A low succulent groundcover with bright green, heart-shaped leaves and small magenta to red flowers. It forms a quick, dense mat and is a favorite for spilling over raised planters and pots in protected spots.
Living with it in the Phoenix Valley
Watering
Follow the shrub, groundcover and succulent schedule in our Landscape Care guide. Let the soil dry between waterings, especially in winter. It needs more regular water in summer, and good drainage matters year-round; soggy soil rots the stems.
Pruning
Trim the edges occasionally to keep it in bounds. Thinned or frost-damaged patches can be cut back once the weather warms, and cuttings root easily to fill gaps.
Heat and sun
It takes full sun in the cool months but stresses in full summer exposure. An east-facing spot or one with afternoon shade keeps it green; stressed plants turn yellowish with red edges.
Cold
Frost damages it. Cover it on freezing nights, or plant it under a patio edge or tree canopy where it stays a few degrees warmer.
How our designers use it
Raised planters and pots
It spills over the edges of planters and large containers, softening hard lines with bright green.
Protected beds
It works in small beds on the east side of a house or under filtered tree shade, where it gets winter sun and summer relief.
Succulent gardens
Its low mat fills the space between aloes and other succulents.
Good to know
Around the pool
It has no spines and little litter, but the flowers draw bees. Keep it a few feet back from the water and away from bare-foot paths.
Short-lived
Plants tend to thin out after a few years. Expect to replant or fill in with cuttings over time.
