Yes! Keep them dry! You can start them in the ground, but I recommend starting them in small pots where you can control the conditions more easily, and then sticking them in the ground after they start to root out fairly well.

Cut off "pieces," easier if they're a couple inches long--not TOO short, and bury as much as you can of the "bottoms." Saturate the soil and then let it dry COMPLETELY and STAY dry for at least a few days--or a week or so. Re-saturate and repeat, ad infinitum--until they root! They're "succulents," just like cactus, so keeping them too wet, or wet all the time, will rot them off very quickly!

Zach, some of them "die off" over winter more than others. 'Mesa Verde' is one of the worst ones--and one of the prettiest, in my opinion--I LOVE the salmon-pink flowers! I thought mine had completely died the year before last, but before I had time to dig it up it started to grow back--and now looks better than it ever has! I recommend waiting on yours a while longer to see what happens! Especially with M.V., I cut mine back pretty severely after it blooms to keep it more "compact" and "prettier" looking since it gets really "leggy" looking. Don't know if you want to try that or not!

The "best" ones I know of in terms of ALWAYS looking good are D. basuticum 'White Nugget' and 'Gold Nugget'. I can bring unrooted pieces of 'White Nugget' to the swap if anybody wants to start some! Somebody start the "what are you bringing" thread and it can be discussed there!

I can't post pics anymore [Thank you SO MUCH google!] but here's a link to a thread with 'White Nugget' where the pic must have been in the houzz "system" already 'cause it's still there! Many/most of my pics disappeared when google cannibalized WebAlbums!

http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/2133335/ice-plant-skybird

Gotta go! I really don't have time for posting today!

Skybird

P.S. This real quick! GC, iceplant flowers are open when the sun is shining on them and they close up when they're not in the sun. That's why you think some of them are opening at "different times of the day!" Watch them more closely and you'll see that it's the sun that determines when the flowers are open!

Just a quick bump to this thread before I get ready to head down from Fort Collins... if ANYONE has any ice plants or cuttings (especially Firespinner) I would be super happy to put them in the rock garden I hope to establish this year. Thanks! :) :)

Laura, I will have some at the swap.

They are beautiful! I want a firespinner also.

Got it!

I know Gardenchloe is bringing some Fire Spinner that came from my uncle's yard as well as some purple.

Yes! I am!

I've tried ice plants a few times - glorious plants - but they never survive the winter in my garden. I've mixed them in with sedums, but that area of my garden is low and wet in the winter.

Thanks sooo much for the ice plants! Oh, I can't wait to put them in all the nooks and crannies of my rocks. Thank-you, thank-you. :)

Not a problem!! The reason why I wanted to propagate them was to share with the group. I feel the need to propagate more!!!

We have ice plants that do really well with alot of blooms. But they are on the drip system. Can you grow them in the Denver area in rocks without supplying supplemental water?

Mine are in slightly sandy soil and get no supplemental water since they're outside the range of sprinklers for the grass. They suffer a bit later in the summer when we don't get much rain, I'll water them then if I notice they're fading but that's all. We have the more common purple blooming kind though, don't know if most would survive the abuse!

Mine get no supplemental water from me. My house is downhill from neighbors who are heavy on the sprinklers, though, and the run-off from that goes through the area where I have my ice plants. They are planted among rocks in an area with full sun but the soil underneath is pretty bad and can go from fairly wet to really dry. My ice plants aren't as vigorous, long-blooming, or gorgeous as other people's, but I get about a month's worth of bloom from them, with the plants often entirely covered in flowers during the bloom time.

Thanks for the answers. I am going to try them in my rock bed out front. It is just river rock around a waterfall. There isn't alot of splash out but maybe enough to let these survive.

I've had such good luck with them in a bed that I had tried for years to get going. Finally ice plants, phlox, a Ben Ledi Sunrose (helianthemum) and some yellow Bangles (big yellow flowering plants at back - they got much larger than advertised) took to it. I liked the red Sunrose on the right so much that I put an orange one in on the left this year so it isn't as full yet. I also just added the white wheels of wonder in the middle to replace a white plant we moved when it got run over by the phlox.

I also have some purple and peach in this bed but it hasn't flowered yet.

I also put some purple on a shelf bed where lots of things have died and it is doing well so I put some more into a space where a Purple Broom bit the dust last year.

