Purple ice plant
Delosperma cooperi
Purple ice plant (Delosperma cooperi) is a groundcover suited to the Colorado Front Range. It matures to about 2 to 4 in tall and 12 to 24 in wide, needs low water, and prefers full sun. Magenta blooms cover the mat all summer. Classic hellstrip and parking-strip groundcover.
On the CSU listlow water2 to 4 in tall and 12 to 24 in wideXeric / water-wiseLow ignitability: OK 0-30 ft from the house, CSU score 10/10
Photos
- Photo 1: (c) Drepanostoma, some rights reserved (CC BY)
- Photo 2: (c) Eleftherios Katsillis, some rights reserved (CC BY)
- Photo 3: (c) Petr Harant, some rights reserved (CC BY)
At a glance
Will it survive here?
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 5 to 10
- Water needs
- low water
- Sun
- Best in full sun.
- Soil
- sandy, well drained only
- Soil pH
- 6.5 to 8.5
- Hail tolerance
- high
- Wind tolerance
- high
- Salt tolerance
- moderate
- Site uses
- Hellstrips / parking strips, Hot south- or west-facing walls, Slopes & erosion control
How big, what shape?
- Mature size
- 2 to 4 in tall and 12 to 24 in wide
- Growth habit
- Mat-forming
- Planting spacing
- ~17 to 24 in apart
What it looks like, and when
- Bloom time
- late spring, early summer, mid summer, late summer
- Bloom color
- purple, pink
- Bloom length
- Reblooms
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Winter cover
- Strong winter cover
What it will do to your yard
- Foot traffic
- Light foot traffic
- Lawn alternative
- No-mow lawn alternative
Who else benefits
- Pollinator value
- moderate
- Deer
- Not rated
- Colorado native
- No
Also worth knowing
- Fire rating
- Low ignitability: OK 0-30 ft from the house, CSU score 10/10
Using Purple ice plant as a groundcover
Purple ice plant forms a low mat. It fills in densely, crowding out most weeds. It takes light foot traffic, fine to step across occasionally, but not a play-lawn. It holds strong cover through Front Range winters, so the ground doesn't go bare. On a slope it helps knit the soil together and control erosion.
Planting & establishment
Water deeply 1×/week first summer; minimal after. Wet feet kill it in winter, avoid heavy clay.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Purple ice plant good for the Colorado Front Range?
- Yes, Purple ice plant is a well-suited groundcover for Colorado's Front Range.
- How big does Purple ice plant get?
- It matures to about 2 to 4 in tall and 12 to 24 in wide.
- How far apart do I plant Purple ice plant?
- Space Purple ice plant about 17 in apart for a faster, fuller cover, or up to 24 in apart for a looser planting.
- Is Purple ice plant hardy on the Front Range?
- Purple ice plant is hardy in USDA 5 to 10. The Colorado Front Range spans roughly USDA 4b to 6a, so it is at its cold edge here. Site it in a warm microclimate and protect young plants.
- How much water does Purple ice plant need?
- It needs low water once established.
- Is Purple ice plant native to Colorado?
- No. It is not a Colorado native, but it grows well on the Front Range.
- Is Purple ice plant a good firewise plant near the house?
- Purple ice plant is rated 10 of 10 in CSU Extension Fact Sheet 6.305 (2025), where higher means less ignitable, so it can go within 0 to 5 feet of the house as well as out to 30 feet when kept watered and tidy. This is general guidance based on CSU Extension Fact Sheet 6.305 (2025), not a guarantee that any plant won't burn, a well-irrigated, well-maintained plant is the goal. Follow CSU Extension defensible-space guidance and check with your local fire district before planting in the wildland-urban interface.
- Can you walk on Purple ice plant?
- Purple ice plant takes light foot traffic. You can step across it occasionally, but it won't hold up as a play-lawn.
- Can Purple ice plant replace a lawn?
- Yes, Purple ice plant works as a no-mow lawn alternative on the Front Range. Expect a season or two of weeding and watering while it fills in before it reads as a lawn replacement.
- Will Purple ice plant spread or stay put?
- Purple ice plant is mat-forming. Give it room to fill in and edit the edges to keep it where you want it.
- Does Purple ice plant stay green in winter?
- Purple ice plant holds strong cover through Front Range winters, so the ground stays protected rather than going bare.
- Is Purple ice plant good for a slope?
- Yes. Purple ice plant helps hold soil on Front Range slopes and control erosion once its roots knit in.
- How long does Purple ice plant bloom?
- Purple ice plant reblooms through the season, especially if you deadhead spent flowers on the Front Range. Bloom timing shifts a week or two with elevation and spring weather.
