Crystalline ice plant

Description:

A low-growing succulent shrub that has been naturalized in North America. The plant is native to Africa and is considered invasive in California where it is found in coastal areas. 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. The plant is covered with enlarged epidermal cells, called "bladder cells" which stores water.

Habitat:

Spotted along the N. McCoy Trail at the Tijuana Slough National Wildlife Refuge. Estuary marsh.