How I Propagated My Ice Plants (Carpibrotus Edulis) - READ!
I started my ice plant slope with a few sprigs/clippings from my sibling's front yard (the more clippings the faster it will spread). It took several years to cover my slope due to insufficient watering (reaches triple digits here) and limited starter sprigs. These are the ice plants you see growing rampant along the coast of California known as Carpibrotus Edulis or Sour Fig. The flowers are bright yellow but there's a similar species with purple flowers. Although considered invasive, they are an advantage on my weed infested slope in the Central Valley. They have both medicinal and edible properties, according to what I've read online. To propagate the sprigs is very easy, depending where you live:
1)Cut a sprig of ice plant at a node about 6" and up
2)Starting with the node, cut off the leaves above leaving a few inches to plant at a depth of several inches
3)Dig a hole and plant directly inside the hole or add potting mix; or you can also start the sprig in a small pot and/or transfer to the ground when rooted (I have both in ground and potted plants)
4)Keep moist and in a month or two they'll take off and spread
Note: Mine have grown without additional fertilizer but you can lightly apply some Miracle Gro, fish emulsion or chicken manure during growth
Carpobrotus Edulis:
Ice plant (Carpobrotus edulis) is a coastal succulent shrub native to the coast of South Africa, where the climate is similar to that of coastal California. Ice plant was introduced to California in the early 1900s as an erosion stabilization tool used on railroad tracks, and later used by Caltrans on roadsides
iceplants #groundcover #carpobrotusedulis #sourfig #freewayiceplant