Rosea ice plant

Drosanthemum floribundum

Description

Rosea ice plant is dense and low growing succulent that becomes 4-6 in. high; it’s ground hugging stems will root in moist soil and enable this plant to grow many feet across. Tiny pale green leaves glisten with translucent dots; a carpet of shocking fluorescent-pink flowers occur in spring and can last for 2-3 weeks.

Rosea ice plant is a very versatile choice for ground cover plantings for large or small slopes where it is valued for erosion control, fine texture and seasonal color. It tolerates many soil types, needs good drainage and requires low amounts of supplemental water. Like all succulent ground covers, this species will develop a layer of old stems underlying each season of new growth. Sometimes it is necessary to remove older plantings with new cuttings in the spring.

Plant Type: Ground cover, Succulent, Iceplant
Foliage Character: Evergreen
Habit: Spreading, Dense
Growth Rate: Fast
Foliage Color: Pale green
Flower Color: Pink
Flower Season: Spring
Soil Adaptations: Well-draining soil, Moist soil, Clay
Exposure Adaptations: Heat, Fog, Coastal salt air, All day sun
Function: Slopes, Rock gardens, Mass planting, Foundations, Container plant, Borders, Banks
Height: 4 in. – 6 in.
Width: 5 ft. – 6 ft.

Watering Schedule: Low 2

For most situations, we recommend watering deeply every 2 weeks after establishment.

Learn how to apply this watering schedule to your landscape on our How to water waterwise and California native plants page.

Important Notes

These are general guidelines. Always observe and adjust as necessary for your landscape.
If it rains over 1” you will likely not need to water for at least another two weeks. Before watering again, check the soil. It should be significantly dry at least 4” below the soil surface before watering.
To save water, in many cases you can go longer in between waterings during the winter, often up to 3-4 weeks between watering for well-established plants. Two weeks after watering, check the soil approximately 4” below the surface. If it is still significantly moist, you can wait longer before watering again.
In most cases, if you have a “smart timer” or weather sensitive irrigation controller, you may use these features to save some water in in the fall and winter. If you are using automatic weather adjusting functions, continue to allow the timer to run every two weeks. It will adjust the number of minutes it runs to account for the cooler weather.
It is important to group plants with the same water needs together in the landscape to avoid needing to over or under water plants when running your irrigation system.

Trim edges and borders of plantings as necessary. Avoid allowing it to grow onto paved walkways because shoes stepping on the succulent leaves over concrete can create an instant slip hazard when stepped on. After multiple years of growth, can develop a layer of dried thatch below the active growth that can actually present a fire hazard in fire prone areas. Areas can be replanted by trimming plants, saving the younger actively growing sections, pulling and disposing of the older growth portion, and planting the cuttings to re-root and grow out (D). References

Rosea ice plant

Description

Watering Schedule: Low 2

Important Notes

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