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perennial

Shrubby Ice Plant

Ruschia pulvinaris

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Shrubby Ice Plant (Ruschia pulvinaris) at Garden Treasures

Shrubby Ice Plant in bloom

Shrubby Ice Plant in bloom

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Plant Height:  3 inches

Flower Height:  4 inches

Spacing:  10 inches

Sunlight:  full sun 

Hardiness Zone:  5

Description:

An interesting ground hugging succulent with fleshy blue green foliage that is blanketed with bright hot pink blooms in late spring and early summer; a stunning and unique addition to a rock garden or along sunny garden edges

Ornamental Features

Shrubby Ice Plant is blanketed in stunning hot pink daisy flowers with creamy white centers at the ends of the stems from late spring to early summer. Its attractive small succulent narrow leaves remain bluish-green in color throughout the year.

Landscape Attributes

Shrubby Ice Plant is an herbaceous evergreen perennial with a ground-hugging habit of growth. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. It is a good choice for attracting bees and butterflies to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Shrubby Ice Plant is recommended for the following landscape applications;

  • Mass Planting
  • Rock/Alpine Gardens
  • General Garden Use
  • Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Shrubby Ice Plant will grow to be only 3 inches tall at maturity extending to 4 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 12 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 10 inches apart. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 5 years. As an evegreen perennial, this plant will typically keep its form and foliage year-round.

This plant should only be grown in full sunlight. It prefers dry to average moisture levels with very well-drained soil, and will often die in standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is not originally from North America. It can be propagated by division.

Shrubby Ice Plant is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its spreading habit of growth, it is ideally suited for use as a 'spiller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the edges where it can spill gracefully over the pot. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.

 
 
Hardiness Zone Plant Height Minimum Sunlight
Characteristics
Massing  Rock  Garden  Container 
Applications
Flowers  Foliage Color  Texture  Attracts Wildlife 
Ornamental Features