Delosperma cooperi à Californie 2025

Malgré la croyance que la centrale de glace est originaire de Californie, elle a été effectivement amenée de l'Afrique cherchée seulement au début des années 1900 et a été plantée d'abord le long des chemins de fer et plus tard aussi des autoroutes pour la stabilisation du sol

L'usine de glace est une plante assez agressive et envahissante qui couvre rapidement de vastes zones. Mais il y a aussi un côté littéralement positif. La plante a de belles fleurs roses et elle fleurit si densément qu'elle ressemble à un tapis rose en haute saison. La côte rocheuse encadrée par l'océan bleu se recouvre de taches roses. En mai, pendant la haute saison, des endroits comme Pacific Grove, en particulier le Lover's Point Park, méritent certainement d'être visités.

Despite its ability to thrive in California and its visually appealing appearance, the Ice Plant poses significant ecological challenges as an invasive species. Originally native to South Africa, it was introduced to California in the early 20th century to stabilize soil along railroad tracks and highways. Over time, it spread extensively into dune ecosystems, where its dominance often eliminates the presence of native plant species. In areas where diverse plant communities once thrived, the Ice Plant frequently forms monocultures, significantly reducing biodiversity and threatening native species that depend on these habitats.

Even though the Ice Plant is quite an aggressive and invasive plant that quickly covers vast areas, there's also a bright side to it. The plant has beautiful pink flowers and it blooms so densely that it looks like a pink carpet in the peak season.

Ice plants spread rapidly and have become invasive along the coastal areas of California, from Humboldt County in the north to Baja California in the south. It blooms abundantly along the coastline of Pacific Grove, particularly at Lover's Point Park, offering a vivid pink carpet view. Other notable locations to observe the Ice Plant bloom include Santa Cruz, Monterey Bay, and San Jose, which are well-known for showcasing this phenomenon annually.

Ice plants typically bloom between April and October, with May being the peak month to observe their full display in California. During this period, the plants are covered with vibrant pink flowers, offering a striking contrast against the rocky coastline and the blue ocean.