Hardy ice plant vs Kamchatka stonecrop

Hardy ice plant and Kamchatka stonecrop are often considered for the same spot in the garden (ground cover, flowers, container). The data below shows where they differ: size, hardiness, care, toxicity and price.

Hardy ice plant

Delosperma cooperi 10 cm × 60 cm after 10 years

A succulent mat barely a hand high that is covered from early summer to autumn in dazzling magenta-purple, daisy-like flowers. It belongs in blazing…

Ground cover

Full sun

from about PLN 13

Kamchatka stonecrop

Sedum kamtschaticum 15 cm × 45 cm after 10 years

A low, dense, mat-forming succulent perennial that covers itself in golden yellow star flowers in summer and turns orange to reddish in autumn. It…

Ground cover

Full sun

Key differences

Kamchatka stonecrop grows taller, Hardy ice plant spreads wider: 15 cm × 45 cm and 10 cm × 60 cm after ten years.
Hardy ice plant grows faster than Kamchatka stonecrop.
Kamchatka stonecrop is hardier: down to -40 °C, against -18 °C for Hardy ice plant.

Which one to choose?

Hardy ice plant is the better choice if you want quick results.

Kamchatka stonecrop is the better choice if the garden is cold or a frost pocket.

Watch out for

Hardy ice plant

Its winter hardiness is borderline in Central Europe. In a dry, sharply drained spot it survives hard frost, but in wet, heavy soil and in rainy winters with repeated thaws it rots off easily, and sources give very different limits (roughly from -9 to -25 °C). Do not plant it in clay or waterlogged soil; in cold winters it can lose its foliage, and even with a sheltered position, gravelly soil and a loose winter cover you should expect to replace plants after a hard, wet winter. Pests and diseases are rare, at most aphids and mealybugs.

Kamchatka stonecrop

Root rot in poorly drained, wet soil. No serious pests or diseases.

The data side by side

Feature	Hardy ice plant	Kamchatka stonecrop
Group	Ground cover	Ground cover
Size after 10 years	10 cm × 60 cm	15 cm × 45 cm
Ultimate size	8–15 cm × 30–60 cm	8–18 cm × 25–45 cm
Growth rate	Fast	Medium
Light	Full sun	Full sun
Soil	Sandy, Average garden soil	Average garden soil, Sandy
Hardiness	down to -18 °C (USDA 6, RHS H6)	down to -40 °C (USDA 3, RHS H7)
Heat tolerance	High	High (uncertain)
Foliage	Semi-evergreen	Semi-evergreen
Flowering	June–September, purple, pink	June–August, yellow
Water need	Low	Low
Drought tolerance	High	High
Maintenance	Low	Low
Planting distance	30 cm	30 cm
For dogs	no data	Non-toxic (uncertain)
For cats	no data	Non-toxic (uncertain)
For children	no data	Mildly toxic
Typical price	approx. PLN 15	no data

Prices are rounded, indicative values. Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor. Data updated: October 17, 2026

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