Magenta Iceplant flower bud. Common plant on the California coast.
Montara State Beach, Montara CA
As the wildflowers start to bloom on the California coast, you’ll find Iceplant in abundance. And now, in spring, the Iceplant flowers bud and open. Mostly magenta or yellow in color, the dots of color on the carpet of green plants is very pleasing. These plants originated in South Africa where the climate is very similar to California. And Iceplants were imported and planted as stabilizing ground cover for rail lines and highways starting around 1900.
Since then Iceplant has pretty much taken over where original native plants once lived and bloomed. Nowadays, planting is discouraged due to their fast growth in favor of native ground cover.. The plants are so wide spread and ubiquitous on our highways and coast, complete eradication is pretty unlikely. Plus there is the inherent beauty of these vast areas of green and color to consider.