When it arrives
Your plug tray
Plant plugs in gritty soil after frost, in full sun. Water lightly to settle them; then let the soil dry between waterings. A pinch of tips helps them branch. Plugs knit into a mat in the first summer.
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Real dishes from our Field Notes recipes, shared by the people who made them.
Orchid Flash grown by our community
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- Mature height
- 4.0 in
- Mature spread
- 24.0 in
- Bloom
- Late-May – peak Mid-June
- Fragrance
- None
- Deer
- Moderately resistant
Lavender companion · grow guide
How to grow Orchid Flash
Ice Plant · Delosperma
Hardy ice plant needs full sun and very fast-draining, gravelly soil. It shrugs off heat and drought but often dies in cold, wet winter soil.
Check my zone & planting dates
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Full sunLight
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Low waterFast drainage
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pH 6.0–8.0Soil
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Zones 6a–10bHardiness
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4″ tall24″ wide
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Some resistanceDeer · rabbits some resistance
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Not known toxicPets
Huckleberry saysTell me where you grow and I’ll check if Orchid Flash will thrive there.
Hardy in zones 6a–10b
Spring to early summer, so roots establish well before winter. Late planting raises winter losses.
Your year with Orchid Flash
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When to plant
Spring to early summer, so roots establish well before winter. Late planting raises winter losses.
How deep
Set the plug top level with the soil; keep the crown and stems on top of the gravel, not buried.
Spacing
About 16–24 in apart; each plant spreads into a mat.
Soil
Sandy, gravelly or rocky; lean · pH 6.0–8.0
Fix-it tip: Avoid heavy or rich soils. Mix in coarse grit or pea gravel, or plant in a raised bed, rock wall or slope. Use gravel mulch, not wood mulch, around the crowns.
Sun
Full sun (tolerates a little light shade).
Flowers open in sun and close on cloudy days and at night.
Don’t give up on it
Is it alive? What spring looks like
Evergreen to semi-evergreen. Foliage may look reddish, purple or shriveled after winter and then plumps up and greens in mid-spring. Wait until late spring before pulling a plant that looks rough.
Spring
Trim winter damage once growth resumes; plant early.
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Summer
Peak bloom; water only in long drought.
Fall
No water or fertilizer; keep crowns dry.
Winter
Evergreen mat; may look purple or rough.
Watering
First season: Water lightly when the soil surface is dry for the first few weeks after planting.
After that: Very drought tolerant; water only during long, hot dry spells. Never water in fall and winter.
Feeding
None needed. Fertilizer causes soft growth that rots more easily.
Pruning & deadheading
Deadheading isn't needed. Trim back any winter-killed or straggly stems in spring once new growth shows.
Dividing
Rarely needed. Take stem cuttings or root sections from mat edges to fill gaps.
Winter
Hardiness varies by type; many hybrids are rated for about zone 5 or 6. Wet winter soil kills more ice plants than cold. Snow cover is fine; standing water and clay are not.
Summer heat
Loves heat and reflected sun from rocks and pavement. Blooms heavily early to midsummer, often with later flushes.
Plants didn't return after winter
Likely cause: Wet winter soil or heavy clay
What to do: Replant in spring in a raised, gravelly spot; no organic mulch.
Bare center in the mat
Likely cause: Old stems, rot or winter damage
What to do: Trim dead stems and tuck rooted cuttings into the gap.
Few flowers
Likely cause: Too much shade, water or fertilizer
What to do: Move to full sun, stop feeding and water less.
Too wet or too dry?
Mushy, translucent or blackened stems: too wet. Shriveled, wrinkled leaves that don't plump after watering: too dry.
Watch for
- Root and crown rot in wet or heavy soil
- Aphids occasionally
- Mealybugs in pots
Pets & wildlife
Not listed by ASPCA; no known toxicity reported. Discourage pets from chewing any garden plant. ASPCA lists a related ice plant (Lampranthus) as non-toxic.
Deer: somewhat resistant · Rabbits: somewhat resistant
Finnegan saysStill not sure what’s wrong? Ask Plant Health — describe it or add a photo.
In a container
Good in pots · 8-inch pot+
Excellent in shallow pots, troughs and wall planters with gritty mix. Move pots against a wall or under an overhang in winter so they stay dry.
Indoors
Outdoor plant
Hardy ice plants need full sun and winter cold outdoors.
Winter chill
No chill needed
No chilling needed to bloom.
Growing it on
Plugs from the tray
3–4 inch pots for 3–5 weeks, until roots hold the soil
Garden bed or a 8-inch pot pot
Time to move up? Slide the plant out: if white roots wrap the outside of the soil, it’s ready for the next size.
Planting with lavender
Plant it right alongside lavender
Perfect at the front of a lavender bed: same full sun, lean gritty soil and dry feet. Its bright mat covers the ground and gravel beneath lavender.
Same bedNearbyIts own area
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