Mezoo Trailing Red, a plant that goes by many names such as Aptenia, Dorotheanthus, Heartleaf Ice Plant and many others, is a beautiful succulent and an outstanding performer.
Hello friends! I hope that you enjoyed your Labor Day holiday. I always consider Labor Day to be the unofficial beginning of fall, but today I'm sharing a plant called Mezoo Trailing Red that has become my favorite succulent.
Now don't brush off this information because you've got your mind on fall. This plant that I'm telling you about can be grown indoors, too. If you have a sun room or even just a sunny window, you can grow Mezoo easily during the winter.
This plant goes by many names and comes in a variegated and non-variegated form.
In the above photo, you can see silvery green leaves edged in cream as well as bright green solid leaves. I love both varieties equally.
One of the names that this plant goes by is Heart Leaf Ice Plant. The leaves are indeed shaped like a heart, and the stems are thick and rubbery.
The dainty, dime-sized flowers are magenta colored and close up at night.
The botanical name of this plant is Aptenia cordifolia but in the garden industry, it is known as Dorotheanthus. Some of its common names are Baby Sun Rose, Dew plant, Red apple aptenia, Livingston daisy, and mezoo.
I first became acquainted with this plant last year when my sister-in-law and I were shopping at Forest Lake Garden Center. We both grew it last year and were impressed with its performance in our heat here in South Carolina.
We both planted some again this year. You may remember seeing it in one of the flowers baskets on wooden posts earlier this year.
One of the things that I love most about this plant is its beautiful, trailing growth habit.
Not only is Mezoo Trailing Red is a perfect plant for window boxes, planters, and hanging baskets but it can be used as a ground cover because it sprawls and mounds. Just imagine how pretty it would look in a rock garden!
But what I have been most impressed about this plant is its heat, sun, and drought tolerance. It has been so hot and dry here in SC this summer, but as you can see from the photos, the Mezoo Trailing Red plants are still looking great.
Growing information about Mezoo Trailing Red
- warm weather annual or a tender perennial
- hardiness zones 9-11 but can be overwintered
- thrives in full sun and partial shade
- tolerates high heat
- can be grown indoors in direct sunlight
- safe for pets
- needs well drained soil such as a cactus mix
- water regularly but do not overwater; water only when soil feels dry
- attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds
- do not overfertilize; may benefit from a light feeding occasionally
- fast growing
- spreads about 20-24 inches
- height about 6 inches
- very versatile; great plant for hanging baskets, window boxes, rock gardens, fairy gardens, mixed containers, strawberry pots, and as a ground cover
So in preparation for fall and winter, I am on a mission to save as many of these plants as possible.
First, I spray painted an old, rusty hanging basket with this spray paint. I love the new, updated color which will go great on our front or back porch.
Next, I placed a new coir basket liner down inside and filled it with fresh potting soil. I already had 3 small plants that I purchased about a month ago so I planted those in the top.Then I took some cuttings from some of my other plants in order to propagate them.
Propagation tips for Mezoo Trailing Red
It is very, very easy to propagate this plant. All you have to do is take some 5 inch cuttings, pull off the leaves on the lower end of the stem, and put the cuttings in damp, fresh soil. You don't even need any rooting hormone. How easy is that?
I know it works because I had already propagated some earlier this summer.
I created some holes in the side of the coir basket liner to insert some of the cuttings.
And now I have a beautiful hanging basket that will only continue to grow and fill in. When the night time temps drop below 50 degrees, I will keep it on our enclosed back porch where it will get plenty of sun during the winter.
I'm not sure how easy it will be for you to find this plant. I would ask about it at your local garden center. Either way I'd also check shop succulents as their inventory is constantly changing.
In the meantime, I'm getting our front porch ready for a Fall Ideas Tour that I'm on next week. And I'll be back tomorrow with a roundup of some awesome soup recipes.
Laura
HI! I just discovered this plant myself and I just LOVE IT! What a beauty!
Monica
Mezoo!! I LOVE these plants! I keep buying them year after year and never attempted to winter them. BUT it’s so dang expensive to keep buying each year. ** Can I remove the plant In its entirety, and perhaps cut it back a bit… And transplant it into a new pot for the winter months? Then replant in the spring/summer?
