Our local garden expert, bob webster, has mentioned a plant on his radio show that I think appears in the fall or winter... It grows wild I think under the oak trees... It pops out of the ground and he describes it as looking like icicles.. I missed the comments he made about it... has anyone heard of this plant and what is its name and does anyone have a link to view this unusual plant.... I also wonder if it is commercially available???

Have you tried calling in to the show? I would like to know what this is!

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Nadine Bielling
Moderator
Gardener Exchange Forum

The Laws of Ecology:
"All things are interconnected. Everything goes somewhere. There's no such thing as a free lunch. Nature bats last." --Ernest Callenbach

bob called it ICE plant... he also mentioned the botanical name which I missed... it is a weed... it is a butterfly favorite... I think he described it as on freezing evenings, the plant sprouts and the sprouts look like icicles.. not available in the nursery trade but it sounds like it is available by just finding it in the wild and digging some up..

I would love to know what plant he was talking about. References I can find to Ice Plant on the web is a salt and sand loving flowing bush, Carpobrotus edulis, that I found at this website: http://www.architecturalplants.com/plants.html?PARAM=c

However, I did just find this one http://mamba.bio.uci.edu/~pjbryant/biodiv/PLANTS2/Aizoaceae/Mesembryanthemum_crystallinum.htm but I cannot determine if it is a night bloomer or not.

Any ideas?
Nina

I did a search with google.com using “ice plant” + “Bob Webster” and came up with this: http://www.burger.com/plants.htm

Quote:

Ice plant (Aizoaceae aptenia). Perennial succulent in Houston, but doesn't like the cold. Drought tolerant when established. Vivid red flowers about 3/8 inches in diameter. Good plant for rock gardens. Cascades nicely. I have only had medium success with this plant, but the flowers, although tiny, are really pretty.

_________________
Nadine Bielling
Moderator
Gardener Exchange Forum

The Laws of Ecology:
"All things are interconnected. Everything goes somewhere. There's no such thing as a free lunch. Nature bats last." --Ernest Callenbach

The ice plant that I am most familiar with is grown in San Diego County. It is used as erosion control along the freeways and on embankments. It grows very freely and is pretty while in bloom. It does not like the cold at all and I do not think it would do very well in the Metroplex.

those you describe is not the plant he is talking about... he mentioned the botanical name on the air but I missed.... I am going by his nursery tomorrow and will ask him the botanical name... I will let the message board know what it is..

drk

botanical name is verbesina virginica... frost weed I think is also a common name... they looked it up in a wildplant book...