Ice Plant is Pretty but Pernicious

If you've been anywhere along the California coast, you've seen it—ice plant. It's a low, spreading succulent with finger-like leaves and bright pink or yellow flowers. Given its prevalence on our shorelines, you might assume ice plant is meant to be there. But it's actually an invasive species that threatens native plants and wildlife. This week on the show, producer Pauline Bartolone digs into the effects of this pretty pest, and some other herbaceous interlopers. Additional Reading: Pretty but Not 'Nice': California's Invasive Ice Plant Read a transcript of this episode Learn more about invasive plants in your area Sign up for our newsletter Enter our Sierra Nevada Brewing Company monthly trivia contest Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts This story was reported by Pauline Bartolone. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font, Christopher Beale, and Ana De Almeida Amaral. Additional support from Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Maha Sanad, Holly Kernan, and the whole KQED family.

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Bay Curious is a show about your questions – and the adventures you find when you go looking for the answers. Join host Olivia Allen-Price to explore all aspects of the San Francisco Bay Area – from the debate over "Frisco", to the dinosaurs that once roamed California, to the causes of homelessness. Whether you lived here your whole life, or just arrived, Bay Curious will deepen your understanding of this place you call home.