Dew plants add vibrant color to any garden or home. These low-maintenance succulents thrive in various settings, making them suitable for both novice and experienced gardeners. Their distinct foliage often appears to shimmer as if covered in morning dew, making them ideal for rockeries, containers, or as groundcover.
What is a Dew Plant?
The term “dew plant” commonly refers to succulent species within the Lampranthus and Drosanthemum genera, often called Ice Plants. These plants have fleshy, sometimes cylindrical leaves with bladder-like cells. They typically exhibit a low-growing or spreading habit, forming dense mats or small shrublets. During their blooming season, dew plants produce abundant, vibrant, daisy-like flowers in shades of pink, purple, red, orange, and yellow.
Essential Care for Dew Plants
Dew plants thrive in conditions that mimic their native arid environments. Providing the right balance of light, water, and soil is important for their health and prolific flowering.
Light Needs
Dew plants require ample sunlight to flourish and produce blooms. They thrive in full sun, ideally receiving at least six hours of direct sunlight daily. Inadequate light can lead to leggy growth and reduced flower production. While they tolerate some partial shade in hot climates, consistent full sun exposure maintains their compact form and encourages abundant flowering.
Watering Practices
As succulents, dew plants are drought-tolerant, storing water in their fleshy leaves and stems. Overwatering is the most common mistake, quickly leading to root rot. Allow the soil to dry out completely between waterings before rehydrating thoroughly. During cooler winter months, watering needs decrease, and they should be watered sparingly.
Soil Requirements
Well-draining soil is essential for dew plants to prevent waterlogging. A specialized succulent or cactus mix is ideal, or a sandy loam can be prepared. They tolerate poor, rocky, or sandy substrates. Heavy, water-retentive soils should be avoided, as these conditions can lead to fungal problems.
Temperature and Humidity
Dew plants prefer warm temperatures and are hardy in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 8 through 11. They tolerate a range of humidity levels due to their succulent nature. While established plants withstand short periods of light frost, protecting them from prolonged freezing temperatures is advisable, especially for container-grown plants. Bringing potted specimens indoors before the first hard frost helps them overwinter.
Fertilizing
Dew plants require minimal fertilization, as excessive nutrients can promote weak, leggy growth. If desired, a light application of a balanced, diluted liquid fertilizer can be given once or twice during their active growing season. Often, no fertilization is necessary, especially if plants are in reasonably fertile soil.
Pruning and Propagation
Maintaining the shape and vigor of dew plants often involves occasional pruning. These plants are also easy to propagate.
Pruning for Health and Shape
Pruning dew plants helps maintain their shape and encourages bushier growth. Removing spent blooms, known as deadheading, encourages more flowers throughout the season. Trimming back leggy or overgrown stems, particularly in early spring, manages their size and improves air circulation. Use clean, sharp tools for pruning to reduce disease risk.
Propagating New Plants
Propagating dew plants from stem cuttings is a straightforward process. Take healthy stem cuttings from the plant. Allow them to sit for a few days in a dry, shaded area for the cut end to form a callus, which helps prevent rot. Once callused, plant the cuttings in well-draining succulent soil mix, ensuring the cut end is submerged. Keep the soil lightly moist until roots develop.
Addressing Common Dew Plant Problems
While generally resilient, dew plants can encounter a few common issues.
Overwatering frequently causes problems, leading to root rot, mushy stems, and yellowing leaves. Allow the soil to dry thoroughly between waterings, and ensure adequate drainage holes for container plants. Underwatering can cause leaves to shrivel. Adjust watering frequency to suit environmental conditions.
Dew plants are generally pest-resistant, but aphids or mealybugs may appear. Manage these by dabbing with rubbing alcohol or rinsing with water. Leggy growth signals insufficient light exposure. Relocating the plant to a brighter spot and pruning elongated stems restores a compact form.