Jane
Sure Monica, give it a try, you have nothing to lose if your buying each year. And yes, you can certainly overwinter Mezoo indoors if you have the right conditions, like a sun room for instance. I'd cut it back a bit before moving, try to avoid doing everything at the same time to avoid stressing your Mezoo.
Taylor
I propagated a small peice of this plant from my aunts larger plant and I’m wondering if it will grow its own new shoots or just trail off of the single one I planted! Should I plant more than 1 propagated piece at a time to make it more full?
Jane Windham
Yes, you can cut your propagated piece into several parts. Just make sure they make contact with the soil and they will root.
Susan
I bought 4 4” pots 2 years ago and planted this in the ground (I live in coastal Virginia) this plant has spread to cover my entire garden and has thrived outdoors with no care but the care God gives it for 2 winters. It perks up and blooms in summer and all I ever do is break off pieces and stick them in dirt to spread it out!! I had 2 in pots that looked bad over the winter so I just put them in the ground and expected to lose them but, they too, have thrived and spread and bloom on hot sunny days.
Marilyn Edwards
I bought a Mezoo last year and fell in love. It wintered inside okay (we are snowbirds (Wi - Fl) but was then neglected. I am trying to take cuttings but they are pale & droopy. Will the cuttings work or should I look for a new plant?
Debbie Goss
Great information. I got my first mezoo plant last spring. Didn't know what I got but it grew fast and is beautiful. I brought it inside house for winter. Is in front of a window. It's starting to look sluggish. Don't want to lose it. Hoping it thrives. But I want to have more of these plants for summer. Can I cut and repot in house for winter? To have ready to put outside in summer. If so; do I report in soil? What kind? Or put in water? Help. Thank you.
Jane Windham
Yes, you can take some cuttings, put them in damp potting soil, and locate them in a sunny window during the winter. Good luck!
Barb Balcom
I am a snowbird (FL and MN). I brought a bunch of Livingstone Daisy - Mezoo Trailing Red back to MN in the spring and it did great here all summer. I might have made a mistake and left it outside too long because we are getting a freak snowstorm right now. Temps are about 33 degrees. Do you think I can still save some of it to take back to FL in 2 weeks. It is now Oct 20th.
Eve Soto
Can mezoo trailing red cutting be planted in the home during the winter?
Jane Windham
Yes but don't let it totally dry out. Place it in a sunny window and it should be fine.
Michelle whitehead
Hi can this plant go in pocket wall planter.
Jane Windham
It should do very well in a pocket planter as long as you allow for drainage either through a hole or pebbles in the bottom.
Monica
Hello! I recently purchased a mezoo plant and it's inside a half-cut plastic soda bottle. Is it okay to repot it? It's still quite small, the stems are about 6 inches.
Autumn
yes! They love new soil. You should repot them every two to three years.
Amy
These are beautiful!! I started with a tiny piece of “ghost plant” my friend gifted me. Now I have sooo much! I believe it may do well mixed with this. Not too far from SC in North GA. Maybe I’ll be lucky enough to find it!
Lesli Nall
Hi we live in Ky and I have a rock bed in my backyard that is full sun that I would love to plant these there. Do you think they will do well planted or should I stick with indoor only? Wasn’t sure what to do with them in the winter if I plant them in the ground? Thank you!
Jane Windham
Lesli, you could always keep them in a container so that you can lift the plants out of the ground when you need to winterize them. I keep mine in an unheated storage building during the winter but you may need to protect yours more because of where you live. Or, you could plant yours in the ground and take cuttings in late September in order to have starts for the next year.
Carol
I got one of these plants at a fair a few years ago. Tried keeping it as a houseplant in my southern window but it slowly got leggier and not pretty. After a few years, I was almost going to throw it out but decided to put in on the full sun roof deck for summer. I trimmed it up a bit, cutting it back a little, brushing off all the dead leaves. Then let it be and watered it. Wow. It grew like mad and blossomed all summer. Around late October, I pulled it into the windowed top stairwell and left it for the winter, only watered it every two weeks or less. Then in May repeated the earlier steps and voila, it again exploded and flowered all spring and summer. Last summer some of the new branches started coming out all green vs. variegated but still blossomed all summer. I take cuttings every fall and keep them in water for winter on my windowsill. Then I can add them to old pots or give to friends.
