Crystalline Ice Plant (Mesembryanthemum crystallinum)

Point Dume State Park, Malibu, CA

During a long stroll on the beach at Point Dume yesterday, I was excited to discover this really cool little plant. It’s dune-side location, fleshy leaves and flowers, and creeping habit lead me to think it must be a type of Ice Plant. But what a about it’s most striking feature, that crazy coating of what looks like permanent dew? I’ve never seen anything like that before!

Wikipedia tells me that this is indeed an Ice Plant, a variety covered in “glistening bladder cells or water vesicles”. They feel something like resin to the touch, hard and glossy, a delightful mismatch between appearance and texture. You expect your fingertips to encounter water, or at least a liquid or gooey droplet, and find this small solid bead instead. Plants never cease to amaze me with their infinite adaptability.

In spite of their widespread propagation here in Southern California, Ice Plants are not native to this area, or even to this continent. They hail from the other Mediterranean climates of Southern Africa, the Sinai peninsula, and Southern Europe. The similar climate of our area is ideal for their lifestyle, and so once introduced they are able to thrive on their own. One unusual feature of Ice Plants is their very high salt tolerance– they are actually able to store up accumulated salt without being damaged. That explains their love of seaside living, and unfortunately also their ability to create a local monoculture by poisoning the soil for other plants. They are considered an invasive species moderately dangerous to California’s native ecosystem.

Oh well… Since they seem to be here to stay, might as well appreciate these enchanting little invaders!

~