Use & Care NotesCompanion Plants
Macarena Ice Plant: An Orange Carpet at Lavender's Base
Save
Macarena ice plant is a hardy ice plant with big, glossy, daisy-like flowers in bright orange, each with a rose-red eye around a small pale center. From late May into June the flowers crowd so tightly that the low green mat almost disappears, and scattered blooms follow afterward. Like other ice plants, the flowers close at night and on cloudy days, then open again in the sun.
The plant itself is a flat, evergreen succulent mat just 2 to 4 inches tall, with small, fleshy, finger-shaped leaves that glisten slightly in the light.
Macarena at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Delosperma 'Macarena' |
| Flowers | 1.5 to 2 inches, bright orange with a rose-red eye |
| Foliage | Bright green, fleshy, evergreen |
| Size | 2 to 4 inches tall, about 20 to 24 inches wide in two years |
| Bloom | Late May into June, peak mid-June, scattered rebloom |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 6 to 10 |
| Light | Full sun |
| Deer | Moderately resistant |
Why it pairs with lavender
Ice plant and lavender want the same unforgiving conditions: hot sun, lean or gravelly soil and drainage so sharp that water never lingers. That makes Macarena an ideal low carpet at the feet of lavender. It blooms just before the lavender opens, so the bed has a burst of orange in late spring, and then the evergreen mat sets off the silver lavender foliage the rest of the year. Orange and purple are also a bold complementary pair if their bloom times overlap in a warm year.
Leave a small ring of bare gravel around each lavender crown, and let the ice plant spread between plants. Sketch it in the Companion Plant Planner.
The honest word on hardiness
Macarena is rated to zone 6. In Michigan, that means it is most reliable in zone 6 areas and needs very sharp drainage everywhere. Cold is rarely what kills it; wet winter soil is. Give it its best chance:
- Plant in gravelly soil, a raised bed, a rock garden or on a slope.
- Keep mulch and fallen leaves off the mat in winter.
- Do not water in fall once the weather cools.
- Check your zone with the USDA Zone Finder before you plant.
Care through the year
Water sparingly while it establishes, then rarely; it thrives on heat, sun and even reflected heat from rocks and pavement. No pruning is needed. It stays evergreen and keeps spreading slowly, reaching about two feet wide in two years and widening after that. Crown and root rot from overwatering is the main problem; otherwise it is largely pest and disease free.
Where else it shines
Macarena suits rock gardens, slopes, the tops of walls and containers. In a pot, use gritty, fast-draining mix and let it spill over the edge. It is not a cut flower, so enjoy it where it grows.
Frequently asked questions
Why are the flowers closed?
Ice plant flowers close at night and in cloudy weather. They reopen when the sun comes back out.
Can it grow in humid summers?
Only with sharp drainage. If the soil stays moist in wet, humid weather, the mat can rot.
How is it sold?
As a full 72-cell plug tray, suited to growers and large rock gardens or slopes. See the product page for current availability.
Share how it went in your field