Years ago, Freeway iceplant (Carpobrotus edulis) was touted as the perfect solution for fire safety. Planted on hillsides of thousands of homes in San Diego, it has since crawled off the original site and into neighboring Open Space parks, endangering unique plants by smothering them. Iceplant provides little habitat value compared to the plant community that it is replacing because it has very shallow roots that do not hold soil well. Close inspection often reveals gullies underneath the twisted mat of vines. After rain iceplant engorges with water, substantially increasing its weight. As a result iceplant can cause the deterioration of steep hillsides by encouraging slumping – potentially endangering the house above.

What can I plant instead? There are many non-invasive groundcovers that are readily available. Here are a few: Wall Germander (Teucrium chamaedrys, T. lucidrys), San Diego marsh elder (Iva hayesiana), Ivy Geranium (Pelargonium peltatum), Elija Blue Fescue (Festuca cinera ‘Elija’), Dogbane (Plectranthus foetidus ‘Lois Woodhull’), Wild Lilac cultivars (Ceanothus spp.), and Manzanita cultivars (Arctostaphylos spp.).
The following are also INVASIVE groundcovers very similar to Iceplant and should also be avoided: Red Apple (Aptenia cordifolia), and Crystalline Iceplant (Mesembryanthemum crystallinum).

I have a white one, as well as this pink hotty. One flat of plants covered quickly, yet not invasively. But this is not your typical coastal "ice plant".

Brenda