The illustrated growing guide
Hardy Ice Plant
Delosperma cooperi
Family Aizoaceae
Est. zones 5-9
A groundcover of glowing, almost fluorescent daisy flowers over succulent foliage, blooming all summer in the hottest, driest, most-neglected spot — a gravel bank, a hell strip, a rock wall. Hardy to zone 5 IF it has sharp winter drainage; the only way to kill it is soggy winter soil. Bees adore it.
Full Sun
Low water
Fast growth
Salt-tolerant
Attracts bees
None winter chillI
Overview
Will hardy ice plant suit your garden, and what goes wrong.
Will it thrive where you are?
Enter your ZIP — we look up your USDA hardiness zone (2023 map) and check it against what hardy ice plant actually needs.
Hardy inZones 5-9Hardy Ice Plant at a glance
Common hardy ice plant problems
- Almost none
- Root/Crown Rot in wet winters (the ONLY real risk)
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Growing
Light, water, soil, propagation and the season’s jobs.
How to grow hardy ice plant: light, water & soil
How to plant & propagate hardy ice plant
When to spray hardy ice plant
Growing season. Gritty soil + winter drainage is the whole game.
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The year
What hardy ice plant asks for, month by month.
The hardy ice plant year, month by month
BloomPruneWhat each band means
- Bloom — flowers open — pollinators working, frost on blossoms is the danger.
- Prune — shape it now — cuts heal cleanly and structure is visible.
The hardy ice plant year as text
- Jan quiet month
- Feb quiet month
- Mar pruning
- Apr pruning
- May bloom, pruning
- Jun quiet month
- Jul quiet month
- Aug quiet month
- Sep bloom
- Oct bloom
- Nov bloom
- Dec quiet month
These are the species' typical months — expect them a few weeks earlier in warm zones and later in cold ones. Watch the plant, not just the calendar.
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Ecology & uses
What it does for the garden, and what it is grown for.
Hardy Ice Plant in the garden system
- Groundcover layer succulent
- Nectary/insectary
- Living mulch
What hardy ice plant is grown for
✓ Not known to be toxic
Edibility, identification, and traditional-use notes here are general reference — not medical or veterinary advice, and not a claim that any plant treats or prevents anything. Medicinal ratings record how strongly a plant features in herbal tradition, nothing more. Never eat or dose a plant you have not positively identified. More on how to use this library.
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Cultivars
Named varieties of hardy ice plant, ruled as a catalogue.
Best hardy ice plant varieties & cultivars
'Cooperi' (magenta); 'Fire Spinner' (tricolor); 'Jewel of Desert' series
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Sources & plant ID
Where the care distinctions come from, and how the plant is filed.
Research basis
Sources behind this profile
No extension citations are attached to hardy ice plantyet. The care figures below come from the library's own catalogue rather than a traced primary source.
Plant ID
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Where to buy
Third-party nurseries — not Story Thyme Farms.
Third-party nurseries, not Story Thyme Farms. Prices are theirs.
Story Thyme Farms may earn a small commission from these links, at no cost to you — it never changes what we recommend. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Questions
Hardy Ice Plant questions, answered straight.
Is hardy ice plant safe for kids and pets?
Hardy Ice Plant is commonly eaten and isn't considered toxic, but "commonly eaten" isn't a guarantee for any particular person or animal — allergies, quantity, and which part you eat all matter. Never eat a plant you haven't positively identified, and check with a vet before letting pets or livestock graze anything new.
How do you propagate hardy ice plant?
Stem/leaf cuttings, division, or pups.
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Elsewhere
Where hardy ice plant sits in the library.
Nasturtium
Juniper
Blue Fescue
Hens and Chicks