California Invasive Plant Council

Carpobrotus edulis

Common names: highway iceplant

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 Rating: High?

Explanation of Cal-IPC ratings

• High – These species have severe ecological impacts on physical processes, plant and animal communities, and vegetation structure. Their reproductive biology and other attributes are conducive to moderate to high rates of dispersal and establishment. Most are widely distributed ecologically.
• Moderate – These species have substantial and apparent-but generally not severe-ecological impacts on physical processes, plant and animal communities, and vegetation structure. Their reproductive biology and other attributes are conducive to moderate to high rates of dispersal, though establishment is generally dependent upon ecological disturbance. Ecological amplitude and distribution may range from limited to widespread.
• Limited – These species are invasive but their ecological impacts are minor on a statewide level or there was not enough information to justify a higher score. Their reproductive biology and other attributes result in low to moderate rates of invasiveness. Ecological amplitude and distribution are generally limited, but these species may be locally persistent and problematic.
• Alert – An Alert is listed on species with High or Moderate impacts that have limited distribution in California, but may have the potential to spread much further.
• Watch – These species have been assessed as posing a high risk of becoming invasive in the future in California.

CDFA Rating: None?

Explanation of CDFA ratings

• A – A pest of known economic or environmental detriment and is either not known to be established in California or it is present in a limited distribution that allows for the possibility of eradication or successful containment.
• B – A pest of known economic or environmental detriment and, if present in California, it is of limited distribution.
• C – A pest of known economic or environmental detriment and, if present in California, it is usually widespread.
• D – An organism known to be of little or no economic or environmental detriment, to have an extremely low likelihood of weediness, or is known to be a parasite or predator.
• Q – An organism or disorder suspected to be of economic or environmental detriment, but whose status is uncertain because of incomplete identification or inadequate information.
• * – An asterisk next to the rating indicates that a plant is included in the CCR Section 4500 list of California State Noxious Weeds.
• -* – This plant is included in the CCR Section 4500 list of California State Noxious Weeds, but is otherwise not rated.

More details

Assessment(s)

Plant Assessment Form - Information gathered by Cal-IPC on the impacts, rate of spread, and distribution of invasive plants in California. Does not include management information.

Weed Management Notes

• Management Notes - Information on management techniques and effectiveness from the University of California Cooperative Extension’s Weed Research & Information Center.

Cal-IPC Newsletter Articles

• Removing European beachgrass at Point Reyes. Parsons, Lorraine. Vol 23, Issue 1
• “Conservation Across Borders” in San Jose. Cal-IPC. Vol 14, Issue 2
• BLM uses heavy equipment to give weeds the heave-ho!. Wheeler, Jennifer. Vol 08, Issue 2
• Roundup of Arundo projects reveals commitment, strategic weakness. Kelly, Mike. Vol 07, Issue 2
• Richmond weed abatement ordinance. . Vol 07, Issue 1
• Fort Ord readies the troops for war – on weeds!. Fry, Virginia. Vol 06, Issue 1
• Portrait of an invader II: The ecology and management of Carpobrotus edulis. Albert, Marc E.. Vol 03, Issue 2
• Lupine removal by heavy equipment. Theiss, Karen. Vol 03, Issue 1
• Exotic pest plants of greatest ecological concern in California September 1994. Cal-IPC. Vol 02, Issue 4
• California Exotic Pest Plant Council draft list exotic plants of greatest concern October 1993. CalEPPC. Vol 01, Issue 4

Cal-IPC Symposium Presentations

Presentations are linked where available. Where a presentation is not available, find more information by reading the abstract in the Cal-IPC Symposia Archive.

• The effect of soil salinity and flooding on the growth Carpobrotus edulis (L.) N.B. Br.: Implications for its spread into the Ballona Wetlands. Drennan, Philippa M.; Zakrzewski, Leanne (2004)
• A decade of dune restoration at the Lanphere Dunes. Pickart, Andrea (2003)
• Eucalyptus removal on Angel Island. Boyd, David (1997)

Other Carpobrotus edulis Information

• CalPhotos - Images of plants taken mostly in California.
• Calflora - Distribution map and records of this species in California.
• CalWeedMapper - Distribution map of this species in California with ability to determine regional priorities.
• EDDMapS - Distribution of this species in North America.
• Jepson Interchange - Information on this plant's taxonomy, biology, and distribution from UC Berkeley's Jepson Herbarium.
• USDA PLANTS Database - Information on identification and distribution, with links to websites in individual states.

Additional photos