Arizona’s desert climate demands plants that can handle extreme heat, minimal rainfall, and rocky or sandy soils. While many desert-friendly plants offer durability, not all provide lush color and visual softness to balance the sharp lines of agaves, cacti, and hardscape. The Copper Ice Plant (Delosperma ‘Copper’) is one groundcover that delivers both resilience and ornamental value, making it an excellent choice for Arizona landscaping. With its brilliant blooms and dense mat of foliage, it adds color, texture, and functionality to desert yards.
The Copper Ice Plant is a low-growing succulent from the Delosperma genus, native to South Africa. It forms a dense carpet of fleshy, needle-like green leaves and produces daisy-like flowers in vibrant copper-orange tones with yellow centers.
Typically, it grows just 3 to 6 inches tall but spreads 1 to 2 feet wide, making it an ideal ground-hugging plant. The Copper Ice Plant blooms heavily in spring and summer, often continuing sporadically into fall in Arizona’s warm climate. Its evergreen succulent foliage ensures it maintains year-round presence, even when not in bloom.
Designed by nature for arid conditions, the Copper Ice Plant thrives under Arizona’s blazing sun and prolonged dry spells. Once established, it requires little supplemental water, aligning perfectly with xeriscaping and water-wise gardening practices.
The daisy-like flowers bring a vivid burst of coppery-orange to desert gardens, creating striking contrast against gravel, stone, and muted desert greens. This makes it a favorite for homeowners wanting splashes of lasting color without high water demands.
Its spreading growth habit allows it to quickly cover bare soil, control erosion, and suppress weeds. This makes it especially valuable on slopes, rocky outcrops, or between larger desert plants.
Copper Ice Plant requires very little attention once established. It doesn’t need pruning beyond occasional trimming to manage spread, and it resists most pests and diseases common in Arizona landscapes.
Even when flowers fade, its dense mat of evergreen foliage adds softness and greenery to gravel-heavy yards. This year-round presence enhances curb appeal while reducing maintenance.
Copper Ice Plant is versatile, fitting seamlessly into many Arizona landscape designs:
Groundcover: Its spreading growth makes it ideal for covering open soil areas or filling gaps between boulders.
Borders and Edging: Perfect for lining sidewalks, driveways, or garden beds, where it provides a colorful and tidy edge.
Rock Gardens: Its copper blooms pop beautifully against gravel and stone, complementing the desert aesthetic.
Container Plantings: In pots or raised beds, it cascades over edges for a vibrant, spilling effect.
Mixed Plantings: Works well alongside perennials like lantana, salvias, and desert marigold, as well as with succulents and ornamental grasses.
Sunlight: Plant in full sun for maximum flowering. It can tolerate partial sun, but blooms will be less abundant.
Soil: Requires well-draining soil. Sandy or gravelly soils are ideal, as soggy conditions can cause root rot.
Watering: Water deeply but infrequently. Overwatering can harm the plant, while established specimens are highly drought-tolerant.
Frost Sensitivity: Copper Ice Plant can be damaged by hard frosts. In colder regions of Arizona, consider planting it in containers that can be protected during cold snaps.
Maintenance: Minimal care is needed. Deadheading spent blooms or lightly shearing the plant after peak flowering encourages fresh growth.
Short-Lived Perennial: While hardy, ice plants can sometimes be short-lived in extreme conditions. Replanting every few years may keep landscapes looking fresh.
Flower Behavior: The blooms open in bright sunlight and close at night or on cloudy days, which can be a charming but surprising trait for new gardeners.
Spacing: Allow enough room for spreading, as it will quickly cover its allotted area.
The Copper Ice Plant offers Arizona homeowners the rare combination of beauty, toughness, and functionality. With its brilliant copper-orange blooms, drought tolerance, and ability to serve as a living groundcover, it’s an invaluable addition to water-wise desert landscapes. Whether planted along borders, tucked into rock gardens, or spilling over containers, it adds color and texture while requiring little in return.
For those seeking a hardy yet striking plant to brighten up the desert palette, the Copper Ice Plant is a natural choice, proving that Arizona gardens can be both sustainable and vibrant.
We’re Now Copper Ridge Landscaping & Design! ELM Landscaping & Design is rebranding to Copper Ridge Landscaping & Design. Same trusted team and ownership. Same licensed, bonded, and insured company, proudly serving you for over 25 years. Thank you for growing with us!