If you love vygies and waterwise gardening, Delosperma is one of those genera that quickly becomes addictive. These are mostly low, mat-forming succulents in the Aizoaceae, famous for their shimmering “ice” cells on the leaves and stems that catch the light like tiny crystals – a clever way of reflecting harsh African sun while storing precious moisture.

The genus is centred in southern Africa, with the bulk of species in South Africa and Lesotho, but stretching north into eastern Africa as far as Ethiopia and even into the Arabian Peninsula. Many are local endemics tied to specific rock types or mountain systems – from arid Karoo flats and grassland dolerite outcrops to subalpine Drakensberg cliffs. Seed capsules are typically hygrochastic: they open when wet, using little “valves” and wings to present or flick out the seed in rain – exactly the kind of detail that makes them fascinating subjects for a seed-focused collector.

In the garden, Delosperma species are valued for their carpets of daisy-like flowers in intense shades of magenta, pink, purple, yellow and orange, often over a very long season. Given full sun and sharply drained, sandy or gravelly soils, many species are remarkably drought tolerant and need little more than occasional watering once established. They are ideal for rockeries, retaining walls, containers, green roofs and banks where a tough, colourful, pollinator-friendly groundcover is needed.

For a succulent enthusiast in South Africa, Delosperma offers a huge palette of local biodiversity – from tiny, niche endemics to showy garden workhorses – all fitting neatly into the broader push toward waterwise, climate-resilient gardening.

Delosperma carolinense – Stone Sheepfig; Klipvygie

Delosperma carolinense is a hardy, shrubby Delosperma native to the drier parts of the Free State and Mpumalanga, where it grows in open, rocky shrubland and grassland on well-drained soils. It forms a low, branching subshrub with succulent leaves and a woody base, well adapted to the hot summers and cold winter nights of the interior plateau. The species produces bright, daisy-like blooms in spring and summer that transform otherwise harsh rocky patches into colourful carpets.

In South African gardens this species is a natural candidate for Highveld rockeries, gravel gardens and mixed waterwise borders. Its shrubby character gives it a bit more height and structure than the purely mat-forming species, making it excellent for interplanting with dwarf aloes, grasses and other small shrubs. The combination of woody framework and succulent foliage allows it to cope with both drought and the occasional summer thunderstorm.

For home growers, seed offers an accessible way to bring this tough Transvaal vygie into cultivation. Sow onto a gritty, free-draining mix, keep lightly moist and in very bright light until the seedlings are established, then slowly reduce watering. Once planted out in full sun, D. carolinense settles into a dependable, long-lived shrub that brings a distinctly South African feel to any waterwise garden.