Delosperma Wheels of Wonder Fire - Ice Plant

The Delosperma 'Wheels of Wonder Fire' is a new perennial ice plant variety that offers very large flowers, the size of a 2 Euro coin, brightly painted in coral orange around a beautiful yellow eye. Its numerous flowers bloom from June to early autumn. This stone-loving friend thrives in well-drained soil in a rockery or above a sunny wall, and tolerates drought well. It can withstand frost down to -8°C (17.6°F). Hanging it up during winter will protect it if necessary.

This Delosperma is a variety from Japan, selected at the 2014 Innovert competition at the Salon du Végétal. Delosperma, belonging to the Aizoaceae family and cousins of mesembryanthemums, are perennials native to South Africa, East Africa, and Madagascar, which are perfectly suited to hot and dry climates. They thrive between stones, on paving slabs, or on a dry slope, as long as they find some soil. However, if your region experiences frosts close to -10°C (14°F), place it in a pot or planter that can be brought indoors during winter.

This 'Wheels of Wonder Fire' ice plant is part of a new series of plants that offer flowers twice as large as the standard variety, in a range of 6 vibrant and radiant colors. It has creeping, ramified stems that easily take root, thus colonizing the space to a width of up to 1m (3ft) under good conditions. The plant has light green, cylindrical succulent leaves. These leaves are sessile, very fleshy, warty, and measure about 3cm (1in). It forms a small clump that is 10 to 15cm (4 to 6in) tall and is covered in beautiful flowers grouped in cymes, in a mix of orange and gold. Each flower has a corolla of fine ligules surrounding a yellow center. The flowering period is long, bringing vibrant colors to neglected areas.

The Delosperma 'Wheels of Wonder Fire' is a perfect rockery plant. It therefore thrives in the company of Sedums, Dianthus, and Wall Bellflowers. However, it will also be perfect at the feet of Stachys and Valerians, with which it shares the same needs: sun and dry soil. Planters composed of different varieties from the 'Wheels of Wonder' series will create a very colorful, easy-to-maintain carpet for a very long period.