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Article: Ice plant lives up to its name. (Garden Guide).(Brief Article)
- Article from:
- Sunset
- Article date:
- April 1, 2002
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2002 Sunset Publishing Corp. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Few perennial ground covers are as tough as ice plant (Delosperma species). This group of succulents from South Africa is extremely adaptable, according to Panayoti Kelaidis, curator of plant collections at Denver Botanic Gardens. Indeed, they tolerate extreme cold and heat, poor soil, and irregular irrigation. Despite this cast-iron demeanor, they bear delicate-looking flowers in brilliant carnival colors.
Over the last decade, yellow D. nubigenum has proven to be one of the best ice plants for intermountain gardens. This species reliably survives winters in Sunset climate zones 2A through 3B. In late spring, 1- ...