Crystalline Ice Plant

Description:

Unique groundcover that appears crystallized or beaded. The entire plant except the white flowers have this appearance. The crystals/beads are actually bladder cells. I have been looking for this plant for over a year since I saw this posted by another PN user. I just couldn't believe that such a plant existed despite finding this on a reference book.

Habitat:

On sandstone cliffs at Torrey Pines State Park. This is not native but has naturalized in the wild. It's native to Africa, Western Asia and Europe. "The California Invasive Plant Council (Cal-IPC) classifies the potential impact of Mesembryanthemum crystallinum on native ecosystems as moderate -- ALERT "

Notes:

"The plant usually uses C3 photosynthesis, but when it becomes water- or salt-stressed, it is able to switch to CAM photosynthesis." - Wikipedia