The ice herb (Mesembryanthemum crystallinum) is a plant type from the family of the midday flower plants (Aizoaceae). Their name it owes to the light-transparent resplendent vesicles, which are distributed over the entire sheet and the From glands underneath these vesicles sodium carbonate is delivered. Therefore the herb also soda plant is called. The sheets are edible and taste easily salty. The plant may not be confounded with the New Zealand spinach (Tetragonia of tetragonioides), from the same family, (also New Zealand ice plant, New Zealand spinach, New Zealander, summer spinach, picking spinach mentioned).

Ecology

Originally only on the south hemisphere growing, the ice herb occurs increasingly as Neophyt also on the north hemisphere. Thus there are already wild-increasing existence of the Mediterranean, where it increases in great quantities.

By its enormous ability to draw humidity from the soil it exercises a high competition pressure on other plants, which go therefore in its environment often fast at the basis.

Strange to say the nitrate content of the soil rises under the ice herb. Also this reduces the growth of competitive plants, particularly from grasses.

It had besides an amazing salt household and can depending upon need salts take up and also again deliver, as surplus sodium ions are separated in the form of Natriumcarbonat.

Description

The ice herb is a sukkulente plant with usually white blooms. There are also further kinds, which possess red or also yellow blooms. The sheets are occupied with bead-like, light-transparent vesicles. Among them are the numerous glands, which sezernieren salts outward. The fine, white blooms possess a swollen cup, which is likewise occupied with vesicles. The seeds are very small and shine black colored.

Spreading

Ice herb originally originates from South Africa. At the coasts of the Mediterranean and the Kanari islands, in south Australia, in California and in Baja California in Mexico it grows by humans brought in meanwhile verwildert. There it occurs mostly in mass existence.

Cultivation

The small black seeds need to be sown only in approximately 3 to 4 cm distance into the earth. The plant gets along both with damp and with dry locations. The temperature should however always lie over 20"°C.

Use

The sheets can be removed directly from the plant. These are served then either as salad or cooked similarly as spinach. Also the is edible.

Related links

• Comparisons: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_Plant

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