Delosperma cooperi
Common name: Cooper's ice plant · Trailing ice plant · Hardy ice plant · Pink carpet
Delosperma cooperi is a low, mat-forming succulent perennial in the ice plant family (Aizoaceae), native to South Africa. It spreads by trailing, rooting stems covered in small, cylindrical, glistening leaves and produces a long summer-to-fall display of vivid magenta, daisy-like flowers. It is grown as a tough, drought-tolerant groundcover for rock gardens, walls, and hot dry slopes, and is one of the hardiest succulents in cultivation.
Care summary
Sun
Full sun; flowering drops sharply in shade
Water
Very drought-tolerant; water sparingly and keep nearly dry in winter
Soil
Gritty, sharply drained, low-fertility mix; intolerant of wet or heavy clay
Hardiness
Zones 5–9
Mature height
8–15 cm (3–6 in)
Pet safe
Generally considered non-toxic to cats and dogs; not listed by the ASPCA
Difficulty
Easy
Propagation
By stem cuttings in late spring or summer; also division or seed
Fun facts
- The glistening surface of the leaves comes from tiny water-filled bladder cells that catch the light like ice crystals, giving the plant its common name.
- The magenta flowers open in morning sun and close at night and on dull days.
- Cold weather flushes the green foliage a dusty purple-red in winter.
- It is one of the most cold-hardy ice plants, surviving to about -23 C (-10 F) in dry winter conditions.