Delosperma ‘Jewel of the Desert Ruby’ is a beautiful flowering perennial that has been cultivated for decades. It’s a very popular plant in the landscaping industry due to its beauty, hardiness, and ease of care.
In this article, we cover how to care for it and why you should consider adding this plant to your garden.
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About Delosperma ‘Jewel of the Desert Ruby’
Delosperma ‘Jewel of the Desert Ruby’ is a beautiful, rare plant popular in cultivation. It’s a hardy succulent that can be grown indoors or outdoors and makes an attractive addition to any landscape.
This flower’s beauty comes from its unusual coloration: it has bright red petaled flowers with white near the insides of the petals and yellow centers. They appear throughout most of the year but are most abundant during spring.
Its leaves are blue-green and often have a purple tint to them. The flowers are red and about 1 inch across.
Delosperma ‘Jewel of the Desert Ruby’ Care
Delosperma ‘Jewel of the Desert Ruby’ is super popular among gardeners because it’s easy to grow and has gorgeous flowers that attract pollinators like bees and butterflies.
Light
Jewel of the Desert Ruby prefers bright light (Full sun to partial shade). It can be grown in a sunny window or under artificial lights but will flower more prolifically in full sunlight.
Soil
The best way to keep a succulent plant growing at its best is to provide it with rich, well-draining soil.
The soil should be slightly acidic. Mixing in some peat moss or compost will help keep your soil from becoming too waterlogged. If you have too much clay in your soil or live in an area that gets a lot of rainfall, consider adding sand to your mix to help it drain more quickly.
Water
Water regularly from spring through fall, allowing the soil to dry out between waterings. Reduce watering in winter to once every three weeks or so.
Temperature
The ideal temperature range for Delosperma ‘Jewel of the Desert Ruby’ is 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. It can tolerate temperatures as low as -20 degrees Fahrenheit but will not actively grow until spring returns.
Humidity
Humidity is not critical for this plant, but it will grow better if the humidity is around 50%. Average room conditions are considered more than okay.
Fertilizer
This plant needs very little fertilizer, so it would be best to use only a little bit at first and then increase the amount as needed over time. Don’t overfertilize because this can cause problems such as leaf discoloration and stunted growth.
Pruning
While this plant does not need pruning, it can benefit from it by creating a more formal shape, which will help it look better as it grows. Pruning can also be used to control its size if it gets too large for its space.
It is important to only take off enough growth to make your plant look good while still maintaining its fullness and health.
Potting and Repotting Delosperma ‘Jewel of the Desert Ruby’
It is important to repot the plant when it has outgrown its pot, or the roots have filled it up. This can be done in spring or fall. However, if you wait until spring, ensure you water the plant well beforehand so, it can rehydrate before being repotted.
The best time would be early spring (usually March or April).
Prepare
How to Repot (Step-by-Step)
- Place your plant in a well-lit area but not in direct sunlight.
- Remove any dead or yellow leaves from your plant.
- Remove all the soil from around your plant, leaving only a small amount on top of the roots.
- Place your plant into a well-draining mixture, making sure that it has plenty of room for growth and that there are no air pockets around its roots.
- Water gently until water begins to drain from around the drainage holes in your pot.
Propagating Delosperma ‘Jewel of the Desert Ruby’ (Step-by-Step)
- Select a healthy, mature, flowering stem tip and cut it off at its base.
- Remove any leaves from the bottom half of the cutting.
- Strip away 1 to 2 inches of bark from the top half of the cutting using a sharp knife or pruning shears.
- Dip the end of your cutting in rooting hormone before planting it in potting mix or your garden soil.
- Place your cuttings in an area that receives bright, indirect sunlight and keep them moist until they begin to grow new roots—this can take anywhere from two weeks to a month.
- Once your cuttings have rooted, transplant them into pots or outside in the garden.
Blooms
The Jewel of the Desert Ruby is a succulent plant that blooms in the spring. It has small, daisy-like red flowers with white tips and a yellow central halo.
The flowers of this plant grow to be about 1 inch in diameter. They bloom from late spring through fall and will attract butterflies.
Toxicity
Delosperma ‘Jewel of the Desert Ruby’ has no toxic effects reported. However, it is not recommended that you consume this plant or any other succulent.
NOTE: This page is not intended as a substitute for veterinary advice. The toxicity of an ingested substance varies depending on the amount ingested, the animal’s weight, and its sensitivity to specific allergens. Contact your veterinarian or local animal poison control center immediately if you think your pet may have ingested a toxic substance.
Common Pests
This plant has few pests, but aphids, mealybugs, and spider mites can all infest it at times. Use these tips to keep them away:
- Remove any fallen leaves and flowers from around the plant, so there’s less hiding space for pests to inhabit.
- Treat with beneficial insects every three weeks throughout the summer months, as these will help to keep aphids and other pests under control.
- Spray plants with water once or twice a month during hot weather, which will help prevent fungal diseases from forming on the stems and leaves of your plant.
AVOID
- Overwatering
- Placing under harsh sunlight
- Using poorly drained potting mediums
- Fertilizing during dormancy
