6 pink-flowered Delosperma

Delosperma cooperi, or Cooper’s ice plant, is the most widespread species of Delosperma. It is named after Cooper in honour of the 19th-century English botanist, Thomas Cooper. This perennial bears very fleshy, succulent leaves, ranging from pale green to white-tinged, hence its nickname the Ice Plant. It forms a small, low tuft about 10 cm high that in summer is covered with small cymes of bright mauve petals, surrounding a centre of white filaments, The plant has creeping, branched stems that root easily, thereby colonising space up to 50 cm wide.

Delosperma cooperi thrives in well-drained soil and full sun. It is a quintessential rock-garden plant, pairing with Sedums and carnations, or it can be planted at the base of garden valerian or Centranthus ruber.

Delosperma Wheels of Wonder ‘Hot Pink’ is a perennial ice plant hybrid from Japan, with vibrant, bi-coloured and highly contrasted flowers. The outer edge of the petals is a warm, vivid pink, surrounding a broad yellow centre. The yellow and pink blend into an intermediate shade that is almost red. It flowers from June to October and forms beautiful carpets of small succulent leaves. This variety was selected at the Innovert 2014 competition at the Plant Show. It is part of a series that offers flowers twice as large as the standard variety. It forms a small tuft 10–15 cm tall, which can spread to around 1 m across in good conditions.

Install this plant in a hanging basket, in a window box or in a pot, from which it will cascade. This will allow you to bring the pot indoors in winter to protect it from frost. You can combine it with many succulents sharing the same growing conditions, such as houseleeks, and sedums.

Ruschia prostrata or Antimima prostrata belongs to the group of Mesembryanthemum, Lampranthus, Drosanthemum. They are closely related to Delospermas in their geographic origin, South Africa, and in their characteristics: prostrate habit, succulent leaves, flower heads, cultivation requirements. Ruschia prostrata is rare on the market and less well known; its hardiness is more uncertain, but it is rated at around -5°C. It bears flowers about 2 cm in diameter, with fine, elongated petals, pale pink in colour and veined with pink, over a very long flowering period under the conditions it favours. They only open in the sun. It begins flowering in spring, around March–April, in mild climates, continuing until July–August.

It reaches about 15 cm in height and 50 cm across; its leaves are bluish-green and redden under the influence of sun and drought. A Mediterranean rock garden plant par excellence, it naturally settles among stones and rocks, on walls, in sandy, dry soil. Pair it with South African daisies such as Osteospermum. Outside mild coastal climates, cultivate it as an annual or plant it in a pot to bring indoors in winter.

Lampranthus aurantiacus ‘Pink flowers’ is a pink-flowered variety of this plant, also known as orange ice plant or Lampranthus. This other cousin of Delospermas shows here flowers of a bright pink, about 1.5 cm in diameter, with glossy and slender petals surrounding a pale yellow centre. In spring flowering, this perennial can bloom from March to April for several weeks. However, during prolonged drought, flowering will fade. The Lampranthus forms a tuft that can reach 30 cm in height. It spreads 50–60 cm wide.

Not hardy, Lampranthus aurantiacus ‘Pink flowers’ will be damaged by frost at -2°C. Grow it in a pot to be brought indoors in winter, alongside Delospermas in varied colours, to form colourful combinations with long, spreading flowering and almost maintenance-free.