bloom colors, consider low-growing clumps of Carpathian Harebell (Campanula carpatica), which reaches about eight inches tall and produces blue or white flowers.
The Harebell’s clumping growth habit provides height diversity without competing with the spreading ice plant for ground space. Other xeric choices include smaller Beardtongues (Penstemon) or Catmint (Nepeta). These plants are similarly adapted to hot, dry conditions and provide spires of bloom or soft, contrasting foliage texture.
Designing the Ice Plant Garden
Effective garden design with ice plants focuses on maximizing visual impact through contrast in form, color, and height. Strategic placement involves using taller companions as backdrops or focal points to interrupt the horizontal plane of the groundcover. Mounded perennials like Euphorbia or the upright stems of Sedum should be positioned toward the back of a bed or near corners to frame the low-growing ice plant carpet.
The trailing nature of Delosperma and Lampranthus is best showcased by allowing them to cascade over rock walls, raised beds, or the edges of containers. This spills the color palette down a vertical surface, softening harsh lines and making functional structures into landscape features. When integrating companions, ensure proper spacing, giving the ice plant the 15 to 18 inches it needs to form a dense mat without crowding.
The contrast between foliage shapes provides year-round interest, even when the ice plants are not in peak bloom. Pairing the fine, succulent needles of the ice plant with the broad leaves of Sedum or the rosette form of Agave adds depth and complexity to the planting. Utilizing different bloom colors, such as planting purple-flowered ice plant varieties alongside the yellow blooms of certain Euphorbia, creates intentional color drifts that guide the eye through the garden space.