If you’re looking for a drought tolerant but lovely flower to fill in your dry, troubled areas of the garden, ice plants might be just what you need. These bright flowers are easy to care-for and have an adorable name too! Keep reading about these pretty plants and how they can help take care of those troublesome spots that don’t get enough water.
How do you take care of an ice plant?
This hardy succulent is a perennial groundcover plant with vibrant blooms and drought-resistance. Ice plants are tolerant in USDA plant hardiness zones 5 to 9, but grow well in parts of the United States that have milder climates like Illinois and Ohio.
Ice plants require very little care other than occasional water once established. These drought resistant succulents need only enough rainfall or irrigation to keep the soil moist for short periods of time. Sandy, gravely soils commonly used in succulent potting mixes work best for growing the ice plant.
The ice plant is a tough little succulent that thrives in drought conditions, so green thumbs are not 100% necessary here. When establishing an ice plant, ensure the soil is sandy and well-drained with a good drip pan to keep it alive during dry spells.
Do ice plants come back every year?
That really depends on the climate you are growing in, unless you plan to keep them indoors. Don’t let the name fool you, this isn’t called the ice plant because of some super-resistance to frost! Many cultivars won’t do well past zone 6.
Having said that, if they are planted in the correct zone, ice plants should act as perennials in the garden. You can even grow them from seeds easily in most climates and there are plenty of wildflower seed mix options online that include several different varieties of the ice plant for a colorful garden arrangement.
Click the Image Below – Buy Ice Plant Wildflower Seed Mix Online
Do Ice plants need full sun?
They do tend to prefer it, but some varieties are okay in partial shade. If planting it in an area that is mostly shady, ensure you water the ice plant at least once a week.
If your ice plants are struggling to grow or maintain their color, they may need more sun than you can provide them in the current landscape.
Try moving them to another part of the garden where there’s more light available and see if this remedies the situation.
Do ice plants need deadheading?
Not necessarily, but you may consider it a good practice to keep your garden looking its best. In this case, deadheading does not seem to be a necessity.
If you do choose to deadhead your ice plants, chop and drop! It may help with potentially reducing weed growth near the plant since it decreases sunlight exposure on these usually sunny areas of your garden. You can also save a few cuttings if you want since most species will develop roots in a container of succulent soil mix within a few weeks.
Light, Soil, Water, Temperature and Humidity Requirements
The Ice Plant thrives in certain conditions. They prefer sun exposure, but not too much. They also like to be watered often and their soil should be kept fully drained. Their temperatures are cool or cold tolerant with a average of 20 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter months to 40-60 degrees Fahrenheit during the summer season.
Their humidity requirements are low which is ideal for arid climates such as Phoenix Arizona’s desert climate where many varieties can grow outside year round without any difficulty at all. Ice plants thrive indoors too if given bright light sources and plenty of warm water, since these conditions mimic those found outdoors naturally. Be sure to use a sandy, rocky soil that’s made specifically for succulents.
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