ICE PLANTS: Coastal Eroder and Edible Delight

Having lived in San Diego for nearly all my life, ice plants—which typically are large, mat-forming coastal succulents native to South Africa—have always been a part of what I imagine in the local community. From the neighborhood gardens lining the sidewalks to the edges of railroads and the miles of blufs on beaches, there isn’t a place I can think of where I cannot fnd ice plants.

According to a historic analysis by Jaden Husser, with the intent to stabilize railroad tracks from erosion in the early 1900s, ice plants were introduced to California. Soon, they rose in popularity, allowing their spread into roadsides, ornamental purposes, and more. Highway ice plants quickly became one of the most popular iceplants in comparison to its various counterparts. Stretching from north of Humboldt County to as far south as Baja California, ice plants have become a coastal invader.

As 2023 began with one of the heaviest rainfalls in recent history for California, many people also saw the erosion of multiple beachside clifs due to their ice plant invasion. Ice plants, which are suited for well-drained soil and minimal watering, infate like water balloons and increase in weight, and contribute to eroding blufs at an increased rate. Bluf repair and prevention comes at a hefty cost. On top of disrupting COASTER and other railroads, projects such as the Coastal Commission’s bluf stabilization project in Del Mar’s cost 68 million dollars and took 3 years as of summer 2022. More surprisingly, this has not been the frst project for stabilization in the area as previous repairs have been attempted in 2019 due to heavy rainfalls.

Ice plants, though heralded for its drought-resistant qualities, have decimated native organisms as a result of their shallowrooted thick mat formations which choke out all other native plants—including endangered, threatened, and rare plants—as well as altering soil composition in the environment. Ice plants release enough salt into the soil to inhibit other plant seeds from propagating. Additionally, the only way to remove ice plants is through labor-intensive hand-pulling as other methods such as using construction machinery risk damaging other native species in the area. Outcompeting native plants in water, light, and space; serving no purpose as a food source for animals; and only being able to be viably removable through hand pulling; ice plants have truly monopolized California coasts as a perennial fora.

However, there may be hope for removing this invader. I recently came across an Instagram video of food blogger Suzy (@sooziethefoodie) where she prepared an ice plant dish. Suzy dressed the ice plant in dashes of trufe soy sauce and lychee vinegar, grated ginger, kiwano melon spoonfuls, sprinkles of pomegranate, and several edible fowers all sitting in a shell-shaped fried tapioca sheet. In a video less than a minute long, ice plants changed from a mere pesky neighborhood plant to an opportunity to expand California’s economy through edible delights.

By informing others about the ability to eat ice plants, the potential for ice plant removal seems more realistic, as previous attempts through hand-pulling volunteer work in concentrated patches always return with ice plant growth. Not only can local residents collect ice plants for food, but businesses and restaurants can begin specializing in cuisines that include ice plants to increase the removal of ice plants along California’s coasts. Consumption of ice plants is not new, as many have discovered its nutritious value, containing high levels in vitamins A, B, C, mineral salts, and isofavones, which can protect against breast cancer, menopausal symptoms, heart disease, osteoporosis, and more. Described as salty with a hint of citrus, many have already tried and enjoyed the versatility of ice plants in the kitchen. Steeped as teas, raw in salads for an additional crunch, garnishes, deep-fried, dried, pickled, and reduced into chutneys, the opportunities are endless as a nutrient-flled delicacy!