Suntropics Red Ice Plant

Suntropics Red Ice Plant (Delosperma cooperi 'Suntropics Red') is a low, spreading succulent groundcover that grows about 10cm tall and 40cm wide and covers itself in warm red daisy flowers with golden centres through summer. Its slender, fleshy leaves store water, so it keeps going in the dry, hot, exposed spots where lawn and most flowers give up. Unusually for a succulent, it is also cold hardy.

Why you'll love it

• Colour through the warm months. Small, shiny daisy flowers, warm red with a golden eye, peak in summer and keep appearing while the weather stays warm.
• Stores its own water. The fleshy stems hold moisture, so it handles drought and heat once established.
• Cold hardy as well. It takes cold weather in its stride, which is rare among succulent groundcovers.
• Reddish winter foliage. The slender leaves take on a reddish tint in winter, so the carpet stays interesting between flowerings.
• Flexible in the garden. Rockeries, pots, rooftop gardens and green walls all suit its low, trailing habit.

Where it works best

Groundcover and rockeries. Plant 30cm apart in full sun. Each plant spreads to about 40cm, so the trailing stems knit into a low carpet over rocks, gravel and dry banks.

Pots, rooftops and living walls. The trailing habit spills over the edge of a pot or a wall pocket, and it copes with the heat of an exposed rooftop.

Coastal and dry gardens. A good fit for coastal gardens, gravel gardens and outback style borders where soil is light and rain is irregular.

Growing Suntropics Red Ice Plant in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, or sun for at least part of the day, gives the best colour and the most compact shape. It is drought tolerant and cold hardy once established, so it suits subtropical, warm temperate, cool temperate, Mediterranean and arid gardens. Where summers are wet and humid, give it the sharpest drainage you can, or grow it in a pot.

Soil. Light, free draining soil is essential. It does not like wet feet or moist, rich soil, so on heavy clay grow it in a raised bed or pot with coarse sand or gravel in the mix.

Water and feed. Water lightly until the plant is established, usually around 12 weeks, then only when the soil is dry. Skip the fertiliser: rich feeding gives soft, leafy growth rather than flowers.

Pruning. Little is needed. In spring, trim any straggly or winter damaged stems back to keep the mat compact.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Suntropics Red Ice Plant as tube stock, a young plant in an 80mm deep tube that establishes quickly. Tubes are the economical way to cover a rockery or bank, and the plants spread outwards as the weather warms. The fleshy stems travel well, so plant out within a day or two of arrival in a sunny, well drained spot.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse more groundcover plants
• Succulents for sunny gardens and pots
• Plants for rockeries
• A complete succulent care guide

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it?

Plant 30cm apart for a carpet. Each plant spreads to about 40cm, so the stems meet and overlap as they grow.

Will frost damage it?

Suntropics Red is cold hardy, and the leaves simply turn reddish in winter. Wet soil in cold weather does far more harm than frost, so drainage matters more than shelter.

Why is mine not flowering well?

Almost always too little sun. Flowering and the compact shape are best in a full sun position, so move a shaded plant, and keep the soil lean and free draining.