Care of the succulent plant Mesembryanthemum or Ice plant |
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The genus Mesembryanthemum, family Aizoaceae, comprises 100 species of succulent plants native to southern Africa. Some species are: Mesembryanthemum nodiflorum, Mesembryanthemum crystallinum, Mesembryanthemum roseum, Mesembryanthemum aberdeenense, Mesembryanthemum cordifolium. Common name: Ice plant. This species is native to South Africa. They are creeping succulents with fleshy yellowish-green leaves with small crystalline papillae. The decorative flowers have fine pink, white, yellow or orange petals. They bloom abundantly in summer. These plants are ideal for gardens with a Mediterranean climate, even by the sea, to cover slopes and dry areas of the garden. They are also used as hanging and potted plants for terraces and balconies. The Mesembryanthemum needs a very sunny exposure and warm temperatures. They resist occasional frosts. They grow in any type of soil that is very well drained. Water moderately all year long waiting for the substrate to be completely dry; they resist drought well. Excessive watering causes less flowering. Fertilize with compost in the fall. If they are grown in pots, fertilize every 15 days in summer with mineral fertilizer for cacti and succulents. They do not need pruning but their expansion must be controlled so that they do not become invasive plants. They are plants very resistant to pests and diseases but sensitive to excess watering. They propagate easily from cuttings when the plant does not have flowers; transplant the cuttings in fall or winter. |
Images of the succulent plant Mesembryanthemum or Ice plant |
 Mesembryanthemum  Mesembryanthemum  Mesembryanthemum |