All up and down the coast of California you'll find brilliant red-pink and yellow flowers growing near the cliffs, characterized by fleshy leaves. They are called fig marigolds, pigface, ice plant, sour fig, and Hottentot fig. No, they're not native to California; they were imported from South Africa to help stabilize the sand dunes, but they've taken off and invaded the coast, and are now displacing native plants. Plant-huggers from the Bay Area take whole weekends to yank them up by the roots and dispose of them -- and feel good about saving the world. But I think they're beautiful. The one shown is Carpobrotus chilensis, "Sea Fig." Juried into the WASH “Go with the Flow” 2020 Open Show, August 25-Oct 25, 2020. 200525. Watercolor, 14" x 10". |
