Colloquially, the term ice plant is used in this country for various plant species, but the most important representatives of ice plants are the flowering beauties of the genus Delosperma. These plants, which mainly come from South Africa and have a particularly long flowering period, can also be easily propagated by hobby gardeners.
How to propagate ice plants?
Midday flowers can be propagated by cuttings by cutting finger-length pieces of unwoody shoots and sticking them in poor soil. Alternatively, they can also be grown from seeds that germinate on the windowsill at around 20 degrees Celsius.
Propagation of Delosperma through cuttings
For propagation via cuttings, finger-length pieces of unwoody shoots must be cut from the selected ice plant mother plants in spring or autumn. It is best to press them lightly into the leanest possible soil in a planter. Then place the container with the cuttings in a protected place with, if possible, no direct sunlight. During the following two to three weeks, the ice plant cuttings should be watered as little as possible or not at all. Roots have usually formed as soon as new growth appears on the shoots. The rooted cuttings can then be carefully transplanted into another pot or into a rock garden.
Grow your own midday flowers from seeds
The Latin name Delosperma describes the shape of the open seed capsules in ice plants. As a result, the plants often self-sow in suitable locations in the garden, relatively unnoticed. Seeds for controlled sowing are either purchased commercially or collected with the seed capsules (€2.00 on Amazon) after the flowering period and stored in a dry place. From February onwards, the ice plant seeds are sown on the windowsill and always kept slightly moist. The following conditions are also important for successful cultivation:
- Temperatures around 20 degrees Celsius
- cover the seeds very thinly with substrate
- bright, but without direct sunlight
Creating the optimal conditions for ice plants in the garden
So that the ice plants in the garden can expand into large cushions and carpets with many individual flowers, you don't need a lot of care, but you do need suitable location conditions. The most important location factors include the following conditions:
- good water drainage (waterlogging causes plants to rot)
- Rock garden surface with a layer of gravel retaining heat
- all-day and unrestricted sunlight if possible
Tip
Not all subspecies of the genus Delosperma are completely hardy in Central Europe. Basically, species that grow only a few centimeters high along the ground are usually more winter-hardy than higher-growing species. Ice plants grown from seeds or cuttings should be planted in early spring if possible so that the plants can grow well in the location until winter.
