Malephora

( mal - EFF - oh - ruh )

At-A-Glance Information

Commonly called Ice Plants, Fingerfigs or Mesembs, these succulent flowering perennials need full sun and little to no water to perform well in the landscape. The flowers will attract bees to the garden and they are great for street-adjacent and freeway plantings. They are mostly considered groundcovers due to their height and habit, and are native to South Africa. Leaves are fleshy, and resistant to heat, wind, exhaust fumes from cars, and fire. Flowers bloom continuously throughout the year. Use these flowers in xeriscapes or Mediterranean landscaping, as a groundcover, in containers, or simply as accents in mixed beds and borders.

Malephora Species and Varietals

Malephora is a member of the Ice Plant family (Aizoaceae) and includes 13 to 17 distinct species. Plants in this genus are related to those in Lampranthus (Ice Plant), and Cephalophyllum (Ice Plant). The ideal growing zones for these plants vary depending on the species cultivated. For more growing information, see the descriptions below. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Malephora crocea (Coppery Mesemb, Red Ice Plant, Crocea Ice Plant, Coppery Ice Plant, Coppery Mesembryathemum)
Best in USDA hardiness zones 9b-11 or Sunset growing zones 11-24, this plant gets 6-12 inches tall and spreads to 6 feet wide. Foliage is blue-green and reddish-yellow flowers bloom year round, the heaviest blooms occurring in spring. Good for steep slopes. Varietal Malephora crocea purpureocrocea has blue-green foliage and salmon-colored flowers, and Malephora crocea crocea has copper-orange to golden flowers. This species is considered invasive in California (United States) and Baja California, Mexico.

Malephora lutea (Rocky Point Ice Plant, Yellow Ice Plant, Yellow Hardy Ice Plant)
This species grows best in USDA hardiness zones 8-12 or Sunset growing zones 12-24, and gets 1 foot tall and 6 feet wide at maturity. Foliage is bright green and the plant has yellow flowers bloom for most of the year. This species is considered invasive in California (United States), Malta, Australia, and Mexico.

Caring for malephora

Plant Malephora, or Ice Plant, in a space in the landscape that receives full sun; ideally, they appreciate between 6 and 10 hours of sun each day for the best blooms and overall growth rate. Space these groundcover plants 24 to 36 inches apart for best coverage and airflow. Ensure that soil is well-draining, rich in nutrients, and has a pH of between 6.1 and 8.5 (acidic to slightly alkaline). If local soils do not drain well, make sure to amend the planting area with plenty of organic compost, rocks and sand before installing. Apply a layer of rock mulch around the planting area to suppress weed growth, maintain consistent soil temperatures, and to increase soil moisture retention.

Water new plantings regularly as they establish a strong root system in their new home. At maturity, these plants are considered very drought-tolerant, able to get by on rainwater alone for much of the year with supplemental irrigation during extended periods of dry, hot weather. Pruning is simple; remove any damaged, diseased, or dead foliage at any time during the growing season, and remove spent flower spikes to neaten up the appearance of plants and encourage reblooms. Malephora plants typically survive for 5-10 years in the garden with proper care, and will spread over time.

Propagation

Malephora can be propagated either by using cuttings or from seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the cutting method. If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant. To propagate your Ice Plant, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Malephora by Cutting
  1. Gather your materials. You'll need a clean, sanitized, sharp pair of garden shears, rooting hormone, a pencil, and a 3-inch pot filled with well-draining compost or other organic material. A good substrate for propagation of cuttings is a light blend of 1/3 pasteurized soil or compost, 1/3 sand, vermiculite or perlite, and 1/3 coconut coir or peat moss.
  2. In early summertime, choose the plant that you'd like to propagate. Ensure that this plant has had a good watering the night before, as this will improve the chances your cutting will take root. Cut one or more 6 inch portion(s) of the end of a non-blooming branch and strip the leaves off of the lower half. Make a hole in your planting medium by pushing your pencil into the soil. Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone, and plant it in your pot. Fill in soil around the cutting to support it, but do not pack it down too much.
  3. Moisten with water, and ensure that the pot has good drainage. Your pot should be kept in warm, sunny conditions indoors (and not in direct sunlight). Water whenever your soil is dry under the top layer. After about four to six weeks have passed, your cutting should be rooted. When you notice new growth, you'll know you have roots. 
  4. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring, when you can transplant it to its new home. Ensure that the last frost of the year has occurred before doing this, as it can seriously damage your new Ice Plant.

Propagating Malephora by Seed
  1. Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. The best potting medium for seed germination is a light blend of 1/3 pasteurized soil or compost, 1/3 sand, vermiculite or perlite, and 1/3 coconut coir or peat moss.
  2. Harvest your seeds. Once seed capsules have dried out and begun to split open, you can harvest the seeds inside. Cut them off of the plant, placing them in a paper bag. Harvest as many as you can, and place the paper bag in a dry, cool, dark area. They will continue to split open and release the seeds contained inside. Once they have been released, take them out of the bag and put them in a container so you can work with them.
  3. Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes 14 days from sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
  4. Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.

Problems and Pests

Certain Malephora species are considered invasive in some regions; see the species descriptions above for more information. Check with local authorities before planting. Malephora plants can be susceptible to developing issues with the following pests and diseases in the landscape:
  • Mealybugs
  • Aphids
  • Root Rot
  • Stem Rot
For more information on these pests and diseases, including how to treat and prevent them, consult the following pages:
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Gallery

These plants make great drought-tolerant groundcovers.
The succulent foliage of these plants make them fire-retardant.
Use Malephora in rock gardens.

Videos

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Resources

Wikipedia: Malephora
The New Sunset Western Garden Book: The Ultimate Gardening Guide (2012) - Page 432, Malephora