This picture shows how nice the rock roses look with the ice plants. It was taken a little earlier when the phlox still had some color.

Wow, those beds look great mmmm12! (Am hoping mine bloom this nicely once I get them situated....)

I planted this ice plant this year and originally the blooms on the plant I bought were very vivid in color (just like the small blooms on this plant). However they have faded on the plant in the ground, with only the smaller blooms vivid in color. Does anyone have this plant? Does it get better after it has been in the ground a while? The washed out look is not very good in the same area as my other ice plants that are brilliantly colored so if it stays like this I may pull it and replace it.

Hi, mmmm12

You and I seem to both love bright colors. I also bought this ice plant this year. I think it's wheels of wonders hot pink. My full blooms are also less vivid compared to smaller ones. My suggestion is to see if the colors improve when it spreads more. If you decide to get rid of it, I'd love to take over from you and propagate more for the next swap so that more people can try.

Gardenchloe

I will take you up on that if I pull it. I did a trial of a beautiful red ice plant in my front rocks that gets no supplemental water and that one is doing well. But it is in a poor location to see it unless I'm standing on top of it. I will likely pull that one and put it in back where this one is.

I haven't been back to the garden centers to look for the fire spinner again. Unfortunately I got sick and am still struggling with it.

Beautiful pictures! Ice plants are one of my favorite types of flowers. I love how solidly they bloom.

My Hot Pink Wheels of Wonder also died last year.

They yellow one is an early bloomer and does seem to be done early also.

Yours have really come out this year! So far only my yellow one is going gang busters. The others just have a few blooms.

Fire Spinner is an earlier bloomer too. I am glad we have different varieties to enjoy throughout the season.

I got fire spinner from the swap last year (from you, gardenchloe?) and it’s going like gangbusters! It is slightly shaded by the lupine behind it, so it’s really noticeable that the blossoms only open when direct sunlight is hitting it.

Hi Faith,

Yes, I think it was from me. I brought tons to the swap when I first learned show to propagate them. I am glad it's doing well for you and also thinking it'll get at least twice as big next year.

Fire spinner sure is gorgeous! I would love to add it but my main ice plant area is a bit riotous on color so I've been adding in white (and some purple) to calm my eye. Maybe I can find a spot in another area where it can shine all on its own.

I just love this time of year though. Every day something new is opening up, growing or showing new buds. :-)

My fire spinner from one of you (gardenchloe was that you?) looks fantastic! I’m suddenly an ice plant fan. If you find a place mmmm12 let me know and I’ll run some over.

Yes. I think yours Fire Spinner is from me from one of the spring swaps. I got my original one from Popmama. I love how we share plants amongst the group. It makes me feel so happy that your ice plants are doing well!

Yep, that Fire Spinner is originally from my uncle's garden. He gave me a large clump right after he sold his house before he moved out. He entrusted me to keep it going for him for his next home. Sadly, I cannot keep ice plant alive at all. But I knew someone who could! Gardenchloe! So I gave her the whole clump. When he moved into his new home, she gave me a clump back to give him. And now she shares with others. It's gorgeous. I sure wish I could keep it alive. Maybe I will try again in a trough garden.

Gardenchloe and I were reviewing all the varieties on the Plant Select website. There are a few she doesn't have, so we will be on the look-out for those this summer!

Thanks Rossnagi! I just noticed my picture on this thread was posted last year. This year the red Rock Rose really took off and quadrupled in size. It is starting to over run the ice plants. I have purple out front that is starting to come in and then peach next to that. The peach never does well so I stuck in a broken off piece of the purple earlier in the year. It looks to have rooted as it has a purple flower on it. I also stuck a white wheel of wonder in the middle of the peach last year. Only seen one flower on that so far and it went away quickly. Maybe a bird or bunny snapped it off.

If Gardenchloe gets them all (or close to them all) I would absolutely LOVE a tour.

I will work on getting more varieties!

I’m planning on trying out Starburst in the backyard next spring. I’ve decided on a pink/purple theme. Still working on demoing and prepping. Probably will take me the rest of summer to get it presentable

Sounds like it will be pretty. A theme is a good idea. Maybe start a thread to share your planning and progress (along with pictures).

Great idea!!!

