Pocket BotanistPlant guide
Delosperma.
Delosperma
Pronounced deh-loh-SPER-muh
Also known as Delosperma, Sheepfigs
Delosperma are charming, low growing succulents that love the sun. They produce vibrant, daisy like flowers that cover the foliage during the warmer months. These plants are perfect for rock gardens or as ground cover in dry areas.
At a glance
- Care level
- Easy
- Plant type
- Succulent perennial
- Light
- Full sun
- Indoor light
- Direct sun
- Water
- Every 7 to 14 days
- Mature size
- 15cm tall, 60cm wide
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Hardiness
- USDA 5 to 10
- Bloom time
- Late spring to early fall
Care
Plant in well draining soil to prevent root rot. Watch for mushy stems which indicate too much moisture. They thrive when neglected and kept on the drier side.
- Watering
- Allow the soil to dry out completely between waterings.
- Feeding
- Apply a balanced liquid fertilizer sparingly during the active growing season.
- Pruning
- Trim back dead or leggy stems in early spring to encourage fresh growth.
- Repotting
- Repot only when the plant becomes rootbound in its container.
- Soil
- Sandy, gritty, well draining
- Soil pH
- 6.0 to 7.5
- Temperature
- -15 to 40°C
- Humidity
- 10 to 50%
- Drought tolerance
- High
- Lifespan
- Perennial, typically 3 to 5 years
- Deer and rabbits
- Moderate
Signs it needs repotting
- Roots growing out of the drainage holes.
- Water sitting on the surface for too long.
- The plant looks crowded in its current pot.
Safety
- People
- Delosperma is generally considered non-toxic to humans.
- Pets
- This plant is generally considered non toxic to cats and dogs.
- Children
- The small, fleshy leaves may pose a choking hazard to small children.
- Edibility
- This plant is not intended for human consumption.
How to identify it
- Fleshy, succulent leaves
- Daisy like flowers
- Low growing mat habit
- Papery flower petals
- Height
- 0.05 to 0.15m
- Spread
- 0.3 to 0.6m
- Leaves
- green, bronze, evergreen
- Flowers
- pink, purple, yellow, orange, white, 2 to 5cm
Problems to watch for
- MealybugsCommon
- Root RotCommon
- AphidsUncommon
- Spider MitesUncommon
By symptom
Check your delosperma from a photo
Pocket Botanist looks at a photo of your plant and tells you what's wrong and what to try first.
Growing it
- Propagation
- cuttings, seed, division
- When to plant
- spring, early summer
- Overwintering
- Ensure the soil is very well drained before winter sets in. If you live in a very wet climate, consider covering the plant to keep the crown dry.
- In containers
- They grow beautifully in shallow pots as long as the container has excellent drainage.
Stem Cuttings
- 1. Snip a healthy stem segment.
- 2. Let the cut end callous for two days.
- 3. Insert the cutting into dry, sandy soil.
- 4. Wait for roots to form before watering.
Pair these with other drought tolerant plants that do not require frequent irrigation to avoid root rot.
Grows well with
Similar species
- Lampranthus — They are closely related succulents with similar growth habits.
- Aptenia — It is another succulent ground cover with vibrant flowers.
Science
- Family
- Aizoaceae
- Genus
- Delosperma
- Order
- Caryophyllales
- Class
- Magnoliopsida
- Native range
- Southern and eastern Africa
- Conservation
- None of the common garden species are currently of conservation concern.
It survives in arid, rocky environments by storing water in its thick, succulent leaves.
- Value to wildlife
- nectar source
- Pollinators
- bees, butterflies
- Uses
- ground cover, rock garden, container plant, xeriscaping
Through the year
Ecological indicators
- Soil reaction
- 6/9
- Light
- 8/9
- Temperature
- 6/9
- Moisture
- 2/9
- Salinity
- 3/9
- Nutrients
- 2/9
Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.
Questions people ask
- Do I need to water my ice plant often?
- No, they are highly drought tolerant and prefer to dry out between waterings.
- Why is my plant dying in the winter?
- It is likely suffering from too much moisture in the soil during cold weather.
Where the name comes from
The name Delosperma comes from the Greek words delos, meaning visible, and sperma, meaning seed, referring to the exposed seeds in the capsules.
Good to know
- They are native to southern and eastern Africa.
- The name comes from the Greek words for visible and seed.
- They thrive in poor, rocky soil where other plants struggle.
- Flowers often close up at night and open again in the morning sun.
Also in
Keep your delosperma growing
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This guide was generated with AI and checked against GBIF taxonomy. It is general information, not horticultural or veterinary advice. Read about how we build these guides.