2023 10 Best Ice Plant Jade Companion Plants And 3 Avoid: Expert Tips

1. Sun-loving Companion Plants for Ice Plant Jade

The ice plant jade thrives in full sun so other sun-loving plants like cacti, succulents and grasses are great companions. Agaves, aloe vera,pyracantha and purple fountain grass complement the blue-gray foliage of the ice plant.
More comprehensive information and care guidelines can be read here.

ice plant jade companion plants, succulent, green and red succulent plant — *Photo by* *Istvan Hernek* / *Unsplash*

2. Shade-tolerant Plants to Complement Ice Plant Jade

The ice plant jade can tolerate partial shade, allowing for the inclusion of shade-loving plants with contrasting textures. Several plant varieties that do well in the shade also make excellent companion plants for the ice plant, adding visual interest and variety to the landscape.

Some of the best shade-tolerant companion plants include:

** Ferns: Ferns bring a lacy, delicate texture that contrasts nicely with the ice plant jade’s thick, fleshy leaves. Ideal ferns include maidenhair fern, Australian sword fern and lemon button fern.
Hostas: The large, shade-loving leaves of hostas provide an attractive contrast to the ice plant. Cultivars like ‘Francee’, ‘Guacamole’ and ‘Sum and Substance’ work particularly well.
Coral bells: Coral bells (Heuchera) grow well in partial shade and come in a variety of colors from green to purple to red. They make eye-catching companions with their finely-textured foliage.
Plectranthus: Confederate jasmine (Plectranthus) includes varieties like ‘Variegata’ with white-edged leaves that complement the ice plant.
Coleus: Coleus thrive in partial shade and come in a wide array of foliage colors. Their upright habit and striking leaf patterns contrast beautifully with prostrate ice plant jade.

All of these shade-tolerant plants grow well in similar conditions to the ice plant jade. Pairing them creates visual interest year-round and provides contrasting textures, forms and colors within the landscape.

ice plant jade companion plants, gravel, man standing beside rock mountain — *Photo by* *Pablo Guerrero* / *Unsplash*

3. Drought-tolerant Plants: Perfect Match for Ice Plant Jade

The ice plant jade is very adaptive and can thrive in dry conditions with little water. This makes drought-tolerant plants – also known as xeric plants – a perfect companion for the ice plant jade. These plants share the ability to withstand periods of dryness and require minimal irrigation once established.

Some of the best drought-tolerant companion plants for ice plant jade include:

Sedums: Sedums are succulent plants that need very little water to survive. They come in a variety of forms from groundcover to upright clumps, and flower in summer. Many ice plant companions recommend sedum varieties like ‘Angelina’ and ‘Autumn Joy’.
Yuccas: Several yucca species work well near ice plants.Yuccas provide tall rosette-shaped leaves and spikes of white flowers. Varieties include Adam’s needle yucca, Mojave yucca and banana yucca.
Agaves: Agaves, like ice plants, are native to hot, arid climates. They offer rosettes of spiky evergreen foliage and tall flower spikes. Varieties that complement ice plant jade include century plant, otay mesa agave and threadleaf agave.
Dusty miller: This herbaceous perennial has gray-green foliage that provides a nice textural contrast to the fleshy leaves of ice plant jade. Dusty miller needs very little watering once established.
Gazanias: The daisy-like blooms of gazanias come in shades of yellow, orange and red. These drought-tolerant groundcovers prosper when paired with succulents like ice plant.

All of these plants thrive under similar dry conditions as the ice plant jade and do not require additional irrigation once established. Together they add visual interest, architectural forms and seasonal color to the landscape, without much effort or water requirements.

ice plant jade companion plants, succulent, white and brown flower petals — *Photo by* *Ania Archer* / *Unsplash*

4. Fragrant Flowers to Pair with Ice Plant Jade

While the ice plant jade itself is not fragrant, many aromatic flowering plants make beautiful companions that provide contrast through bloom, color and scent. The right fragrant flowers can enhance and complement the ice plant in the landscape.

Some of the best flower choices for fragrance and visual impact alongside ice plant jade include:

Lavender: Lavender’s fragrant gray foliage and purple flowers are the perfect counterpart to the green and blue tones of ice plant. Lavender blooms summer through fall and varieties like English lavender and French lavender work well.
Rosemary: The needle-like leaves and blue flowers of rosemary make it an ideal fragrant companion. The herb’s upright,woody growth habit contrasts nicely with the ice plant jade.
Dianthus: Also known as pinks, dianthus varieties produce aromatic pink, red and white flowers above fern-like grayish foliage. Dianthus tend to bloom longest during early summer.
Geraniums: Geranium flowers emit a light, citrusy fragrance and come in a range of colors from pink, red and purple to white, ideally suited to complement the ice plant. They often rebloom periodically throughout the season.
Petunias: Petunias produce fragrant trumpet-shaped blooms in shades of purple, pink, yellow and white.The vigorous spreading habit of petunias contrasts well with the procumbent growth form of ice plant.

All of these fragrant flowers prosper in full sun like the ice plant jade. Their aromatic properties and colorful blooms help provide sensory stimulation and visual interest, while complementing rather than competing with the ice plant in the landscape.

ice plant jade companion plants, daisy, white and yellow daisy flowers — *Photo by* *Camille Brodard* / *Unsplash*

5. Avoid These Plants When Planting Ice Plant Jade

While many plants make suitable companions for the ice plant jade, there are some that should be avoided. These include plants with different growth habits, water, and light requirements that could interfere with the ice plant jade or outcompete it.

There are two main categories of plants to avoid:

Plants With Different Water Needs

The ice plant prefers dry conditions and minimal watering. Avoid plants that require:

Frequent irrigation: These include African violets, impatiens, and other marsh and bog plants. They will likely die without the extra water needed.
Very moist soil: Hostas, ferns and heucheras flourish in constantly moist soil, unlike the ice plant. They will likely outcompete it for the limited available water.

These plants will not only require extra care but will compete with the ice plant jade for theinfrequentavailable water and nutrients.

Plants With Overgrowing Habits

The ice plant grows close to the ground in a mat-forming or prostrate manner. Avoid plants that:

Have climbing growth: Vines, climbers and creeping plants with tendrils will overwhelm and cover the ice plant jade.
Have vigorously spreading habits: Plants like ivy geranium, dichondra and tibouchina will quickly sprawl and spread, making it hard for the lower-growing ice plant to get enough light.

Separate these overgrowingtypes of plants from the ice plant jade to avoid competition and overcrowdingthat could damage or kill the ice plant.

In summary, incompatible plants with contrasting requirements for water, light and growth habit should be avoided to ensure the ice plant jade thrives as an intended companion plant.