Midday flowers are very popular flower and rock garden plants with their fine-rayed flowers. Despite their robustness, you should follow some care instructions. In this post you will learn what you can do if your ice plant has few or no flowers.
Why isn't my ice plant blooming?
If an ice plant does not bloom, it may be due to a location that is too shady, unsuitable soil or frost damage. For lush flowers, the plant should be placed in full sun and planted in well-drained, nutrient-poor soil.
When and how does the ice plant bloom?
The midday flowers (Dorotheanthus), which come from South Africa, bloom in the summer months fromJune to AugustThey get their German name from the fact that they usually bloom at middayopen for maximum sunlight. Depending on the variety, they bloom in yellow, orange, red or purple. Their characteristic radial petals are similar in shape to daisies. Under ideal conditions, the creeping ice plant forms a dense flower cushion with a height of around ten to fifteen centimeters.
What reasons could there be for the ice plant not to bloom?
The following causes can affect the flowers of the ice plant:
- One of the main reasons for too few or no flowers can be the wrong location. If it istoo shady, the plant will hardly produce any flowers.
- The plant is innot sufficiently drained soil. This means that water cannot seep away quickly enough and roots can rot.
- Furthermore, the soil could betoo nutrient-rich, so that the ice plant becomes lazy and even susceptible to disease.
- The annual ice plants are sensitive to frost. The plant may havegot frost.
What care do ice plants need for magnificent flowers?
Midday flowers love sun. Therefore, they are best placedfull sunonpermeable and nutrient-poor soil Ideally, rock gardens with a soil mixture of sand, gravel and clay are ideal. Because their leaves can store water, you rarely need to water ice plants. You should definitely avoid waterlogging. You can and should even avoid additional fertilization. In addition, dead stems should be removed regularly. Otherwise, the ice plant is relatively robust and easy to care for.
Tip
Use ice plants as flowering ground cover
Since ice plants grow creeping and can form a dense cushion of mostly colorful flowers, they are ideal for use as border plants for bed areas. Or you can plant them in bowls or window boxes with other succulents to create creative arrangements. Thanks to their colorful colours, they contrast particularly beautifully with white and gray gravel or stones.
