About Mesembryanthemum crystallinum L.
Mesembryanthemum crystallinum L. produces creeping stems that reach 20β60 centimetres (8β23+1β2 inches) in length, with leaves that grow 2β10 cm (3β4β4 in) long. It flowers from March to October; its many-petalled flowers are 2.5 cm (1 in) across, open in the morning and close at night, and are pollinated by insects. The entire species is covered with enlarged epidermal cells called "bladder cells", whose main function is water storage. This plant can be annual, biennial or perennial, but its life cycle is usually completed within several months, depending on environmental conditions. Mesembryanthemum crystallinum is native to Africa, Sinai, and southern Europe, and has become naturalized in the Southwest of North America, as well as in South America and Australia. It grows across a wide range of soil types, from well-drained sandy soils including sand dunes, to loamy and clay soils. It tolerates nutritionally poor or saline soils, classifying it as a halophile, and grows well in disturbed sites such as roadsides, rubbish dumps, and homestead yards. M. crystallinum is listed as an invasive species in North America, South America, and Australia. Its ability to grow in poor quality or saline soils and preference for disturbed areas are traits shared by many invasive plants that allow it to outcompete native species. In addition, salt sequestered over the plant's lifetime leaches into the soil after the plant dies, creating an environment where the seeds of other plants struggle to germinate. This lets M. crystallinum colonize new areas with very little competition. The plant is rarely, if ever, grazed by domestic livestock. Like some other members of the family Aizoaceae, the leaves of M. crystallinum are edible. It was once promoted as a spinach-like vegetable in the United States and Europe, but failed to gain popularity. In southern Africa, wild-harvested leaves and stems are pickled. In Japan, after Saga University successfully hydroponically cultivated a commercial quantity of the species in 2009, it became a common vegetable sold in supermarkets, where it is sold under the names ice plant (γ’γ€γΉγγ©γ³γ), salt leaf (γ½γ«γγͺγΌγ), and barafu (γγ©γ). The seeds of the species are also edible. Crushed leaves can be used as a soap substitute, and have medicinal uses. In South Africa, ice plants are also used to deter fires, or for "firescaping" gardens. It is also cultivated as an ornamental plant. Due to its salt accumulation ability, M. crystallinum may be useful for bioremediation.
