ice plant

American  

noun

1. a plant, Mesembryanthemum crystallinum, native to the Mediterranean region, having fleshy leaves that are covered with glistening vesicles and are sometimes eaten as greens.

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ice plant British  

noun

1. a low-growing plant, Mesembryanthemum (or Cryophytum ) crystallinum, of southern Africa, with fleshy leaves covered with icelike hairs and pink or white rayed flowers: family Aizoaceae

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Etymology

Origin of ice plant

First recorded in 1745–55

Example Sentences

Other spectators soon crunched across the ice plants and joined us on our perch.

From Los Angeles Times

They also had to acquire a permit to put the ice plant on a sidewalk alongside South Royal Brougham Way in order to run the ice pipes in through the concourse and the bullpen.

From Seattle Times

The vivid green grass on the foothills, the pops of fuchsia blossoms in thickets of coastal ice plant, the yellow flowers of black mustard: None of it is native to Southern California.

From Los Angeles Times

Trying to find natural solutions, the Coast Guard planted two species of ice plant —crystalline and red-flowered — across Anacapa to control the new erosion problem.

From Los Angeles Times

The ice plant was built when the borough was booming, at the turn of the last century.

From New York Times