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Mesembryanthemum crystallinum
  • Ice Plant

a perennial member of the Mesembryanthemum genus in the family Aizoaceae.

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Niche
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    The ecosystem niches for this plant are unknown. Do you know them? Click the edit button to add them!
Functions
  • None
    None
    There are no functions defined for this plant. Do you know of some? Click the edit button to add them!
Light
  • Full sun
    Full sun
    The amount of sun exposure that a plant prefers in ideal conditions.
    Key
  • no shade
    No shade
    The amount of shade a plant will tolerate without adverse health affects.
    Key
Water
  • Water Requirementsmoderate
    Moderate
    The amount of water a plant needs for healthy growth, relative to other plants.
    Key
Soil
  • acid,neutral,alkaline
    Acid to Alkaline
    The PH range (acidity or alkilinity) of the growth medium ideal for healthy nutrient absorbtion.
    Key
  • Sandy to Clay
    The soil texture this plant prefers for optimal growth.
    Key
Cold & Heat
  • 9
    Zone 9
    The USDA Hardiness scale assigns plants a number from 1 to 12 representing the minimum temperature a plant can survive.
    Key
    0< -53.9ºC< -65ºF
    1-51.1ºC-60ºF
    2-45.6ºC-50F
    3-40ºC-40ºF
    4-34.4ºC-30ºF
    5-28.9ºC-20ºF
    6-23.3ºC-10ºF
    7-17.8ºC0ºF
    8-12.2C10ºF
    9-6.7ºC20ºF
    10-1.1ºC30ºF
    114.4ºC40ºF
    12> 10ºC> 5ºF
  • ?
    Unknown
    The AHS Heat scale assigns plants a number from 1 to 12 representing the number of days per year a plant requires a temperature exceeding 30ºC (86ºF).
    Key
    11
    21 - 7
    38 - 14
    415 - 30
    531 - 45
    646 - 60
    761 - 90
    891 - 120
    9121 - 150
    10151 - 180
    11181 - 210
    12181 - 210
Mesembryanthemum crystallinum has 0 edible uses listed
Mesembryanthemum crystallinum has 0 material uses listed
Mesembryanthemum crystallinum has 0 medicinal uses listed

Uses

Edible uses

Notes

Leaves and stems - raw or cooked[1][2][3][4][5]. They can be used as a spinach substitute[6]. The leaves have an acid flavour, they are thick and very succulent with a slightly salty tang[7]. They can also be pickled like cucumbers or used as a garnish[7].

Fruit[3][8]. No more details are given.

Seed - a famine food used when all else fails[9].

Fruit

Unknown use

Leaves

Unknown use

Seed

Unknown use

Material uses

The crushed foliage is a soap substitute[3].

Unknown part

Soap

Medicinal uses(Warning!)

The plant is demulcent and diuretic[10]. It is used in the treatment of inflammations of the pulmonary and genito-urinary mucous membranes[10]. The leaves are used in the treatment of ascites, dysentery and diseases of the liver and kidney[10].

Unknown part

Demulcent
Diuretic

Ecology

Ecosystem niche/layer

Ecological Functions

Nothing listed.

Forage

Nothing listed.

Shelter

Nothing listed.

Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse, only just covering the seed. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out after the last expected frosts. Seedlings are prone to damp off so should not be over watered and should be kept in a very sunny well-ventilated position[11].

Practical Plants is currently lacking information on propagation instructions of Mesembryanthemum crystallinum. Help us fill in the blanks! Edit this page to add your knowledge.



Cultivation

Easily grown in an ordinary well-drained garden soil[12][2]. Succeeds in any well-drained low-fertility soil so long as it is in a sunny position[11].

A very ornamental plant, it is occasionally cultivated for its edible leaves[12][5]. It is not very hardy in Britain and will be killed even by a light frost[5]. It is, therefore, usually grown as a half-hardy annual, being sown in a greenhouse in the spring and used for summer bedding[2].

Plants have few problems with pests or diseases though the young plants are prone to root rot and damping off unless given plenty of ventilation and dry growing conditions[11].

Crops

Problems, pests & diseases

Associations & Interactions

There are no interactions listed for Mesembryanthemum crystallinum. Do you know of an interaction that should be listed here? edit this page to add it.

Polycultures & Guilds

There are no polycultures listed which include Mesembryanthemum crystallinum.

Descendants

Cultivars

Varieties

None listed.

Subspecies

None listed.

Full Data

This table shows all the data stored for this plant.

