Carpobrotus chilensis (sea-fig, iceplant)

Carpobrotus chilensis

Photo courtesy Joseph DiTomaso

Carpobrotus chilensis (sea-fig, iceplant) is a succulent shrub (family Aizoaceae) found throughout coastal California and the Channel Islands, especially in areas with a warm winter climate. Carpobrotus chilensis may have been introduced during early Spanish settlement. It now inhabits coastal scrub, grasslands, chaparral, bluffs, dunes and beaches, where it creates dense mats that increase soil organic matter over time, allowing new non-native species to invade. Sea-fig propagates by seed and vegetatively. Even small stem fragments can regenerate into a new plant, making control difficult.

Cal-IPC Inventory rating: Moderate

Cal-IPC Resources on Carpobrotus chilensis

• California Invasive Plant Inventory Assessment Form (pdf) - Information gathered by Cal-IPC on the impacts, rate of spread, and distribution of invasive plants in California. Does not include management information.
• Cal-IPC News - Articles from our quarterly newsletter. Each issue is available as a pdf. List of articles on Carpobrotus chilensis.
• Cal-IPC Symposium Proceedings - Presentations and papers from our annual Symposium. List of articles on Carpobrotus chilensis.
• Don't Plant a Pest! - Select your region to find non-invasive alternatives to ornamental species. Also see our statewide brochure on trees.

Cal-IPC News Articles

• Schwartz, S. (2009). East Bay volunteers head to the hills and the shores. Cal-IPC News. 16: 8-9.
• (1993). California Exotic Pest Plant Council draft list exotic plants of greatest concern October 1993. CalEPPC News. 1: 6.

Cal-IPC Symposium Proceedings

• Clifford, P., A. J. Pickart, et al. (2005). Invasive annual grasses in a coastal dune ecosystem. California Invasive Plant Council Symposium 2005. Chico, CA.

Other Resources on Carpobrotus chilensis

• USDA PLANTS database - Federal database with information on identification and distribution, and links to websites in individual states.
• Jepson Online Interchange for California Flora - Information on taxonomy, biology, and distribution from the UC Berkeley Jepson Herbarium.
• CalFlora - Distribution information by county based on submitted observations and herbarium specimens.
• The Nature Conservancy Management Summary - Information compiled by TNC land managers. Photos included for some species.
• CalPhotos - Images of plants taken mostly in California.
• Natural Resource Projects Inventory - State database with information on resource management projects throughout California. Query by the species of interest.

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