Mesembryanthemum crystallinumL.
Common Ice Plant , Crystalline Ice Plant , Ice Plant
Cryophytum crystallinum , Gasoul crystallinum , Perapentacoilanthus crystallinus
Photo viafrozenseeds.com
Family : AizoaceaeSubfamily : MesembryanthemoideaeGenus : Mesembryanthemum
Mesembryanthemum crystallinumis aboriginal toAfrica , Sinai , and southernEuropeand naturalize inNorth America , South Africa , andAustralia . It grows in ironic field and along the coast , where the soil is highly piquant .
Mesembryanthemum crystallinumis a low - growing succulent with trailing , dichotomously branched theme and fleshy , spoon - shape leaves with undulated margins . It spreads over the primer coat with the stem grow up to 3.3 foot ( 1 thou ) long , and it can be yearly or biennial , depending on environmental conditions . The leaves and stem are covered with many tiny tissue layer that form papillae fill with sap , which look like ice watch glass from a distance . The leave can mensurate up to 3.2 in ( 8 centimeter ) in length and 0.8 inches ( 2 cm ) in width .
Photo via madrean.org
The blossom can reach a diam of 1.2 inch ( 3 atomic number 96 ) , have 20 to 40 white linear petals suffused with pink or ruby-red , and seem from spring to early summertime . They open in the dawn and penny-pinching at Nox . The yield are 5 - locular capsule that bear about 200 seeds .
USDA hardiness zones10a to 11b : from 30 ° F ( -1.1 ° C ) to 50 ° F ( 10 ° C ) .
Mesembs are mostly adapt to relatively predictable rainfall pattern rather than extreme drought and irregular rainfall . Total rainfall may be extremely low , but water is available at least seasonally or through fog and condensation . This leads to or take into account plants that are not particularly large and sometimes very small , affecting how they demand to be address in culture .
Photo viafrozenseeds.com
The care basics are simple-minded : free - drainingsoil , plenty of Sunday and ventilation , and even lightwateringin the good season . Yet the difficulties are eternal , endeavor to conform to the Mesembs ' adaptability and follow their growth habits in your finical condition .
These plants require a loam - based compost with additional drainage material such as horticultural gritrock or perlite . They all like honest calorie-free conditions and plenty of ventilation .
Some are relatively moth-eaten - hardy and can even live on mild winters alfresco . Most will survive temperature down to the freezing point . Some Mesembs start to spring up in the declination as the temperature drops and the days get brusk .
Photo viajb.utad.pt
Learn more atHow to mature and give care for Mesembs .
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