Drosanthemum floribundum

Growing in Pots, Balconies & Indoors

Drosanthemum floribundum is a spreading, sun-loving iceplant grown as a ground cover – not a houseplant, since it needs full sun that indoor light cannot match. It is, though, a wonderful pot, trough and hanging-basket plant for a hot, open balcony or patio, where it trails and flowers freely.

Quick Details

• Container Size: A wide, free-draining pot, trough or basket about 30% wider than the root ball; it spreads to fill whatever it is given (10-20 cm / 4-8 in, spreading)
• Indoor Suitability: Not a houseplant – it needs full outdoor sun; only the very brightest, sunniest windowsill would do, and even then it sulks
• Best Spot: Full sun (part shade at most) – the hotter and brighter, the better the flowering
• Soil & Drainage: Sandy or gritty free-draining mix; strong drainage holes
• Watering in Pots: Small amounts – very drought-tolerant; let it dry out and never leave it waterlogged

Indoors & On the Windowsill

• Not for indoors: The grower marks this as not a houseplant – it will not thrive indoors because it needs full sun to stay compact and to flower; in a room it stretches and stops blooming.
• Sunniest sill only: If you must try it inside, only the brightest, most direct-sun windowsill has any chance – it is really an outdoor plant.
• Overwintering: Tender to frost, so in hard-frost areas move the pot to a bright, cool, frost-free porch for winter rather than a warm room.

On a Balcony or Patio

• Full sun & trailing: This is its ideal home – give it the sunniest, most open spot and let it spill over the edge of a raised pot or hanging basket.
• Heat & watering: It loves the reflected heat from walls and paving; pots dry fast but it is very drought-tolerant, so water only when the mix has dried and never leave it waterlogged.
• Vigour: It spreads fast and can be invasive in open ground, so a container is a good way to keep it in bounds.

Choosing the Pot, Soil & Long-Term Care

• Pot & drainage: Choose a pot only about 30% wider than the root ball – an oversized pot holds wet soil around the roots. Rather than starting big, pot up every few years as it fills out; the mix loses structure over time, though a sharp, sandy mix that never sits wet can go five years or more between changes. Use strong drainage holes and skip a standing water saucer to avoid root rot.
• Pot material: Terracotta breathes and dries fast, which suits these rot-prone succulents; glazed or plastic pots hold moisture longer, so water even more sparingly.
• Potting mix: A gritty, free-draining mix – sandy or cactus/succulent mix, or peat/coir with perlite, with coarse lava grit at the base.
• Feeding: Feed only lightly – a dilute low-strength feed once or so during active growth, as frequent watering leaches nutrients from pots faster than from open ground.
• Watch for rot: Overwatering is the one real danger – in a rainy spot stand the pot in lava grit so water drains straight through, and always let the mix dry before watering again.

Bloom & Flower Guide

Quick Details

• Bloom Season: Winter, spring and summer
• Time to First Bloom: Usually in the first year, once established in a sunny, well-drained spot
• Flower Appearance: Flat, many-petalled, daisy-like flowers with a satiny shimmer, in purple or pink
• Edibility: Ornamental only

Detailed Blooming Overview

Drosanthemum floribundum is famous for smothering itself in bloom — its species name means free-flowering. Across winter, spring and summer it can carpet a sunny bank in a near-solid sheet of flat, glistening, daisy-like flowers in purple and pink. The blooms open in bright sun and close as the light fades, so the carpet of colour follows the day.

Flower Characteristics

• Flat, many-petalled flowers with a sparkling, satiny sheen.
• Purple or pink.
• Borne so densely they can hide the foliage; open in sun, close at night.

Bloom Care & Thinning

• Encouraging bloom: Full sun and sharp drainage bring the heaviest flowering; the plant blooms poorly in shade or rich, wet soil.
• Managing the bloom: A light shear after the main flush keeps the mat neat and can prompt more flowers.

Bloom Health & Protection

• Aphids often gather on the soft buds and new growth; a strong jet of water or a little insecticidal soap keeps them in check.
• In cool, damp spells gray mould (Botrytis) can spot the open flowers — improving airflow and removing faded blooms helps prevent it.