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Delosperma Cooperi
Delosperma cooperi
Delosperma Cooperi is a great choice for hot, sunny areas where you need a low ground cover that can handle dry conditions and still bring serious flower color. The magenta-purple blooms are bright enough to stop people in their tracks, and the succulent foliage keeps the plant low, tidy, and drought-tolerant once established. I especially like it spilling over rocks, edging sunny beds, or covering dry slopes where drainage is sharp and the color can really show off.
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Magenta Succulent Ground Cover for Hot, Sunny Gardens
Vivid magenta flowers with long-lasting color.
Delosperma Cooperi Ice Plant produces a carpet of bright magenta to purplish-pink, daisy-like flowers that can cover the plant during the warm season. The blooms sit just above fleshy succulent foliage, creating a bold ground-hugging display that looks especially vivid in full sun. Use it where homeowners want a low-growing perennial that delivers more flower color than a typical ground cover, while remaining compact, spreading, and easy to manage.
A drought-tolerant ground cover for dry spaces.
This hardy ice plant is built for sunny, well-drained locations where low-water performance matters. Once established, its succulent leaves help the plant handle heat, sandy soil, gravelly beds, dry borders, and other challenging spots where thirstier perennials may struggle. It is a strong choice for rock gardens, xeriscape-style plantings, curbside beds, sunny slopes, and low-water landscapes where homeowners want color without constant watering.
Perfect for rock gardens, walls, slopes, and containers.
Delosperma Cooperi forms a low mat that spreads across the soil surface and can spill attractively over rocks, walls, and container edges. Its ground-cover habit makes it useful on sunny slopes, raised beds, retaining walls, and between stones where soil is lean and drainage is sharp. In containers, troughs, and mixed succulent-style planters, it brings bright seasonal color and attractive texture without needing a tall or bulky plant.
Deer-resistant color with pollinator appeal.
Delosperma Cooperi is considered deer-resistant, making it a practical option for sunny landscapes where browsing pressure can be frustrating. The open, daisy-like blooms attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators, adding wildlife value to a plant that is already useful for low-water garden design. It is a good fit for homeowners who want colorful ground cover that supports pollinators while reducing watering and maintenance needs.
Low maintenance when drainage is right.
This ice plant is easy to grow when planted in full sun and sharply drained soil, but it does not like soggy conditions. Sandy, rocky, gravelly, average, or lean soils can all work well as long as water drains away quickly from the crown. Avoid heavy wet clay, overwatering, and winter-wet sites; with the right drainage, Delosperma Cooperi rewards the garden with vivid color, succulent texture, and a clean, spreading ground-cover habit.
| Hardiness Zone: | 6-10 |
|---|---|
| Mature Height: | 2 to 6 Inches |
| Mature Width: | 18 to 24 Inches |
| Sunlight: | Full Sun |
| Soil | Well-drained soil; performs well in sandy, gravelly, rocky, average, dry, or lean soil |
| Water | Water regularly after planting; drought tolerant once established and prefers to dry slightly between waterings |
| Bloom Time / Color | Late spring to early fall; magenta, purplish-pink, or purple-pink daisy-like flowers |
| Foliage | Fleshy green succulent foliage that forms a low spreading mat; Evergreen in warm winter |
| Ornamental Features | Magenta flowers, succulent foliage, low mat-forming habit, long bloom season, spreading ground cover |
| Wildlife Value | Attracts bees, butterflies, and other pollinators |
| Resistance | Deer resistant, drought tolerant once established, heat tolerant, dry-soil tolerant, and generally low maintenance |
| Landscape Uses | Rock gardens, sunny borders, dry slopes, xeriscapes, edging, containers, retaining walls, gravel gardens, mass plantings, pollinator gardens, and low-water landscapes |
How to Care for Delosperma Cooperi
Be sure to read our planting instructions to ensure a healthy and happy Delosperma cooperi plant for years to come!
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How should I plant Delosperma Cooperi Ice Plant?
Plant Delosperma Cooperi in full sun with sharply drained soil. Sandy, gravelly, rocky, average, or cactus-style soil works well, but heavy wet clay should be improved or avoided because ice plants are sensitive to soggy conditions. Dig a shallow hole just wide enough for the root ball and set the crown level with the surrounding soil. Backfill gently, water lightly to settle the plant, and space plants about 16 to 24 inches apart so they have room to form a low spreading mat.
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How often should I water Delosperma Cooperi after planting?
Water Delosperma Cooperi regularly during the first growing season while the roots establish, but do not keep the soil constantly wet. Allow the soil to dry slightly between waterings to reduce the risk of crown or root rot. Once established, this ice plant is drought-tolerant and usually requires very little supplemental water once established. In containers, water the potting mix when it has dried down, and always use a container with drainage holes.
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When should I fertilize Delosperma Cooperi?
Fertilize Delosperma Cooperi lightly in spring if growth appears weak or the soil is extremely poor. A small amount of compost, a low-rate balanced slow-release fertilizer, or a cactus/succulent fertilizer is usually enough. Avoid heavy feeding, especially with high-nitrogen fertilizer, because overly rich conditions can encourage soft growth and fewer flowers. This plant generally performs best in lean, well-drained soil with plenty of sun.
When and how should I prune Delosperma Cooperi?
Prune Delosperma Cooperi in early spring by removing dead, winter-damaged, or leggy stems before new growth fills in. Light trimming can also help shape the mat and keep the plant from spreading beyond its intended space. During the growing season, little pruning is usually needed because this ice plant is naturally low and spreading. If the plant looks tired after a heavy bloom cycle, a light trim can refresh the foliage and encourage a cleaner appearance.
