Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Red Ice Plant
Red Ice Plant is a low, mounding succulent with small fleshy leaves and bright orange-red, daisy-like flowers in late spring and early summer. It grows fast into a clump about 1 to 2 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide. It works on sunny slopes, mounds and beds and in pots, and it needs little water once rooted.
Best for: sunny slopes and mounds, low beds, and pots and planters where you want a low mound of spring color.
Ice plants are used on sunny slopes, mounds and beds in the Valley. Plant them about 1 foot apart, and they fill in to a solid cover.
Bright orange-red, daisy-like flowers open in late spring and early summer, and bees visit them. The flowers stand out against the small green leaves.
It forms a compact mound about 18 inches tall that suits pots and planters and spills over the edges. Use a fast-draining mix so the roots never sit wet.
Ice plants cannot take foot traffic, so plant them where no one steps. They can freeze back in a hard winter and dry down in the Valley's summer heat. Replant bare spots in fall.
- Ground cover bed1 ft apart
Young ground cover plants have shallow roots and can need water every 2 or 3 days for the first 2 to 4 weeks. After that, stretch the time between waterings as the plants root in.
Once it is rooted, water every 5 to 10 days in hot, dry weather and every 3 to 6 weeks in winter if rain is short. Let the soil drain well between waterings.
Ice plants can dry down in the Valley's summer heat. Water deeply during long hot spells, and replant any bare spots in fall.
Ice plants can freeze back in a very cold winter. On the coldest nights, cover the bed with frost cloth that reaches the ground, and take it off in the morning.
Ground cover beds in the low desert often thin out within 2 to 4 years. Replant bare spots in fall or early spring, and keep people from walking on the bed.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
How big does red ice plant get?
It grows fast into a mound about 1 to 2 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide.
When does it bloom?
It blooms in late spring and early summer, with bright orange to red flowers that have yellow centers.
How far apart should I plant it?
Plant ice plants about 1 foot apart for a solid ground cover.
Can I walk on it?
No. Ice plants cannot take foot traffic, so plant them where people will not step.
How often should I water it?
Water new plants every 2 or 3 days for the first few weeks. Once it is rooted it needs little water, so let the soil dry out between waterings.
Is it frost hardy?
It is rated to about 20°F, and ice plants can freeze back in a very cold winter. Cover the bed with frost cloth on the coldest nights.
Does it handle the Valley summer?
Ice plants can dry down in the Valley's summer heat. Water deeply in long hot spells and replant bare spots in fall.
What soil does it need?
It needs soil that drains fast. Loosen heavy soil and remove caliche before planting.
Does red ice plant need shade in Phoenix?
In the low desert this ice plant does best with some afternoon shade in summer. Plant it where it gets morning sun, or under the light shade of a desert tree.
Does it attract bees?
Yes. Bees visit the flowers in spring, so it is a good fit for a pollinator bed.
Red Ice Plant for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Red Ice Plant is a fast, low succulent with bright orange-red flowers in late spring. It suits sunny slopes, mounds and pots. Below are answers to the questions Valley homeowners ask about it, from spacing and water to frost and summer heat.
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Is red ice plant good for slopes in Phoenix?
Yes. Ice plants are used on sunny slopes, mounds and beds in the Valley. Give them soil that drains fast, and plant them where no one walks.
How far apart do you plant red ice plant?
Plant ice plants about 1 foot apart for a solid ground cover. Each plant spreads about 2 to 3 feet wide.
When does red ice plant bloom?
Bright orange-red flowers with yellow centers open in late spring and early summer, and bees visit them.
How often do you water ice plant in the Valley?
Water new plants every 2 or 3 days for the first few weeks. After that, let the soil dry between waterings.
Can red ice plant grow in a pot?
Yes. Its compact mound suits pots and planters. Use a fast-draining mix so the roots never sit wet, and check pots often in summer.
How does ice plant handle summer heat?
Ice plants can dry down in the Valley's summer heat. Water deeply during long hot spells, and replant bare spots in fall or early spring.
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