Mesembryanthemum crystallinum (crystalline iceplant)

Mesembryanthemum crystallinum

Photo courtesy Joseph DiTomaso

Mesembryanthemum crystallinum (crystalline iceplant) is a low-growing annual or biennial succulent shrub (family Aizoaceae) found on coastal bluffs of the California coastline and the Channel Islands. It has been used as a landscape ornamental and is named for the small glistening vesicles that cover its leaves and stems. Crystalline iceplant inhibits the growth of native plants by accumulating salt in the soil and by leaving behind mats of dry plant matter that may take several years to decompose. It generally must colonize disturbed areas, and will not usually invade intact grasslands.

Cal-IPC Inventory rating: Moderate - Alert

Cal-IPC Resources on Mesembryanthemum crystallinum

• 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. Each issue is available as a pdf. List of articles on Mesembryanthemum crystallinum.
• Cal-IPC Symposium Proceedings - Presentations and papers from our annual Symposium. List of articles on Mesembryanthemum crystallinum.
• 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

• (2006). "Conservation Across Borders" in San Jose. Cal-IPC News. 14: 11-12.

Cal-IPC Symposium Proceedings

• West, P. (2001). Invasive species in northern Mexico. California Exotic Pest Plant Council Symposium 2001. San Diego, California, CA.

Other Resources on Mesembryanthemum crystallinum

• 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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