🌵 Drosanthemum floribundum

Use a very free‑draining, gritty substrate (sandy or rocky soil) with plenty of mineral material (gravel/pumice) and only modest organic matter. Avoid heavy, water‑retentive mixes and clay soils unless amended heavily for drainage; the plant is prone to rot in waterlogged conditions. Performs well in poor/lean soils and does not need rich compost; a cactus/succulent mix cut with extra grit is suitable for containers.

Seed can be sown in spring under cover. • Timing: Sow in late winter to spring indoors/in a greenhouse, or outdoors only after all risk of frost has passed. • Medium: Use a very free‑draining, low‑nutrient seed mix (e.g., fine compost with added sharp sand/grit). Use pots or trays with excellent drainage. • Sowing: Scatter seed thinly on the surface and press in; do not bury deeply. Seed germination is improved by light, so cover only with a very light dusting of fine sand/grit (if any). • Conditions: Warmth and bright light. Maintain gentle, even moisture by misting; avoid waterlogging. Provide good ventilation to reduce damping‑off. • After germination: Grow on in strong light and keep on the dry side between waterings. Prick out/ pot on once seedlings can be handled. • Planting out: Harden off and transplant outdoors only when nights are reliably warm and frost‑free. Plant in full sun in sharply drained, sandy/gritty soil. Space to allow spreading groundcover. Note: Drosanthemum floribundum is often quicker and more reliable from semi‑ripe cuttings than from seed.

Drosanthemum floribundum (ice plant) is adapted to lean, well‑drained soils and usually needs little to no fertilizer. In the ground, avoid routine feeding; if growth is weak, apply a light dressing of a low‑nitrogen, slow‑release fertilizer once in spring. In containers, feed sparingly during active growth (spring to early summer) with a balanced or cactus/succulent fertilizer diluted to 1/4–1/2 strength every 4–6 weeks, then stop after flowering and do not fertilize in autumn/winter. Avoid high‑nitrogen products and overfertilizing, which can cause soft, leggy growth and reduced flowering and increases rot risk in moist conditions.

Prune lightly rather than hard. After the main flowering flush, shear or tip‑prune to remove spent blooms and to keep a compact, even mat; this encourages fresh shoots and repeat flowering. Remove dead, damaged, or diseased stems at any time, cutting back to healthy green growth. Avoid cutting deeply into old, leafless woody stems, which reshoot poorly. In cold or wet climates, delay major trimming until spring once frost risk has passed; in mild climates, pruning is best done in late spring to early summer after flowering. Use clean, sharp shears and keep pruning minimal to maintain good airflow and reduce rot.