Mesembs is a common popular term used for succulent members of the family Aizoaceae, which are often placed in a separate family of their own, Mesembryanthemaceae. They are sometimes also referred to as vygies, fig-marigolds, ice plants, midday flowers, living stones or flowering stones. They display remarkable variation in leaf architecture, flower colour and form as well as fruit structure. Therefore these plants fascinate many plant lovers of all ages and have become popular amongst collectors of succulent plants. They make excellent pot plants. Delosperma is a genus of around 100 species of succulent plants common in southern and eastern Africa. Delosperma species, as do most Aizoaceae, have hygrochastic capsules, opening and closing as they wet and dry. Most of the species are subshrubs or of a trailing habit. This genus also boasts the most frost resistant mesembs, Delosperma cooperi and Delosperma nubigenum. They are cold hardy and will survive -17°C or even less. In ethnobotany analyses have indicated that many Delosperma sp. contains quite substantial amounts of the psychoactive compounds DMT and N-methyltryptamine in the leaves and branches.

Delosperma nubigenum, commonly known as Cloud-born Delosperma in English and Geel-kransvygie in Afrikaans, is a South African indigenous mat-forming leaf succulent which becomes pendent on cliffs. It is endemic to the Drakensberg and highlands of Lesotho where it grows on basalt cliffs in deep kloofs. The green leaves almost boat-shaped and the flowers are bright yellow during late spring and summer. It is pollinated by insects.