Delosperma 'Jewel of Desert Opal'

Delosperma Jewel of Desert Opal: Fuchsia Fireworks on Dry Ground

Bright fuchsia-magenta flowers with a white ring and a hint of lavender, flashing more colour than an opal under a disco ball. This ice plant spreads into a compact mat and sparkles every sunny day. DISCO NEVER DIED.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Delosperma cooperi 'DSAB13-1'
• Common Name: Hardy Ice Plant
• Series: Jewel of Desert
• Height: 10–15 cm (4–6 in)
• Spread: 25–30 cm (10–12 in)
• Flowers: Bright fuchsia-magenta with a white inner ring tipped light purple and a yellow centre. They open in sunshine.
• Bloom Time: Late spring to fall (May to September)
• Foliage: Small, fleshy green leaves forming a compact mat

Where to Plant: Use it as a bright edging for sunny paths and driveways, or as a carpet for rock and gravel gardens. It's also a good spiller for pots and troughs that dry out fast.

Companion Plants: Give 'Opal' a hot, dry bed with pink lavender, a native rattlesnake master and a red-turning bluestem. Lavandula 'Ellagance Pink' adds fragrant light pink spikes at 30 to 35 cm from June to August. Sedum 'Autumn Joy' brings pink to rust heads at 45 to 60 cm from August to October. Eryngium yuccifolium adds greenish-white globes at 90 to 150 cm from July to September. Schizachyrium 'Little Red Fox' grows to 60 to 75 cm and turns red and copper in fall.

Plant Care: Plant in full sun in well-drained, sandy or gritty soil. Water regularly for the first few weeks, then only during long dry periods. Fertilizer isn't needed and tends to make the mat sprawl and flower less. Good drainage is the key to getting it through a Canadian winter. Avoid clay and low, wet spots, especially where snowmelt collects. Raised beds, slopes and wall tops are ideal. Keep heavy mulch off the crown. There's no cutting back. In spring, remove any winter-killed pieces. Rooted stems from the edge can be lifted and replanted elsewhere.

History: The hardy ice plant, Delosperma cooperi, is native to South Africa and is the backbone of most ice plants grown in cold gardens. Opal comes from Koichiro Nishikawa's Jewel of Desert breeding program in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, from a 2011 self-cross selected in 2012.

Final Thoughts: Drought tolerant once established, deer resistant and loved by pollinators. Plant it in the hottest corner. THE GRAVEL IS NOW A DANCE FLOOR.