Cold hardiness & minimum temperature

Is Delta Vygie (Lampranthus deltoides)cold hardy? Hardiness zone & min temp

Also called Delta Vygie, Deltoid-leaved Ice Plant, Dassievy.

More about delta vygie

About Delta Vygie

Lampranthus deltoides · also called Delta Vygie, Deltoid-leaved Ice Plant · houseplant

Delta Vygie is a South African succulent in the Aizoaceae family, recognised by its distinctive three-angled (deltoid), greyish-green leaves and profuse mauve-pink flowers in spring. It forms spreading mats in rocky, arid habitats and performs well in sunny containers and windowsills with minimal water. Pet-safe and low maintenance.

Cold limit: USDA 9-11 · RHS H2 (5-28°C)

Watch for — Root rot in wet conditions: Wet soil, especially in cool weather or winter, rapidly causes root and stem rot. Always ensure fast drainage and hold water in winter.

What delta vygie's hardiness rating actually means

Delta Vygie is half-hardy (RHS H2). It survives a mild winter outdoors in a sheltered spot, but a hard frost kills it — so in colder zones it is lifted, potted, or grown as a tender plant. Its RHS rating of H2 means: Tender — survives a frost-free greenhouse or a very mild, sheltered spot. On the US scale that maps to USDA 9-11 — the zones where it can be left outdoors year-round.

New to these scales? The USDA hardiness zone map explained covers how the zone numbers work, and you can find your own zone with the zone finder.

Minimum temperature — and what happens below it

Minimum survivable temperature is roughly about 1 to 5 °C — tolerates cold but no real frost. Delta Vygie shrugs off cold nights but a real, sustained freeze will kill it.

Concretely, for delta vygie as it gets too cold:

Down to roughly about 1 to 5 °C it copes, especially if dry and sheltered.
A sustained hard frost collapses the top growth; whether it returns depends on whether the roots, crown or tubers froze.
Wet cold is far more lethal than dry cold for this plant — soggy, frozen soil is the usual killer.

Can delta vygie go outside or overwinter — and where?

It can live outside year-round only in the mildest, most sheltered part of USDA 9-11 or a frost-free UK microclimate.
In colder zones, grow it in a pot you can move under cover, or lift its tubers/roots and store them frost-free over winter.
A south-facing wall, free-draining soil and a dry winter position can push it a full zone hardier than the books suggest.

Work back from your local frost dates with the frost-date calculator: the last spring frost and first autumn frost are what really decide when delta vygie can be outside. US growers can check USDA zones; UK growers should use the RHS hardiness ratings, which match the H2 figure above.

Frost protection for borderline delta vygie

Delta Vygie is right on a hardiness edge in many gardens, so if you are pushing it, these measures buy it the margin it needs:

Mulch the crown or root zone deeply with bark, straw or leaf-mould before the first hard frost.
Move container plants against a warm wall or into an unheated but frost-free porch or greenhouse.
Fleece the top growth on the coldest nights, and keep it on the dry side — dry roots survive cold far better than wet ones.
Lift dahlia-type tubers or tender crowns after the first light frost blackens the foliage and store them somewhere cool but frost-free.

Delta Vygie hardiness — frequently asked questions

Is delta vygie cold hardy?

Delta Vygie is half-hardy (RHS H2). It survives a mild winter outdoors in a sheltered spot, but a hard frost kills it — so in colder zones it is lifted, potted, or grown as a tender plant. Borderline outdoors. In its mild end of USDA 9-11 (and sheltered UK gardens) delta vygie can stay out; in colder areas it must be lifted, brought in, or treated as a frost-tender plant.

What is the minimum temperature delta vygie can survive?

Minimum survivable temperature is roughly about 1 to 5 °C — tolerates cold but no real frost. Delta Vygie shrugs off cold nights but a real, sustained freeze will kill it.

What hardiness zone is delta vygie?

Delta Vygie is rated USDA 9-11 and RHS H2 — Tender — survives a frost-free greenhouse or a very mild, sheltered spot.

Can delta vygie survive winter outside?

It can live outside year-round only in the mildest, most sheltered part of USDA 9-11 or a frost-free UK microclimate. In colder zones, grow it in a pot you can move under cover, or lift its tubers/roots and store them frost-free over winter. A south-facing wall, free-draining soil and a dry winter position can push it a full zone hardier than the books suggest.

How do I protect delta vygie from frost?

Mulch the crown or root zone deeply with bark, straw or leaf-mould before the first hard frost. Move container plants against a warm wall or into an unheated but frost-free porch or greenhouse. Fleece the top growth on the coldest nights, and keep it on the dry side — dry roots survive cold far better than wet ones. Lift dahlia-type tubers or tender crowns after the first light frost blackens the foliage and store them somewhere cool but frost-free.