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tomatogrower · 20-12-2009, 06:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Garrapata

On Mon, 14 Dec 2009 13:41:02 -0800, "Paddy's Pig"
wrote:

"Garrapata" wrote in message
...

When I was in high school I spent a summer vacation planting this stuff
all along the Monterey coast.

I saw plenty of it while I was at Ft Ord. I thought it was native to the
area.
One species, Carpobrotus chilensis used to be considered native. The
other, C. edulis, African. Now both seem to be introduced
Now, wherever it can be, it is being removed.

Why? Seems like it does a good job holding the sand down.

It's ok on flat places but native plants do it better. It is just easy
to cover disturbed places by sticking unrooted cuttings directly in the
soil. In the dunes and on steep hills it gets so heavy in the rain that
it causes erosion when it breaks off and slides downhill.
--

09=ix

The hardy Ice Plants are native to South Africa but are amazingly hardy in North America, provided they are grown in very well-drained soil. This species forms a low mat of succulent, evergreen leaves, bearing loads of small starry yellow flowers in late spring