Finding plants to grow in hot, dry, rocky areas can be a difficult task, but there are actually some very nice plants that grow well under these conditions and are also very ornamental. One of these plants is Lewisia cotyledon, named after Captain Merriwether Lewis who explored the western United States with his friend William Clark in the early 1800s. Lewisia is a member of the portulaca family, which also includes moss rose, and has thick, fleshy green leaves that grow in a rosette form. In spring, the flowers are very showy, usually produced in clusters of pinkish-purple flowers with darker stripes.

Lewisia is a low growing plant with the flower clusters reaching about 9-12" in height. It is a fairly easy plant to grow if area is chosen; full sun and excellent soil drainage are a must. "Normal" garden soil, no matter how well drained, will not work for this plant. Rock gardens, rock walls, gravelly soil or sandy gravel are the places it will thrive. Several interesting cultivars exist including 'George Henley' with magenta-red flowers, 'Norma Jean' with pink flowers, and several hybrid mixtures that include a range of colors from white to red.

Another great rock garden plant is Gold Nugget Delosperma, Delosperma congestum 'Gold Nugget'. Native to South Africa, this hardy perennial plant needs full sun and very well drained soil. It forms 2-3" tall mats of succulent leaves and produces yellow, daisy-like flowers in early summer. The leaves turn bright red in winter. With its flowers, Gold Nugget reaches 24" in height and spreads up to 30". Excellent drainage is a must for this plant making a perfect candidate for the rock garden or other hot, sunny, gravelly areas. Hardy to Zone 4.

Another type of Ice Plant is Delosperma cooperi; very similar to Gold Nugget in form and culture but with fluorescent, purple-red flowers that bloom continuously from June until frost. Hardy to Zone 5.