ice plant

noun

plural ice plants

: any of various low-growing succulent plants (as of the genera Carpobrotus, Delosperma, and Mesembryanthemum of the family Aizoaceae) often cultivated as ground covers or for erosion control

Ice plants are a group of about 180 species of mostly southeastern African succulent perennials. … Some species (but not the winter hardy species) excrete calcium crystals on their leaves that give the plants the look of a heavy frost, hence the common name.

—Gerald Klingaman

Examples of ice plant in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

While this succulent has colorful daisy-like blooms and can level up a garden space, avoid ice plant (Delosperma) as a ground cover. — Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 1 May 2026

Some ice plant species are invasive so check the invasive plant list for your geographical region before growing. — Lauren David, Southern Living, 22 Apr. 2026

Birds carry ice plant seeds into natural areas; seeds quickly sprout and form dense mats of foliage. — Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Feb. 2026

Remove ice plant and replace it with trees and shrubs that have deep, woody, stabilizing roots. — Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1753, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for ice plant

• confidante
• interplant
• sycophant
• ant
• aunt
• cant
• chant
• gant
• lant
• pant
• quant
• rant