Highway iceplant is a creeping perennial succulent and a member of the fig-marigold family, Aizoacea, that also includes “living stones”, and New Zealand spinach. It is native to coastal areas of South Africa but was introduced into California in the early 1900s to stabilize soil along railroad tracks and has become invasive along the coast from Eureka, California, to Mexico, including the Channel Islands. Although found mostly on coastal bluffs, it can invade other coastal areas such as grasslands, dunes, oak woodlands, and maritime chaparral. Plants grow 4″ tall and have horizontal stems that form shallow fibrous roots at every node that contacts the soil so a single plant can spread up to 3’/year. The yellowish to grass green leaves turn reddish as they age, are three sided, and have tiny serrations on the edges. Solitary flowers 2.5-6″ across and appear continuously but peak from late spring to mid summer. They are yellow at first but fade to pale pink. The fleshy fruit 1.4″ in diameter and contains numerous seeds embedded in a mucilaginous substance. Other common names for the plant include Hottentot-fig and pigface. The genus name, Carpobrotus, comes from the Greek words karpos meaning fruit and brotos meaning edible. The specific epithet, edulis, is the Latin word for edible.
Type: Succulent perennial
Bloom: Solitary yellow flower fading to pink and 2.5-6″ across; continuous bloom
Size: 4″ H x 3′ W
Light: Full sun
Soil: Average to lean, dry to moist, well-drained; tolerates drought and saline
Hardiness: Zones 7-10
Care: Low maintenance
Pests and Diseases: None of significance
Propagation: Division, seed
Companion Plants: Sand strawberry, trailing iceplant, rose verbena