Gardenchloe,

How happy are you with your Lavender ice plant? I am thinking of getting some. Does it have a long bloom time? Does it spread well or is it slow? Is the greenery the low growing or the longer stem form that needs spring clean up? I must admit I'm favoring my low growers because they are maintenance free.

The fire spinner I got from you has spread fantastically and is a low grower. Can't wait to see it bloom.

mmmm12,

I don't remember how long the lavender ice plant bloom but thinking it's an ealier bloomer compare to the purple ones. it is tidy and neat and stays lower by the ground but does not spread as well as Fire Spinner.

Thanks! I will put in a smaller space.

Mmmm12, would you like some Fire Spinner cuttings?

Thanks Gardenchloe, I now have a very good sized patch of Fire Spinner. That is one hardy and fast spreading ice plant. I am looking forward to seeing it bloom this year.

Interesting to see the order of ice plant blooming.

White nugget is my first to bloom. I planted 5 patches of it. 3 of which were overrun by Cooper's ice plant. The two below, that look raggedy, were transplanted this year. The one at the top is still being over run. The two better looking patches were the original plants. Hopefully the transplants will root themselves and look better next year. I'm still debating what to do with the one at the top that is being overrun.

Firespinner is coming in second. It isn't at it's peak yet but the light blooming is uniform and makes for a very attractive plant. The colors are so pretty in person. I don't think my phone camera does it justice.

My Fire Spinner just started blooming as well. They are really pretty. :)

In documenting the order of ice plant blooming the white from Skybird was first out of the gate and then Fire Spinner spun up. As it was coming up the

Hardy Yellow Ice Plant started blooming.

Hardy Yellow is the one that has such a beautiful red color in the winter. It is also running into my pink striped phlox. Likely because that has been a weaker (less dense, less spreading) phlox than the white and the purple.

I have two patches of the yellow.

I was worried Fire Spinner would be too bright but I find it mirrors the orange in my orange rock rose Helianthemum very nicely.

I have always liked the way ice plant spills over walls like that. My uncle had the biggest carpet of Fire Spinner I've ever seen. When he moved from his home, I asked if I could have a big clump of it. But knowing that I can't seem to keep it alive, I gave it to Gardenchloe to be the keeper. His carpet is where all of Gardenchloe's came from and hence yours.

I believe it! That fire spinner is on growth steroids. It has outdone every other type of ice plant I have had in terms of year to year spreading. It is about to get in a turf war with Cooper's ice plant so we will see who edges who out. But it can go back toward the windows, over toward and under the climbing rose and spill out over the edge. It always amazes me how well the ice plants do going over the edge and seem to prefer growing on the hot bricks and pavers.

I made the mistake of planting two fire spinners right next to each other. Is it okay to relocate one of them and is it too late in the season to do so?

I think it's fine to relocate now. You can buy from the garden center and plant now so relocating it really isn't any different. Just try to get as much root as possible and treat it kindly in its new spot for a while.

I would agree with popmama. It should be ok to relocate them now.

There is a tap root that goes down fairly far where the original was planted. Try to get that intact if you can.

Granita Orange Ice Plant

Fire Spinner... This was the mother plant that Popmama brought to me maybe 4 years ago which I have taken cuttings to propagate to share with our group here. I've also shared with tons of friends, corworkers and neighbors.

I love granita orange! I added it this year but it probably won't bloom. Just a baby. Looking forward to it next year. Your picture is gorgeous!

You guys and your iceplants make me so envious! I just can't seem to grow them. My neighbor has this one area with ice plant growing and he really does nothing at all. Every once in a while I put some more over there. I can't seem to grow them myself so I just grow them next door. Haha. I think it's time he got some Fire Spinner!

Popmama,

I am going to hazard a guess but I think you probably take too good of care of your plants. Ice plants thrive in hot and miserable locations where nothing else will grow because the sun and heat are too strong. They are also areas that don't get that much snow in winter (under the eaves and against the house) or have very quick melt offs due to sun on hardscape bricks and retainer walls. So they are pretty exposed all winter and deprived of moisture.

We had so many failures in the locations where our ice plants are. Many hundreds of dollars spent on "full sun", "drought tolerant" plants. All to have them die, die, die. I'm quite surprised that my purple broom has finally decided to live (after 4 of 7 plants kicking the bucket). But the ice plant just gives it a chuckle and off it goes.