A plant introduced to California to stop soil from moving is now helping change the very coastal landscapes it was meant to protect. Highway ice plant, or Carpobrotus edulis , was brought from South Africa to California in the early 1900s to stabilise soil along railway tracks. Today, the succulent has spread along large stretches of the California coast, where its dense mats can crowd out native vegetation and alter the natural movement of dunes.
Get breaking news anytime, anywhere. Download the TOI app now!