Carpobrotus edulis (Hottentot-fig or iceplant)

Carpobrotus edulis

Photo courtesy Carolyn Martus

Carpobrotus edulis (Hottentot-fig or iceplant) is a succulent shrub (family Aizoaceae) found throughout coastal California and the Channel Islands, especially in areas with a warm winter climate. Introduced as an ornamental plant, Carpobrotus edulis 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. Carpobrotus edulis propagates by seed and vegetatively. Even small stem fragments can regenerate into a new plant, making control difficult.

Cal-IPC Inventory rating: High

Cal-IPC Resources on Carpobrotus edulis

• 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.
• Species account from Invasive Plants of California's Wildlands - Includes biology and management information.
• Cal-IPC News - Articles from our quarterly newsletter.
• Cal-IPC News - Articles from our quarterly newsletter. Each issue is available as a pdf. List of articles on Cardaria chalepensis.
• Cal-IPC Symposium Proceedings - Presentations and papers from our annual Symposium. List of articles on Carpobrotus edulis.
• 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.
• (1994). Exotic pest plants of greatest ecological concern in California September 1994. CalEPPC News. 2: 10.
• (1999). Richmond weed abatement ordinance. CalEPPC News. 7: 10.
• (2006). "Conservation Across Borders" in San Jose. Cal-IPC News. 14: 11-12.
• Albert, M. E. (1995). Portrait of an invader II: The ecology and management of Carpobrotus edulis. CalEPPC News. 3: 4-6.
• Fry, V. (1998). Fort Ord readies the troops for war - on weeds! CalEPPC News. 6: 4-5,8.
• Kelly, M. (1999). Roundup of Arundo projects reveals commitment, strategic weakness. CalEPPC News. 7: 4-9.
• Theiss, K. (1995). Lupine removal by heavy equipment. CalEPPC News. 3: 7.
• Wheeler, J. (2000). BLM uses heavy equipment to give weeds the heave-ho! CalEPPC News. 8: 14.

Cal-IPC Symposium Proceedings

• Boyd, D. (1997). Eucapyptus removal on Angel Island. California Exotic Pest Plant Council Symposium '97. Concord, CA.
• Briscoe, E. and T. Anderson (2000). War on weeds - invasive weed education and outreach program. California Exotic Pest Plant Council Symposium 2000. Concord, CA.
• Cooper, V. K. and B. J. Moritsch (1999). Weeding the wilderness: Non-native plant management at Point Reyes National Seashore. California Exotic Pest Plant Council Symposium '99. Sacramento, CA.
• Drennan, P. M. and L. Zakrzewski (2004). The effect of soil salinity and flooding on the growth Carpobrotus edulis (L.) N.B. Br.: Implications for its spread into the Ballona Wetlands. California Invasive Plant Council Symposium 2004. Ventura, CA.
• Pickart, A. (2003). A decade of dune restoration at the Lanphere Dunes. California Invasive Plant Council Symposium 2003. Kings Beach, CA.

Other Resources on Carpobrotus edulis

• 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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