These flowering succulents live in a container in my neighbour Barry’s garden. He has dedicated an entire section of his garden to alpine troughs, of which this is one. I know this plant is in the Mesembryanthemaceae family, I just don’t know which one. I’m going to go out on a limb and take a wild guess that it is closely related to the icicle plants that are taking over California, which would make it Lampranthus.
And with that paragraph, I think I just surpassed my daily geek out quota.
Oh, how interesting that we can grow ice plant in Toronto — in a container! I didn’t think it was hardy here. The alpine treatment must be part of the secret.
Helen: He over-winters a lot of his alpine troughs indoors.
I bought some of this. How do I keep it happy and flowering? It was doing very well before I put it out on my porch.
The succulents are Delosperma congesta. And in fact are hardy here if given the right conditions. i.e. well drained growing medium and aa dry, sheltered space over the winter.
I wintered mine in a cold greenhouse, but a friend who also lives in Parkdale winters hers over outside covered with a frost blanket.
Interestingly, hers bloomed a week before mine.
Well, I wasn’t TOO far off. They are also commonly called “ice plant”. Thanks for letting us know Barry