Mesembryanthemum crystallinum
| Mesembryanthemum crystallinum | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 9 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 0.3' |
| Width: | 2' |
| Blooms: | Mid Summer-Early Fall |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Mesembryanthemum crystallinum (common name: ice plant)
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[1].
Cultivation: Easily grown in an ordinary well-drained garden soil[2][3]. Succeeds in any well-drained low-fertility soil so long as it is in a sunny position[1].
A very ornamental plant, it is occasionally cultivated for its edible leaves[2][4]. It is not very hardy in Britain and will be killed even by a light frost[4]. It is, therefore, usually grown as a half-hardy annual, being sown in a greenhouse in the spring and used for summer bedding[3].
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[1].
Range: S. Africa. Introduced and naturalized in S. Europe.
Habitat: Maritime sands and salt marshes[5].
Edibility: Leaves and stems - raw or cooked[6][3][7][8][4]. They can be used as a spinach substitute[9]. The leaves have an acid flavour, they are thick and very succulent with a slightly salty tang[10]. They can also be pickled like cucumbers or used as a garnish[10].
Fruit[7][11]. No more details are given.
Seed - a famine food used when all else fails[12].
Medicinal: The plant is demulcent and diuretic[13]. It is used in the treatment of inflammations of the pulmonary and genito-urinary mucous membranes[13].
The leaves are used in the treatment of ascites, dysentery and diseases of the liver and kidney[13].
Usage: The crushed foliage is a soap substitute[7].
Pollinators: Insects
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Also Known As: Carpobrotus crystallinum. Cryophytum crystallinum.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Larkcom, Joy. Salads all the Year Round. Hamlyn, 1980.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Phillips, Roger and Martyn Rix. Vegetables. Macmillan Reference Books, 1995.
- ↑ Tutin, Tom et al.. Flora Europaea. Cambridge University Press, 1964.
- ↑ Vilmorin-Andrieux. The Vegetable Garden. Ten Speed Press.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Coyle, Jeanette. A Field Guide to the Common and Interesting Plants of Baja California. Natural History Publishing, 1975.
- ↑ Saunders, Charles. Edible and Useful Wild Plants of the United States and Canada. Dover Publications, 1976.
- ↑ Hedrick, Ulysses. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications, 1972.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.
- ↑ Coon, Nelson. The Dictionary of Useful Plants. Rodale Press, 1975.
- ↑ Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Chopra, R. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi, 1986.