10/26/2026
These two beautiful flowers have very different impacts on the coast.
The flower on the left is a California aster (Symphyotrichum chilense), which is native to the California coast. They flower through the summer and fall, continuing even when other plants have stopped blooming. This means they are a vital food source for insects such as bees, moths and butterflies when other blooms are drying up. The California aster is also a favorite of several native butterfly larvae, such as the northern checkerspot and field crescent. Even after the blooming cycle of the aster, its seeds are an important food source for local birds.
Ice plant, pictured on the right, grows in dense carpets, making its bright flowers easy to spot, but detrimental to coastal biodiversity. Native to South Africa, it was first introduced to California to prevent bluffs and sand dunes from eroding or drifting. Contrary to this, ice plant’s heavy leaves and shallow roots, which draw significant amounts of water from the ground, have sometimes led to more erosion and destabilization. Ice plant often outcompetes native plants, and puts biodiversity out of balance, reducing stretches of the coast to a near monoculture of ice plant. This imbalance is why we’re working to remove ice plant within our parks and replace it with native plants.
If you’re interested in helping with invasive ice plant removal, email us at [email protected]
Image Description: Left: a cluster of purple Californian aster (Symphyotrichum chilense) blooms against a backdrop of dark green leaves. On the right: A bright pink ice plant (Carpobrotus chilensis) flower sits among bright green, succulent-like leaves.
📍: Ohlone Tribal Lands
