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This is the familiar Livingstone Daisy or, as it seems to be generally known, just 'Mesembryanthemum'. A cultivated strain of this splendid annual plant with spreading habit, it gives plants covered with flowers in a wide range of brilliant shades of gold, salmon, pink, purple and carmine red.Mesembryanthemum, which means 'midday flowering', is a ground-hugging, sun loving, spreading plants, perfect for rockeries, they can also be used between flagstones and in dry walls.
Perfect for dry sunny locations where they will produce flowers in abundance and an ideal plant for hosepipe bans!
Mesembryanthemum is a member of the family Aizoaceae; many members of this family including the present genus are characterized by long lasting flower heads. The flowers protect their gametes from night-time dews or frosts but open in sunlight. There is obviously an evolutionary advantage of doing this; where dew, frost, wind or predators are likely to damage exposed reproductive organs, closing may be advantageous during times when flowers are unlikely to attract pollinators.
- Sow seed on the surface of good free draining, damp, seed compost and cover with a fine sprinkling of vermiculite.
- Place in a propagator or seal container inside a polythene bag and place at 20-25°C (68-77F) until after germination which takes 2-4 weeks. Do not exclude daylight as this helps germination.
- Transplant seedlings when large enough to handle, into trays or 7.5cm (3in) pots.
- Grow on in cooler conditions for 10-15 days before planting out after all risk of frost, 30cm (12in) apart.
Sow Livingstone Daisy seeds indoors 6 - 8 weeks before the last frost. Or, sow Ice Plant ground cover seeds outdoors after danger of frost has passed. If started indoors, transplant when seedlings are 2 inches tall and space them 12 inches apart. Apply a slow-release fertilizer at the time of transplanting.
Groundcover Specifications
- Season: Perennial
- USDA Zones: 10 - 11
- Height: 4 inches
- Width: 12 inches
- Bloom Season: Early summer to late summer
- Bloom Color: MIX
- Growth Rate: Fast
- Environment: Full sun
- Foot Traffic: No
Planting Directions
- Temperature: 70F
- Average Germ Time: 7 - 21 days
- Light Required: No
- Depth: Surface sow seed
- Sowing Rate: 3 - 5 seeds per cell or approximately 5000 seeds covers 100 square feet
- Moisture: Keep seeds moist until germination
- Note: For detailed directions for indoor