Rose Fernandez
I love this succulent sun rose and they are really growing hut until now I don’t see any flower blooming at all.It is in the sun,water them when dry and fertilized it.Anything else I should be doing?Help!!!
Jane Windham
Rose, hold off on the fertilizer and it will bloom again.
Colleen Jernigan
We bought 3 of Mezzo hanging baskets during the summer in MS. They have done well and very heat tolerant. The tendrils have gotten quite long and sparse looking at the top of the basket. Want to winter them over inside. Can I cut them back? If so, should it be done before wintering or in the spring?
Thanks.
Jane Windham
I would cut them back before overwintering although I think you could probably do it either way. Last year I saved some of my plants without doing anything other than sticking them in a storage building where they would not be damaged by frost. They survived with the light from one window and very little watering.
Jennifer
I bought one of these beautiful plants about a month ago . I noticed about two weeks ago it was wilting . I then put it outside and it became very yellow and brown . I think it’s dying . What can I do ? Please help because I love it . Thank you
Linda Nelson
I just purchased a fairly good sized Mezoo Trailing red. It was planted with what I think is another type of ice plant (creamy white leaves with flowers similar to the trailing red)so I repotted the entire container of the two plants in a slightly larger clay pot. I am going to make a macrame hanger for it. It will spend the winter in a clear greenhouse with my other babies. I like e in Oregon, so I am hoping they will winter well. Thank you for all the wonderful information. Linda
Jane Windham
It is a beautiful plant!
Casey
I purchased two of these in hanging baskets in early spring. They were beautiful! Over the past month parts of the foliage have been shriveling up and turned brown. I think they were potted in clay soil instead of a well draining soil. Do you think there is any hope for them if I repot them in a cactus mix?
Jane Windham
Yes, I would repot them in loose soil.
Jan
I have these growing in pots, planters and for ground cover and really need to find some homes for some. Email if interested to [email protected]. jan
Donnamae
I rediscovered Mezoo at one of my favorite nurseries...and now I know how to make more! So...thank you! Your basket of Mezoo is lovely...hope mine turns out as well. Enjoy your day! 😉
Nadine Johnson
I am so thrilled that you addressed the growing and caring for these. I just received these from my daughter-in-law. We couldn't find them here. Her mom brought them back from a trip to Fredericksburg, TX. I feel confident that I will be successful after reading your super presentation of this beautiful plant!
Jane Windham
Thanks Nadine! I have taken many cuttings from my original plants that I purchased last year. Enjoy!
Julie Thornton
A friend encouraged me to purchase Mezoo last spring (2018). The nursery only had a few plants and we cleaned them out! Mine grew enormous and I overwintered it in the house in front of a south facing window. It did not bloom, as expected, but it did grow. Now, in March 2019, I am taking cuttings this morning to start enough for two window boxes and 4 plants for my friend--who does not have a sunny window to overwinter tender plants. Looking forward to enjoying Mezoo again this summer.
Jean Windham
I absolutely love this succulent. I actually purchased several plants this summer and have enjoyed them but I love using a hanging basket.
Nancy Hartley\
Jane, this plant is Beautiful! I hope I find one.... I really do enjoy your blog!! Thank you for sharing your creativity and talents!!! Hope to see you soon.... Nancy Hartley
[email protected] Designs
I love this succulent...now I am on the lookout for one!...Beautiful Jane!!!
Frances Batson
O have pinned this for spring. I have the perfect place for it. Thanks.
Patti
Oh so pretty! Now I have to have one! PInning!
DeAnn
I love these also. I got 2 small plants last summer and planted them in 2 tall planters. They grew so fast! I did not bring them in for the winter but they are still alive a kicking. I cute off some dead vines this spring and now its growing like crazy again. I tried to procreate but havent had any luck. Thank you for the tips!D