Taxonomy
Binomial name
Mesembryanthemum crystallinum
Genus
Mesembryanthemum
Family
Aizoaceae
Imported References
Edible uses
[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]
Medicinal uses
[10]
Material uses & Functions
[3]
Botanic
[13][11]
Propagation
Cultivation
Environment
Cultivation
Uses
Edible uses
None listed.
Material uses
None listed.
Medicinal uses
None listed.
Functions & Nature
Functions
Provides forage for
Provides shelter for
Environment
Hardiness Zone
9
Heat Zone
?
Water
moderate
Sun
full sun
Shade
no shade
Soil PH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Soil Texture
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil Water Retention
well drained
Environmental Tolerances
  • Salinity
Ecosystems
Native Climate Zones
None listed.
Adapted Climate Zones
None listed.
Native Geographical Range
None listed.
Native Environment
None listed.
Ecosystem Niche
None listed.
Root Zone Tendancy
None listed.
Life
Deciduous or Evergreen
?
Herbaceous or Woody
?
Life Cycle
perennial
Growth Rate
?
Mature Size
0.1 x 0.5 meters
Fertility
?
Pollinators
Insects
Flower Colour
?
Flower Type
hermaphrodite

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"image:Bolsa Chica - Flora 5.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki. "image:Bolsa Chica - Flora 5.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki.


"image:Bolsa Chica - Flora 5.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki.

"image:Bolsa Chica - Flora 5.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki.

"image:Bolsa Chica - Flora 5.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki., "image:Bolsa Chica - Flora 5.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki., "image:Bolsa Chica - Flora 5.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki. "image:Bolsa Chica - Flora 5.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki., "image:Bolsa Chica - Flora 5.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki., "image:Bolsa Chica - Flora 5.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki. "image:Bolsa Chica - Flora 5.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki. "image:Bolsa Chica - Flora 5.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki."image:Bolsa Chica - Flora 5.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki.






References

  1. ? 1.01.1 Vilmorin. A. The Vegetable Garden. Ten Speed Press ISBN 0-89815-041-8 ()
  2. ? 2.02.12.22.3 Larkcom. J. Salads all the Year Round. Hamlyn (1980-00-00)
  3. ? 3.03.13.23.33.4 Coyle. J. and Roberts. N. C. A Field Guide to the Common and Interesting Plants of Baja California. Natural History Publishing Co. (1975-00-00)
  4. ? 4.04.1 Saunders. C. F. Edible and Useful Wild Plants of the United States and Canada. Dover Publications ISBN 0-486-23310-3 (1976-00-00)
  5. ? 5.05.15.25.3 Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Vegetables Macmillan Reference Books, London. ISBN 0 333 62640 0 (1995-00-00)
  6. ? 6.06.1 Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications ISBN 0-486-20459-6 (1972-00-00)
  7. ? 7.07.17.2 Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications ISBN 0-9628087-0-9 (1990-00-00)
  8. ? 8.08.1 Coon. N. The Dictionary of Useful Plants. Rodale Press ISBN 0-87857-090-x (1975-00-00)
  9. ? 9.09.1 Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books ISBN 3874292169 (1984-00-00)
  10. ? 10.010.110.210.3 Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. (1986-00-00)
  11. ? 11.011.111.211.3 Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press ISBN 0-333-47494-5 (1992-00-00)
  12. ? 12.012.1 F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press (1951-00-00)
  13. ? ? Flora Europaea Cambridge University Press (1964-00-00)

"image:Bolsa Chica - Flora 5.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki.

Retrieved from "https://practicalplants.org/w/index.php?title=Mesembryanthemum_crystallinum&oldid=78705"
Facts about "Mesembryanthemum crystallinum"RDF feed
Article is incompleteYes +
Article requires citationsNo +
Article requires cleanupYes +
Belongs to familyAizoaceae +
Belongs to genusMesembryanthemum +
Has common nameIce Plant +
Has drought toleranceIntolerant +
Has edible partFruit +, Leaves + and Seeds +
Has edible useUnknown use +
Has environmental toleranceSalinity +
Has fertility typeInsects +
Has flowers of typeHermaphrodite +
Has hardiness zone9 +
Has imageBolsa Chica - Flora 5.jpg +
Has lifecycle typePerennial +
Has material partUnknown part +
Has material useSoap +
Has mature height0.1 +
Has mature width0.5 +
Has medicinal partUnknown part +
Has medicinal useDemulcent + and Diuretic +
Has primary imageBolsa Chica - Flora 5.jpg +
Has salinity toleranceTolerant +
Has search namemesembryanthemum crystallinum + and x +
Has shade toleranceNo shade +
Has soil ph preferenceAcid +, Neutral + and Alkaline +
Has soil teclayture preferenceClay +
Has soil teloamyture preferenceLoamy +
Has soil tesandyture preferenceSandy +
Has soil water retention preferenceWell drained +
Has sun preferenceFull sun +
Has taxonomy nameMesembryanthemum crystallinum +
Has water requirementsmoderate +
Is taxonomy typeSpecies +
Tolerates nutritionally poor soilNo +
Uses mature size measurement unitMeters +