Copper Ice Plant

Malephora crocea is an evergreen, leaf-succulent subshrub with trailing stems that form dense prostrate mats and can root at the nodes. Its spring-to-late-summer flowers have two-tone petals, rose-magenta below and orange-red or rose-magenta above, as described in the [University of California Santa Monica field profile](https://www.smmflowers.org/mobile/ANF-descriptions/Malephora_crocea_UCLA_SantaMonicas.pdf) and the [University of Nevada Extension groundcover guide](https://extension.unr.edu/small-business-education/pub.aspx?PubID=4480). ## Features The pale blue-green foliage is succulent, and the low mat-forming growth makes the plant useful as a groundcover. [Kew's Plants of the World Online](https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:1011059-2) accepts the species name and describes it as a succulent subshrub from dry shrubland. ## Growing Conditions Plant in full sun and sharply drained sandy or gravelly soil. South African occurrence records for the species document it in dry sand and well-drained gravelly sites, while Nevada Extension lists it among highly drought-tolerant groundcovers. Allow the soil to dry between waterings once plants are established. ## Maintenance The stems can root where they touch soil, so trim the mat where you want to limit its spread. The [Royal Horticultural Society's species profile](https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/384344/malephora-crocea/details) confirms the botanical placement in Aizoaceae; no USDA hardiness zone is assigned here.