Description
The Delosperma genus is not to be overlooked as a garden plant.
This particular species has fabulous soft furry succulent leaves and pretty magenta-pink flowers.
This has earned it the common name of “purple trailing ice plant”.
It is a perennial species which requires very little maintenance and offers great rewards.
Although it is somewhat of a coastal species, Delosperma stenandrum thrives in ecosystems and gardens away from the coast.
Growing Delosperma Stenandrum
It is versatile and can tolerate different climates as well as summer and winter rainfall areas.
Delosperma Stenandrum is a drought-tolerant succulent however most succulents need at least 300 mm of rain per year (and double that is usually ideal). So they are not the most drought-tolerant of all succulents.
It does enjoy sun but can also grow in partial shade.
This species enjoys finding spots which are shallow, have poor soils, or offer rock crevices (where temperatures are often high).
Plants can be sown from seed or plant cuttings (which root readily and can form a groundcover within a short period).
Growth habit of Delosperma Stenandrum
Delosperma Stenandrum forms a plush green carpet to use as a drought-tolerant groundcover.
Their rambling and spreading growth habit makes them excellent candidates for growing in rockeries.
It can be used as a groundcovers in shady spots.
The thick roots enable many of the Delosperma species to inhabit areas which are often burnt by fire.
While Delosperma is a usually a grassland genus, most species cannot cannot compete with grasses and other herbaceous plants and hence they tend to thrive in rocky habitats and ecosystems where competition with larger species is less intense.
Flowers of Delosperma Stenandrum
The showy magenta-pink flowers are produced over long periods of the year, especially in spring and summer (August to January).
The plants flower at different times throughout the season if rainfall persists.
Flowers open at midday and close again in the late afternoon, however on cold and overcast days they tend to remain closed.
Uses of Delosperma Stenandrum
Besides its extensive use in horticulture, this genus is important to the people of KwaZulu-Natal where this species is one of the plants included in the group of plants called “intelezi”, which are believed to bring good luck.
According to history some species of Delosperma are used as magical plants to give those in possession of them powers to know in advance what their enemies are planning.
AmaZulu warriors going to war would grind up the dried plants and then mix them with water which they then used to wash their bodies and their weapons.
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