Delosperma Ocean Sunset® Violet - Ice plant

Delosperma Ocean Sunset® Violet is a perennial purslane that forms a carpet with XXL flowers of an almost fluorescent magenta violet. Very well-suited to dry, rocky terrain, this groundcover quickly forms a tight cushion, full of vibrancy in the sun. Its long flowering period from May until the first cold spells makes this variety a very reliable plant for rockeries, dry walls and slopes. It also grows very well in pots, to be overwintered in cold regions.

Botanically, Delosperma Ocean Sunset® Violet belongs to the Aizoaceae family, like ice plants. The reference species is Delosperma nubigenum (botanical synonyms: Mesembryanthemum nubigenum, Delosperma congestum). It is known by the names perennial purslane or perennial ice plant. This small succulent plant is native to the mountains of southern Africa, where it grows on rocky slopes and cliffs of Lesotho and the Free State, in very free-draining rocky soils.
Ocean Sunset® Violet is a protected cultivar resulting from a breeding programme dedicated to delospermas, led by Koichiro Nishikawa (FlorSAIKA). Its breeding code is ‘T1854’ and it can be found under the names Delosperma nubigenum ‘T1854’ OCEAN SUNSET VIOLET or Delosperma hybrida ‘T1854’. It is a horticultural hybrid. The Ocean Sunset® series is distinguished by significantly larger flowers, very long flowering and well-branched vegetation. Ocean Sunset® Violet was even awarded a Green Thumb Award in 2023.
This perennial forms a dense carpet of creeping stems that root at intervals, creating a tight cushion 10 to 15 cm high and 25 to 30 cm wide at maturity. Its growth is fairly rapid in light soil. In stony soil that remains dry in winter, its hardiness ranges from –10 to –12 °C.
The foliage is evergreen to semi-evergreen, depending on the climate. The leaves are small, fleshy and cylindrical, measuring 1 to 2 cm long. A bright green during the growing season, they can turn red or bronze under the effect of cold or very intense sun.
The flowering period extends from late May to September, sometimes until October in mild climates. The carpet is covered with daisy-shaped flowers, distinctly larger than those of classic delospermas. Each flower bears numerous narrow petals of an intense magenta violet, lighter towards the centre, around a disc of golden yellow stamens. They open wide in the sun and close at night or in overcast weather.
In its native range, the species helps to stabilise rocky slopes and colonise rock crevices. In the garden, its hybrids retain this ability to stabilise dry slopes and walls while offering a long flowering period.

Plant Delosperma Ocean Sunset® Violet at the front of gravel beds in full sun, in a rockery, on a slope, at the edge of a step or on top of a low wall so it can trail slightly. It is preferable to overwinter potted plants in very cold regions. To highlight its colour, pair it with the dwarf artemisia Artemisia schmidtiana 'Nana', creeping stonecrop Sedum spurium ‘Fuldaglut', Corsican spurge Euphorbia myrsinites or sand pink Dianthus arenarius. These plants create superb, long-lasting dry garden scenes with no need for watering!