Scientific Name: Delosperma ‘John Proffitt’ Table Mountain
Plant Family: Aizoaceae – Ice plant
Common Name: Ice Plant ‘John Proffitt’ Table Mountain
By Janice Tucker
Is there a perennial for the Santa Fe area that blooms profusely and brilliantly from spring through fall, is drought tolerant, grows at higher altitudes and will survive temperature swings and cold winters? Yes, there is. It’s the Table Mountain ‘John Proffitt’ Ice plant, which will be offered at Santa Fe Botanical Garden’s Spring Plant Sale.
The Ice plants are native evergreen succulents from South Africa, but have adapted well to the Southwestern United States, sometimes becoming invasive in the coastal areas of California. Botanists often divide the plant into the South American plant family of Mesembryanthemaceae and the North American plant family, Aizoaceae. There are 130 genera and about 2500 species of the Ice plant, most of which are found in South Africa. The Delosperma genus has about 163 species, of which only a few are available commercially. The Delosperma cooperi is a ground cover most familiar to gardeners.
Developed from the Delosperma cooperi, and introduced in 2002, the Delosperma ‘John Proffitt’ Table Mountain is the result of a successful cooperative project between the Denver Botanic Garden and Colorado State University in an attempt to make the plant more winter hardy. It is named for John Proffitt, a former director of the Denver Botanic Garden and is a Plant Select® choice. Its shimmering, 1½ to 2 inch, bright magenta flowers with yellow centers are borne above grayish-green succulent leaves. When punctured, the leaves will emit droplets of a clear gel-like substance that glitters like ice, from which its common name is derived. The flowers appear in late spring and will bloom through fall, forming a ground-hugging mat of brilliantly colored flowers that can spread as much as 18 to 24 inches in a growing season. Tolerant of heat and drought, it can grow in good garden mix but also does well in poor soil. Be certain that whatever the soil, it must drain very well. Many online nurseries caution against too much winter watering for this plant since cold wet ground causes root rot.
The Delosperma ‘John Proffitt’ Table Mountain attracts bees, birds and butterflies. It is an excellent choice for xeric landscapes, rock gardens and makes a beautiful container plant. After the flowers have faded in the fall, the leaves maintain their plump, evergreen appearance with the added interest of a purplish tinge during the winter months. It is deer resistant, but rabbits often nibble the puffy, water-filled leaves in the winter.
Propagation of most ice plants is by seed, division and cuttings. Seeds should be spread along the surface of moist soil and kept warm. It is best to scatter seeds after frost or to start them indoors. If propagating by division, lift a clump and gently separate the plant either by hand or by cutting with a sharp knife. Three to four inch cuttings will root readily by dipping the stems in a root stimulant before planting in a good planting medium.
The plant family name of Aizoacea means evergreen, and the genus Delosperma refers to the clearly visible seed. The South American plant family name of Mesembryanthemaceae and the genus Mesembryanthemum are part of an ingenious sleight of hand story in the history of botanical taxonomy. The original spelling in the late seventeenth century was Mesembrianthemum, which stood for the Greek mesembria (midday) and anthemon (flower). This indicated that the flower bloomed midday. But, eventually night flowering species were discovered, which rendered the name misleading. In 1719, German botanist J. J. Dillenius simply changed the “i” to “y” which altered the meaning to the Greek mesos (middle), emberyon (embroyo), andanthemon (flower) to indicate that the ovary was in the center of the flower. What a difference one letter can make.
Ice plants have been used for erosion control, and the yellow ice plant has been recommended by Colorado State University as a fire-resistant plant.
Not all ice plants are winter hardy, which makes the Delosperma ‘John Proffitt’ Table Mountain an excellent selection for the Santa Fe garden. It will be available at the Santa Fe Botanical Garden Plant Sale on May 7 and 8. Plant it and enjoy a spring to summer carpet of bright, magenta flowers.
