Drosanthemum floribundum aka Rosea Iceplant

Drosanthemum floribundum is a low plant called pale dew-plant. It is an evergreen succulent in the Aizoaceae family. It comes from the southwestern Cape Province. There, it grows in deserts or dry shrubland. This succulent subshrub spreads to form a low mat. It is not native to Britain or Ireland.

The leafy mat grows about 0.5 feet [0.15 metres] tall. The RHS gives a wider height range. This is 0.3–1.6 feet [0.1–0.5 metres]. The plant can spread to 4.9 feet [1.5 metres]. It takes five to ten years to reach full size. Its leaves stay green all year. They are pale green and fleshy, like small cylinders. Each leaf can grow to 0.05 feet [0.015 metres] long. Short, white bristles grow on the leaves. These low leaves form the main body of the plant.

Many pale purple-pink flowers cover the leaves when it blooms. They bloom from late spring into early summer. Each flower can span about 0.08 feet [0.025 metres]. Their blooms contrast with the light green leaves that season. The green mat stays after the main show of flowers ends. This low form suits sites where spreading leaves are useful.

Grow this plant in full sun, in soil that drains fast. The RHS lists sand as a soil that suits it. It accepts acid and neutral soils, and alkaline soils too. It can grow in both open and sheltered sites. Sites that face south or west meet its stated light needs. It copes with drought but still needs good drainage. It can grow in the ground where there is no frost. Elsewhere, grow it in pots of compost that drains very freely. Move the pots to a frost-free greenhouse or conservatory for winter. The RHS gives it the UK hardiness rating H3.

Use it as ground cover or in gravel gardens. It also suits coastal sites and Mediterranean-style gardens. You can grow it on patios and in pots. Its spread makes it useful as low cover. Pots allow winter shelter where the outdoors is too cold. The RHS reports few usual pests or diseases. It needs no routine pruning. Grow new plants from seed or take stem cuttings. Take these cuttings in spring and summer, the stated seasons.