Perennial
Ice plant
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flowers | Flowers in August | Flowers in September | Flowers in October | |||||||||
| Plant | Plant in March | Plant in April | Plant in May | Plant in September | ||||||||
| Prune | Prune in March | Prune in May | ||||||||||
| Looks good | Looks good in January | Looks good in July | Looks good in August | Looks good in September | Looks good in October | Looks good in November | Looks good in December |
Overview
Botanists now place the tall border sedums in the genus Hylotelephium, but nurseries still sell them as sedums. They form clumps of fleshy, grey-green leaves topped in late summer with flat heads of tiny star-shaped flowers that butterflies and bees adore. The flower heads stay attractive as they fade to rust and brown. Well-known choices include 'Herbstfreude' (Autumn Joy), 'Matrona' with purplish stems, and the dark-leaved 'Purple Emperor'.
Where to grow ice plant
Full sun and free-draining soil are essential. Sedums are at home in gravel gardens, on raised beds, along the front of sunny borders and in containers. They are extremely drought tolerant once established, which makes them useful in dry gardens in the south and east.
Planting
Plant in spring or early autumn, 40–45 cm apart. Do not add manure or rich compost; a little grit on heavy soil is enough. Water in, then leave them be.
Care through the year
Spring
Cut back old stems as new rosettes appear at the base.
Summer
Little watering is needed except for pots. Flower buds form in broccoli-like heads from July.
Autumn
Enjoy the flowers and the insects they attract; the heads slowly darken.
Winter
Leave dried heads standing for structure and frost effects.
Pruning
In late May, cutting stems back by a third to a half, or cutting every other stem, produces sturdier, more compact plants that do not split open in the middle. Remove old stems in early spring.
Propagation
Divide clumps in spring every few years, especially if the centre is opening up. Stem cuttings root very easily, even a single leaf will often root on gritty compost.
Common problems
Few. Slugs and snails may graze young shoots. Vine weevil larvae attack plants in pots. Floppy growth is almost always the result of rich soil, overwatering or too much shade.
Guides to the problems most likely to affect ice plant:
Something else wrong? Diagnose it by symptom.
Month-by-month reminders
Jobs for this plant come round in March, April, May and September. Each month page lists everything else worth doing in the garden at the same time.
Related plants
Sources
Botanical names follow Kew's Plants of the World Online; growing attributes were checked against the references below. Text is our own. See our editorial policy.