General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Shrub
Cactus/Succulent
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun
Water Preferences: Mesic
Dry Mesic
Dry
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 7b -15 °C (5 °F) to -12.2 °C (10 °F)
Plant Height: 12 inches to 14 inches
Plant Spread: 24 inches to 36 inches
Leaves: Evergreen
Fruit: Other: inconspicuous
Flowers: Showy
Flower Color: Pink
Yellow
Bloom Size: 1"-2"
Flower Time: Spring
Winter
Suitable Locations: Beach Front
Xeriscapic
Uses: Erosion control
Groundcover
Will Naturalize
Wildlife Attractant: Bees
Resistances: Humidity tolerant
Drought tolerant
Salt tolerant
Propagation: Other methods: Cuttings: Stem
Layering
Pollinators: Bees
Miscellaneous: Tolerates poor soil

Image
Common names
  • Highway Iceplant
  • Khoisan Fig
  • Cape Fig
  • Fig Marigold
  • Ice Plant

Photo Gallery
Location: California, United States
Date: 2020-11-21
Location: My garden in SoCal.
Date: 2019-02-01
Location: California, United States
Date: December 10, 2020
Location: Algarve,Portugal
Date: 2022-03-30
Location: Algarve,Portugal
Date: 2022-03-30
Location: Blenheim New Zealand
Date: 2015-11-19
Location: Baja California
Date: 2005-10-09
Seedling growing in sand, having invaded a beach
Location: Baja California
Date: 2005-10-09
Invader of beaches in Baja California
Location: Baja California
Date: 2012-03-01
Location: Gingin, Western Australia
Date: 10th September 2018
Notice the pollen on the Bees legs
Location: Baja California
Date: 2012-03-01
Location: Algarve,Portugal
Date: 2022-03-30
Location: Algarve,Portugal
Date: 2022-03-30
Location: Blenheim New Zealand
Date: 2015-11-19
Location: Baja California
Date: 2005-10-09
Tip still very green
Location: Baja California
Date: 2005-10-09
Drought conditions, growing on pure sand

Date: 2023-05-27
Location: Gingin, Western Australia
Date: 6th September 2018
Many people here assert there are two different coloured flowers
Location: Gingin, Western Australia
Date: 8th September 2018
Progressive flower colour change illustrated
Location: Algarve,Portugal
Date: 2022-03-30
Location: Lloret de Mar
Date: 2019-04-22
Location: San Diego, California
Date: 2013-08-16
Location: San Diego, California
Date: 2013-08-16
Location: Dinuba Ca.

Date: 2017-04-12

Date: June
credit: Alves Gaspar
Location: Gingin. Western Australia
Date: 3rd September 2018
There is one Euc. seedling in between seedlings
Location: Baja California
Date: 2011-03-02
Spidey around the back
Location: Crete - Rethymno
Date: 2022-06-02
Location: Crete - Rethymno
Date: 2022-06-02
Location: Baja California
Date: 2013-04-10
Somebody's been watering their Carpobrotus
Location: Baja California
Date: 2013-12-18
Overgrowing Agave shawii
Location: San Diego, California      
Date: 2015-01-09
Location: Baja California
Date: 2012-03-01
Location: Baja California
Date: 2012-03-01
Location: Lloret de Mar
Date: 2019-04-22
A pink one. Im holding it with my hand
Location: Pinya del Rosa Botanical garden
Date: 2019-04-22
Location: Lloret de Mar
Date: 2019-04-25

photo credit: H. Zell

photo credit: H. Zell

Date: 2014-09-21
Photo courtesy of: Martin Heigan
Location: Sao Vincente - Madeira
Date: 2023-04-15
Location: Baja California
Date: 2012-03-01
Location: Crete - Rethymno
Date: 2022-06-02
Location: Emma Wood State Beach, California
Date: 2012-07-06
Location: Lloret de Mar-ish
Date: 2019-04-22

photo by ghislain118
Location: San Diego, California      
Date: 2015-01-09 
Used as a groundcover all over San Diego
Location: Lloret de Mar
Date: 2019-04-22
Location: Pinya del Rosa Botanical garden
Date: 2019-04-22
Location: San Diego, California
Date: 2013-08-16
This plant is tagged in:
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Comments:
  • Posted by Baja_Costero (Baja California - Zone 11b) on Feb 9, 2016 2:54 PM concerning plant:
    Fast-growing, drought-tolerant, invasive, mat-forming groundcover. Very easy to start from cuttings, very common locally in public and private areas.

    Two serious problems with this plant. The first is that it's an aggressive grower in the garden and not good at sharing space with other plants, above or below ground. The second is that it's prone to escape, and has the potential to outcompete native plants in many areas (including coastal California and Baja California). At least one other purple-flowered Carpobrotus species shares the same features. They can also spread by seed at some distance.

    There are many better options for succulent groundcovers, depending on your needs. Don't plant a Carpobrotus unless you're prepared to cut it back regularly. And don't toss your cuttings by the side of the road, because they'll get started growing there too. I have had more than one Carpobrotus seedling sprout as a volunteer inside a greenhouse (seed came from outside) so the plant can also be counted on to spread from seed as well.

    Carpobrotus chilensis occurs in many of the same areas where C. edulis is an invasive species. The two very similar plants can be resolved based on flower size (much bigger with edulis) and the shape of the leaf in cross section (both are triangular but edulis has sharp corners and chilensis has rounded ones). They apparently can hybridize. C. edulis is apparently a bigger problem as an invasive species.
  • Posted by growitall (Calgary, Alberta, Canada) on Jan 26, 2014 12:58 PM concerning plant:
    Can be invasive where hardy, and has naturalized in Florida and California.
    Is considered an invasive weed in California.
  • Posted by skopjecollection (SE europe(balkans) - Zone 6b) on Dec 5, 2019 1:20 PM concerning plant:
    I tried the fruit (may have been unripe). Salty, sour and very astringent.
Discussion Threads about this plant
Thread Title Last Reply Replies
ID question by Baja_Costero Feb 5, 2019 1:15 AM 1

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