Lampranthus is one of several genera of plants in the Aizozaceae family classified collectively as ice plants. All of them are native to Africa and all of them are succulent with distinctive daisy-like flowers.
One of the main groups is the Lampranthus family, which contains more than 150 species of flowering plants with thin petals in vibrant shades of color.
The leaves of the plants in this genus are typically short, cylindrical, and blue-green, with tiny, translucent flakes providing an icy appearance.
While others become bushy subshrubs, Some Lampranthus ice plants are low-growing spreaders. Many ice plants show their best in the spring with occasional repeats blooming during the season, and a few species bloom all summer with the right care and conditions.
- Botanical Name
- Common Name
- Plant Type
- Mature Size
- Sun Exposure
- Soil Type
- Soil pH
- Bloom Time
- Flower Color
- Hardiness Zones
- Native Area
- Lampranthus spp.
- Ice plant
- Succulent perennial, also annually planted
- Up to 2 feet tall
- Full sun
- Sandy, well-draining soil
- Neutral
- Spring, summer
- Red, pink, orange, yellow, purple
- 8 to 11 (USDA)
- Southern Africa
How to Grow Ice Plants
The species in the Lampranthus genus differ in size and form, but the majority of the commonly planted species of ice plants exceed 2 feet and their habit spreads.
Sunlight and weak soil flourish in ice plants and create a stunning mountain or rocky garden.
They can also be inserted into walls of stone. Their propagation habits mean they fill a jar and spillover easily so that they’re fun in suspended baskets and containers.
By division, cuttings, and seeds, you can grow ice plants. Do that in spring, if you divide existing plants.
Slicing can always be taken in the broad season, but it is better planted outside as early as possible in the season.
Simply scatter them through the soil in the spring if you grow with seeds, but do not cover them, because they need light for germination.
Light
All types of ice plants develop and blossom in full sun. Their flowers prefer to open to their fullest extent under sunny conditions, and a lot of sunlight helps keep the plant from being leggy.
Soil
The secret to growing ice plants is to provide sandy (or gravelly) well-draining soil with a neutral soil pH. This plant is good in soil that is low in nutrients but avoids clay soil and any place where the plant is in the water. Ice plants will rot and die if left in wet soil for a prolonged period of time.
Water
As succulent, mature ice plants are extremely tolerant of drought.
However, they prefer daily watering about once a week, particularly during the hottest part of the summer.
If you grow your ice plants in a container, you’re likely to have to water them a little more frequently than those planted in the ground.
Enable the soil to dry out between watering during the winter when the ice is somewhat dormant. Water seedlings periodically to keep the soil moist but not wet.
Temperature and Humidity
Despite their name, the ice plants do not withstand cold, icy weather.
Hardiness depends on the species and variety, but most plants of this genus prefer warm climates only. Although some species can survive light frosts, gardeners in cold climates tend to grow them as annuals or houseplants.
In addition, high humidity and damp conditions can cause ice plants to rot. They are thriving in dry climates.
Fertilizer
Fertilizer is generally not required for in-ground ice plants, as it grows well in poor soil. If the flowering is sparse, feeding can be a solution.
In the same way, plants grown in containers deplete their nutrients more easily and can benefit from the balanced fertilizer applied according to label instructions.
Propagating Ice Plants
The most rapid way to propagate ice plants is through cuttings.
Make cuttings as the plant grows from spring to early autumn. Cut shootings between three to six inches long and detach the leaves from everything but from the end.
Let your succulents to dry and shape calluses for several hours or overnight, leaving them out in the air. Root them then in a well-drilled container full of a succulent mixture of pots. Keep the soil moist until the root of the cuttings. It can be seen when the roots formed by tugging the cuttings carefully. They are prepared to be repotted into a bigger container or transplanted to earth in the spring when they give resistance.
Common Pests and Diseases
Weather (weather conditions, cold spells, etc.) is also the greatest obstacle to developing ice plants.
Too moist soil can create fungi that destroy your plant. Bug and scale meals are often infested with frost, but a plant should normally maintain a healthy environment in order to avoid both pests and diseases.
Varieties of Ice Plants
Some of the popular varieties of ice plants in this genus include:
Purple Vygie (Lampranthus haworthii): with blue-green leaves and covered with pink or purple flowers in the spring.
Redflower ice plant (Lampranthus coccineus): has bright red flowers throughout the season and is slightly frost-resistant.
Trailing Ice Plant (Lampranthus spectabilis): a low-growing, spreading plant with white or purple-pink flowers.
Compared With Delosperma Species
Delosperma, with over 100 species including the popular D. Cooperi. is also a popular type of landscape plant in the Aizozaceae family.
The Delosperma species are also known as ice plants; they look quite similar to the Lampthanthus species and are used in the landscape in a similar way. They are distinguished only by differences in the seed structure and less color diversity—Delosperma ice plants generally have red-purple flowers. They can be grown in much the same way as the Lampthanthus ice plants.