Product Field NotesCompanion Plants
Action Shot Ice Plant: A Rose-Red Carpet at Lavender's Feet
Save
Action Shot ice plant is a hardy Delosperma that stays just 2 to 4 inches tall and spreads into a flat, evergreen mat of small, fleshy leaves. From late May into June, glossy rose-red daisies about 1.5 to 2 inches across, each with a wide fuchsia eye, crowd together so tightly that the green nearly disappears.
It loves exactly what lavender loves: hot sun, lean gravelly soil and very little water. That makes it one of the few groundcovers that can live right at the base of a lavender planting.
Action Shot at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Delosperma 'Action Shot' |
| Flowers | Glossy rose red with a large fuchsia eye |
| Foliage | Bright green, fleshy, evergreen |
| Size | 2 to 4 inches tall, about 20 to 24 inches wide in two years |
| Bloom | Starts late May, peaks mid-June, scattered blooms after |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 6 to 10 |
| Light | Full sun |
| Wildlife | Good for pollinators; moderately deer resistant |
Why it pairs with lavender
Lavender stands upright in silver-gray mounds; Action Shot lies flat and green below it. The ice plant hits its peak in June, just before most lavender opens, so the bed has color a few weeks earlier than it would otherwise. When the lavender spikes come in, the hot rose-red of any lingering flowers makes a bold, warm contrast with purple.
Use it along the front edge of a lavender bed, spilling over a low wall, on a sunny slope or in the gaps of a gravel path. Leave a little open ground around each lavender crown so air can move; a mat pressed right against the woody base holds moisture you do not want there. Plan the layout in the Companion Plant Planner.
Planting and care
- Site: full sun and reflected heat. Rock gardens, raised beds and the edges of pavement are ideal.
- Soil: lean and very well drained. Gravel and sand are friends; heavy clay is not.
- Water: enough to get plugs rooted, then sparingly. It is very drought tolerant once established.
- Pruning: none needed. It stays evergreen and keeps widening slowly over time.
- Winter: wet winter soil, more than cold, is the usual cause of loss. Keep mulch off the crowns.
In Michigan it is most reliable in zone 6 areas. Check your spot with the USDA Zone Finder before planting a big drift.
A note on the flowers
Like other ice plants, the flowers close at night and on cloudy days, then open again with the sun. If you walk out on a gray morning and wonder where the color went, it is just waiting for better weather, like the rest of us.
The plug tray
Action Shot is offered as a 72-cell plug tray, a good size for covering a slope, edging a long bed or potting up your own stock. See the product page for current availability.
Frequently asked questions
Will it crowd out my lavender?
No. It is a low mat that spreads slowly, and lavender towers over it. Just keep it from growing tight against lavender crowns.
Can I use it as a cut flower?
Not really. The flowers are short-stemmed and close at night, so it is best enjoyed in the garden.
Does it need fertilizer?
No. Like lavender, it does best in lean soil, and rich soil can lead to soft growth and rot.
Share how it went in your field