Delosperma litorale
Ice plant
(c) Matthew Fainman, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Matthew Fainman · licence
Family: Aizoaceae · Type: Subshrub · Not Native
Delosperma litorale (Ice plant) is a non-native California subshrub in the Aizoaceae family, recognized by South African species with limited establishment in coastal California, distinct from more common Carpobrotus ice plants.
Ice plant is a naturalized perennial found in southern California coastal regions and southern Channel Islands on coastal wetland margins, bluffs, and stabilized dunes at elevations below 35 meters. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces white flowers approximately 1.5 to 2.2 centimeters in diameter with delicate linear petals. Growing as a prostrate, thin mat-forming plant with widely spaced nodes that root along the ground, it spreads horizontally across coastal landscapes. Its leaves have distinctive hooked tips, creating an intriguing texture as the plant extends across sandy or marginal coastal terrain. The inner stamens of the flower form a distinctive cone around the stigmas, giving the blossoms a unique structural appearance.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: South African species with limited establishment in coastal California, distinct from more common Carpobrotus ice plants
Habitat and range
Habitat: Uncommon. Margins of coastal wetlands, bluffs, stabilized dunes
Elevation: < 35 m
Outside California: native to southern Africa
Bloom period
Delosperma litorale blooms May-Jul.
How to tell it apart
vs Carpobrotus: Delosperma has dry capsules and unequal sepals; Carpobrotus has fleshy edible fruits and equal sepals.; vs Lampranthus: Delosperma has distinctly unequal sepals; Lampranthus has equal sepals.; vs Drosanthemum: Delosperma has unequal sepals and awl-shaped stigmas; Drosanthemum has equal sepals and thread-like stigmas.; vs Mesembryanthemum: Delosperma is perennial with unequal sepals; Mesembryanthemum is annual with crystalline leaf texture.; vs Malephora: Delosperma has yellow/orange flowers with 4-6 chambers; Malephora has copper flowers with 8-12 chambers.
Frequently asked questions
Is Delosperma litorale native to California?
No. Delosperma litorale is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Delosperma litorale bloom?
Delosperma litorale blooms May-Jul.
What plant family does Delosperma litorale belong to?
Delosperma litorale is in the Aizoaceae family, genus Delosperma.
What habitat does Delosperma litorale grow in?
Delosperma litorale grows in Uncommon. Margins of coastal wetlands, bluffs, stabilized dunes.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.