Gray Ice Plant. Malephora crocea, Fig - Marigold or Ice Plant Family ( Aizoaceae ), Gray Ice Plant. Also Called: Coppery Mesemb, Croceum Ice Plant. We wish to thank Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia for some of the information on this page. We share images and information with Wikipedia. Ice plant is a succulent - meaning it has thick leaves that are watery inside - with daisy-like flowers. It's a good ground cover for hot, dry areas. While it should be listed on our succulent page, theMunicipal Water Users Association lists it in their groundcover booklet. Therefore we will list it on our groundcover page. Ice plant belongs to the genus, Lampranthus. Lampranthus is a fairly large genus of about 150 species coming from South Africa. Lampranthus contains some of the most beautiful bright flowers of the succulent world, and it is widely used as ground cover, either as an annual or perennial. Several species are commonly used for landscaping in Arizona and vary from shrubby to trailing, and they vary as to the length of their flowering period. All the different species tend to become woody as they get older. They need a lot of sun, but in very hot climates like Phoenix, in summer, they will need shade and regular watering for a part of the day in order to survive the summer. Most of the varieties available in nurseries are hybrids. There are so many different choices that we will simply show a sample of them on this page. The flowers of Lampranthus usually grow at the stem tips and need sun to open. They come in an array of colors including yellow, scarlet, magenta, red, and orange. Two varieties of Malephora crocea have been recognized: var. crocea, with the adaxial surfaces of the petals orange and the abaxial surfaces purplish; and var. purpureocrocea, with petals purplish on both surfaces, grown for ornamental purposes. Quick Notes: Height: Height about 1 - 2 feet. Spreading about 2 - 4 feet. Flowers: An array of colors including yellow, scarlet, magenta, red, and orange. Flowering Time: Mid March - April. Leaves: Evergreen, usually green, blue-green and fleshy. Found: Native to Karoo Desert of South Africa. The Karoo is a semi-desert natural region. The adjoining areas known as the Free State, & the Western Cape; overlap upon parts of this desert. We see Gray Ice Plant growing throughout lower televations in Arizona as a landscape plant. The USDA claims it is native of the USA (CA). As a side note, the Karoo Desert has just been anounced on May 28, 2012, to be the new location of the world's largest astronomy project. It is called the Square Kilometre Array (SKA). Hardiness: USDA Zone 9a: to -6.6 �C (20 �F) USDA Zone 9b: to -3.8 �C (25 �F) USDA Zone 10a: to -1.1 �C (30 �F) USDA Zone 10b: to 1.7 �C (35 �F) Soil pH requirements: 6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic) 6.6 to 7.5 (neutral) 7.6 to 7.8 (mildly alkaline) 7.9 to 8.5 (alkaline) Sun Exposure: Full Sun. Elevation: 0 to 2,900 feet In Arizona. In its native habitats, the average altitude is 3,937 feet. Habitat: Well-drained, sandy, poor to moderately fertile soils. A Xeriscape Landscape plant. Miscellaneous: Photos Taken: Boyce Thompson Arboretum. Near Superior, Arizona. May 13, 2008. An ideal xeriscape landscape plant at low elevations in Arizona.