# Crystalline ice plant (*Mesembryanthemum crystallinum*) The crystalline ice plant is a fun and unique plant that looks like it has tiny jewels on its leaves! It can grow in dry places and loves the sun, making it a special survivor in nature. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 3 - **Habitat:** Coastal areas ![Crystalline ice plant](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Unk_desert_flower_2.jpg&width=800) Photo: Yummifruitbat, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Unk_desert_flower_2.jpg) ## Appearance The Crystalline ice plant is covered in tiny, bladder-like cells that sparkle like ice crystals, giving it a unique frosted appearance. Its succulent leaves are often tinged with red, and it produces small, delicate white to pink daisy-like flowers. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Caryophyllales - **Family:** Aizoaceae - **Genus:** Mesembryanthemum ## Interesting facts - Ancient sailors ate this plant on voyages to stay healthy and hydrated! - Its 'icy' shimmer comes from special cells that are bursting with salty water! - This plant can live in super salty soil where almost nothing else grows! - Tiny white flowers of the ice plant open and close, following the sun! ## Special abilities - **Salt Bladder Shield:** Crystalline ice plant can pump excess salt from its roots into shiny bladder cells, then shed them to survive! - **Desert Drinker:** Crystalline ice plant has thick, succulent leaves that store precious water, helping it thrive in very dry places. - **Metabolic Maestro:** Crystalline ice plant can switch its way of making food to save water, allowing it to survive drought! ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 10-60 cm - **Spread:** 30-100 cm - **Flower Size:** 1-3 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring to fall - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Annual - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Its small flowers attract bees for nectar. - **Eaten by:** [Garden snail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garden-snail) (*Helix aspersa*) — Snails graze on its succulent leaves. - **Eaten by:** [European rabbit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-rabbit) (*Oryctolagus cuniculus*) — Rabbits browse its salty leaves. ## Traits - [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form. - [Evergreen](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/evergreen): Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once. - [Salt Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/salt-tolerant): Salt tolerant plants can withstand and grow in conditions with elevated salinity levels in the soil or water. - [Drought Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/drought-tolerant): Drought-tolerant plants can survive and flourish in conditions with limited water availability. - [Succulent](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/succulent): Succulent plants have thickened, fleshy parts, usually leaves or stems, adapted to store water in arid climates. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always wash your hands after touching plants, just to be safe! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Crystalline ice plant? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Crystalline ice plant? 10-60 cm ### How wide does Crystalline ice plant spread? 30-100 cm ### How big are the flowers on Crystalline ice plant? 1-3 cm ### When does Crystalline ice plant bloom? Spring to fall ### Is Crystalline ice plant edible? Yes ### Is Crystalline ice plant toxic? None ### What is Crystalline ice plant's lifecycle? Annual ## Where to spot - [Crystal Cove Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/crystal-cove-historic-district) — California, US · Historic District - [San Elijo Lagoon](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/san-elijo-lagoon) — California, US · Nature Reserve - [SeaWorld San Diego](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/venue-af6a0145-181) — California, US · Aquarium - [Timanfaya National Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/timanfaya-national-park) — Canary Islands, ES · Park [View all places to see Crystalline ice plant](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/crystalline-ice-plant) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Crystalline ice plant: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/crystalline-ice-plant)