Delmara Fuchsia Ice Plant
Delmara Fuchsia Ice Plant
Drought-Tolerant Ground Cover for Sunny Twin Cities Slopes
Delmara Fuchsia Ice Plant (Delosperma 'Delmara Fuchsia') is a ice plant hand-selected for the Twin Cities climate. Daisy-like neon-bright flowers from June through frost. Whether you're planting a sunny border in Burnsville, layering a foundation bed in St. Paul, or anchoring a perennial bed in Eden Prairie — Delmara Fuchsia Ice Plant performs reliably in zone 4b–5a yards.
Delmara Fuchsia Ice Plant Plant Details
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Delosperma 'Delmara Fuchsia' |
| Common Names | Ice Plant, Hardy Ice Plant |
| Mature Height | 2–4 inches |
| Mature Width | 18–24 inches |
| Growth Rate | Fast — spreading mat |
| Sun | Full sun (6+ hours). |
| Water | Low. Highly drought-tolerant. Avoid wet feet. |
| USDA Zones | 4–9 (Twin Cities is zone 4b–5a) |
| Soil | Sharply drained sandy or gravelly soil. Heavy clay leads to winter rot. |
| Foliage | Fleshy, succulent foliage; semi-evergreen in mild MN winters. |
| Winter Hardiness | Reliable to -25°F with sharp drainage; winter wet kills it faster than cold. |
| Deer Resistance | Strongly deer-resistant. Rabbits also avoid. |
| Bloom | Daisy-like neon-bright flowers from June through frost. |
| Drainage Requirement | Critical — plant in raised beds or sandy soil for winter survival |
Delmara Fuchsia Ice Plant Uses in Minnesota Landscapes
Rock gardens and slopes
The dense spreading mat blankets rock garden gaps and stabilizes sunny slopes.
Hot, dry foundation beds
Thrives in reflected heat from south-facing foundations and against gravel mulch.
Border front-edge
A solid 2–4 inch evergreen carpet at the front of a sunny perennial border.
Best Time to Plant Delmara Fuchsia Ice Plant in Minnesota
Fall (late August–early October) is the ideal planting window. Soil is still warm for root development, cool air reduces transplant stress, and the plant gets 6–8 weeks to establish roots before ground freeze (typically mid-November in the Twin Cities).
Spring (late April–May) is the second-best window — the plant gets the full growing season to establish before its first winter.
Avoid summer planting (June–August) when possible. Never plant after mid-October or before late April — frozen ground or frost-heaving kills new roots.
How to Plant Delmara Fuchsia Ice Plant
- Dig wide, not deep. 2–3× the root ball width, same depth as the container. Heavy clay benefits from even wider digging.
- Check drainage. Fill the hole with water — if it doesn't drain in 30 minutes, mound-plant or break through any clay hardpan to improve drainage.
- Backfill with native soil + 20–30% compost. Minnesota clay-loam benefits from organic amendment but don't create a "container" of pure compost.
- Spacing. Refer to the mature width above and space accordingly. Closer for mass plantings, wider for individual specimen plants.
- Water basin. Build a 3–4 inch ring around the planting to direct water to the roots. Flatten or remove before winter to avoid ice damage.
- Mulch. 2–3 inches of shredded bark or wood chip mulch, kept 2 inches away from the trunk or crown. Do NOT use gravel mulch in Minnesota — it doesn't insulate.
Watering Delmara Fuchsia Ice Plant in Minnesota
First Year Watering Schedule
- Weeks 1–2: Every 1–2 days, deep and slow (15–25 minutes per plant)
- Month 1–2: Every 3–4 days
- Month 3–6: Every 5–7 days during active growth; less if rainfall is adequate (Minnesota averages ~3 inches/month June–August)
- Stop watering 2–3 weeks before ground freeze (typically late October in the Twin Cities metro) to avoid pushing late-season growth that gets killed by winter
After Year One
Established plants only need supplemental water during droughts (2+ weeks with no rain and temps above 80°F). Water deeply and infrequently — every 7–14 days during dry spells, soaking to 6–8 inches depth. Let natural rainfall do most of the work.
Will Ice Plant survive a Minnesota winter?
Yes, if drainage is excellent. Heavy wet clay in winter kills Ice Plant faster than cold does. Plant in raised beds or amend heavily with sand.
Is Ice Plant deer-resistant?
Strongly. The fleshy foliage deters deer and rabbits.
You May Also Like
- Shop the full Three Timbers Minnesota catalog — zone 4-hardy plants hand-selected for Twin Cities yards
- Deer-Resistant Plants — for high-pressure suburbs like Minnetonka, Wayzata, and Eden Prairie
- Pollinator Garden Plants — supports the Lawns to Legumes program
How Many Delmara Fuchsia Ice Plant Do I Need?
Each plant spreads into an 18–24 in mat; at roughly 18 in spacing for solid cover:
| Run length | Plants needed |
|---|---|
| 10 ft | 7 plants |
| 20 ft | 13 plants |
| 30 ft | 20 plants |
| 40 ft | 27 plants |
For fast solid coverage on a slope, plant on 15–18 in centers; for a rock-garden accent, set singles 18–24 in apart.
Delmara Fuchsia Ice Plant Season-by-Season in Minnesota
- Spring: Fleshy succulent foliage greens up and begins to spread into a low mat.
- Summer: Neon fuchsia daisy-like flowers blanket the mat from June on, swarming with bees in the heat.
- Fall: Bloom continues to frost; foliage often takes on reddish winter tones.
- Winter: Semi-evergreen succulent mat persists in milder MN winters where drainage is sharp.
At a Glance
✔ Pollinator-Friendly ✔ Deer-Resistant ✔ Drought-Tolerant
Plant It With
- Delmara Pink Ice Plant — the matching ice plant in another color for a sweep of contrasting bloom.
- Autumn Fire Sedum — another sun-loving succulent that carries the bloom season into fall.
- Bloodstone Sea Thrift — tidy grassy tufts and red pompoms for the same lean, sunny edge.
- Blue Eddy Allium — blue-tinted grassy foliage and pink globes that thrive in the same sharp drainage.
Is Delmara Fuchsia Ice Plant Right for Your Yard?
Delmara Fuchsia Ice Plant thrives in full sun with sharply drained, sandy or gravelly soil — perfect for hot slopes, rock gardens, and gravel beds. Not a fit for heavy wet clay, where winter moisture rots the crown faster than the cold ever would.