Crystalline ice plant
Mesembryanthemum crystallinum · Aizoaceae
The gardener's calendar
In autumn, ease off feeding and take the chance to clean up around crystalline ice plant and prepare for winter.
ID card
- Foliage
- Evergreen, succulent and translucent
- Flowering
- Spring to summer (pink or white flowers)
- Adult size
- 15 to 30 cm tall, trailing habit
- Growth
- Rapid under optimal conditions
- Hardiness
- Tender, tolerates down to 5 °C
- Origin
- South Africa, semi-arid regions
- Soil type
- Well-draining, poor, slight salt tolerance
Care
Moderate watering
Water regularly in spring and summer, allowing the substrate to dry between waterings. Drastically reduce in autumn and winter: light watering every 3 to 4 weeks is sufficient. Avoid standing water which causes root rot.
Intense light
Place the plant in full sun for at least 6 hours per day. This exposure enhances leaf translucency and promotes flowering. It tolerates light part-shade but clearly prefers bright, warm locations.
Well-draining substrate
Use a succulent or cactus potting mix enriched with coarse sand or pumice. Poor, permeable soil is preferable: the ice plant fears excess organic matter and chronic moisture.
Minimal fertilizing
Apply a highly diluted succulent fertilizer once or twice in spring and summer. Avoid overfeeding, which softens leaves and reduces their robustness. Absence of feeding won't compromise survival.
Maintenance and pinching
Pinch stems in spring to encourage denser branching. Remove dead or damaged leaves as needed. No severe pruning is necessary; the plant naturally maintains a compact habit.
Preventing problems
Root rot is the main risk from overwatering or poor drainage. Watch for mealybugs indoors. Good air circulation and an aerated substrate significantly reduce fungal diseases.
Did you know?
The ice plant is famous for its leaves covered with tiny transparent vesicles filled with sap, which glisten like ice crystals in the sun — hence its evocative name. These vesicles play a crucial ecological role: they concentrate salts and water, allowing the plant to survive in semi-desert saline environments. In South Africa, it naturally grows on rocky coasts battered by sea spray.
Where to buy it
Plant in spring, once all risk of frost has gone. Pick a plant with healthy foliage and roots that are not exposed. Best time: from April to June.
Add this plant to my garden →Plants from the same family
- Hottentot figCarpobrotus edulis
- Pink trailing iceplantDelosperma cooperi
- Ruschia lineolataRuschia lineolata
- Sea purslaneSesuvium portulacastrum
- New Zealand spinachTetragonia tetragonoides
- Slenderleaf iceplantMesembryanthemum nodiflorum
Tips generated and checked by Viridia — adapt them to your local climate.