Ice Plant Magenta

Ice Plant 'Magenta' (Mesembryanthemum 'Magenta') is a succulent groundcover for the hot, dry, awkward parts of a garden. It sits only 20cm high but spreads to about 80cm across, and through the warmer months it covers itself in vivid magenta daisy like flowers. On a sunny bank or a coastal front garden it holds ground that most plants refuse.

Why you'll love it

• It covers ground quickly. Planted 40cm apart, the fleshy stems knit into a continuous mat within a season, which is fast for a succulent.
• Colour you can see from the street. Magenta flowers open with the sun and close on dull days, heaviest through spring and summer, and bees and butterflies work them steadily.
• It thrives on neglect. Drought, heat, salt spray and poor sandy soil are all fine. Rich soil and regular watering are what shorten its life.
• It holds a slope. Shallow fibrous roots bind loose surface soil on banks and above retaining walls, where mowing or weeding is awkward.

Where it works best

Groundcover and mass planting. Plant 40cm apart, roughly six plants per square metre. The mat closes faster than at wider spacing, which leaves bare soil open to weeds.

Coastal gardens. Salt tolerant and wind hardy, so it suits front gardens, dune edges and exposed verges where sand blows through.

Slopes and retaining walls. Set plants along the top of a wall and let the stems spill over the face, or use them to hold a bank too steep to mow.

Growing Ice Plant 'Magenta' in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, all day, is the one condition it will not negotiate on. It suits warm temperate, subtropical, Mediterranean and arid gardens. It takes light frost only, so in cool inland and tableland districts grow it in a pot that can move under cover.

Soil. Sharp drainage is the whole game. Sandy and gravelly soils are ideal, and on clay it needs a raised mound with coarse sand or gravel worked through. Do not enrich the soil.

Water and feed. Water weekly through the first summer to settle the roots, then rainfall covers it in most seasons. Heavy fertiliser produces soft growth at the expense of flowers.

Pruning. Shear the whole planting back by about a third after the main flush. That stops the centre going woody and bare, which is the usual reason an older patch looks thin.

What to expect when it arrives

It comes in two sizes: tube stock, and 140mm pots in packs of ten. Tubes are the sensible choice for a large bank, since they establish quickly and the cost per square metre is low. The 140mm plants are already branching and give visible cover in the first season.

Succulent cuttings travel well, though a few leaves may drop in transit and some stems can look tired for a week. Plant into dry soil, water once, then leave it alone for a fortnight. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Compare options in the full groundcover range.
• See what else suits a seaside block in plants for coastal areas.
• Read about trailing plants for retaining walls.
• Browse companions in rockery plants.

Common questions

How many plants do I need per square metre?

About six at the recommended 40cm spacing. Closer planting does not close the gap much faster and wastes plants, while wider spacing leaves soil open to weeds for longer.

Will it survive frost?

Light frost only. A heavy or repeated frost turns the fleshy leaves to mush, so cool temperate and frosty inland gardens should treat it as a pot plant that shelters in winter.

Can I walk on it?

No. The stems are brittle and snap underfoot, so keep it out of paths and use stepping stones if you need to cross a planted area.