ice plant in Pacific Grove
 

Message: Hi,
Does anyone know if the ice plant is in bloom yet in Pacific Grove? If not, when does it usually happen? Thanks for any responses.

anyone?

Hi gggsal, I use to have iceplant in my garden and I would think with the weather we have had in CA it probably is blooming. But have you thought of calling the Chamber of Commerce to ask them. I would imagine someone there would know.

Just curious, I have always thought of iceplant as almost a weed although the blooms are beautiful. Is Pacific Grove known for their iceplants?

Hi, qqqsal!

I love those ice plants along the shoreline in Pacific Grove!

In the last week or so, I've noticed that the brilliant magenta ones are blooming in a nearby neighbor's yard. Thus, they should start blooming along the coast pretty soon. It's cooler along the coast and so the ice plants start blooming a bit later than they do inland.

Give it another week or so before going out.

In past years, I've seen them as early as February all the way through to June. But later in the season they tend to fade and are not as glorious as earlier.

What a feast for the eyes! Enjoy! :)

So Easytraveler, I guess Pacific Grove is known for their ice plants. I never knew that. I loved the bank where we had them when they were in bloom, but did not enjoy them the rest of the time.

Hi, loveitaly, another night owl! :)

I don't know if the ice plants are "famous", but they should be. Go to the Pacific Grove official city site and they have a picture of the ice plants in bloom, but don't even discuss the beauty of that picture! And that picture doesn't do the ice plants justice, they are much more brilliant than in the picture.

The ice plants bloom right along the shoreline which is set aside as a park. The rest of the year it's just a green area near the ocean and you don't have to walk along the shore if you don't want to.

But try it! Go out sometime in the next month. It's one of the most beautiful shoreline walks I've ever taken. :)

I always considered ice plant to be somewhat of a weed as well. Who knew? :))

Ice Plants are very hardy, drought tolerant, and grow in about any kind of soil. When I lived in Marin a lot of people had Ice Plant as ground cover on banks, hillsides, and other places where plants didn't grow well. When they bloom in the spring the colors are just amazing..just beautiful, but the bloom time isn't very long and the rest of the year the plants by themselves are just plain ugly. I never planted much of it for that reason. The short season of incredible beauty was not worth the "ugly" rest of the year. There is Ice Plant all over the Carmel and Monerey area and when it's is bloom it is just magnificient.

Thanks everyone. Calling the C of Commerce is a very good idea. BTW, the picture on their website is just what it looks like. It's stunning, at its peak. Honest!

Hi crefloors, that is what I discovered about ice plants. Gorgeous when in bloom but not the rest of the year.

But no wonder they grew in abundance when I planted them (I do not have much of a green thumb). Hadn't thought of it but I haven't seen any here in the Vacaville area. Maybe it gets too hot so quick (as like it did this past week).

And yes, easytraveler, I stayed up real late last night. But it was fun!

We live in PG part time. Was last there on March 13, 2005....no blooms yet and I walked that beach. Will check again this weekend.

Thanks traveldawg, I'd appreciate it. The C of C said not until mid April at the earliest, but most likely not until May. It's nice to have an in-person report though. qqqsal

Me again. I walked the beach on March 19. The purple flowers are starting to peak through the ice plants. If we get some good sun, they should start really showing up. Only saw the beginnings last weekend.

Thanks traveldawg. I think early April might work well.

Walked em again today...April 3. Really starting to POP!

thanks for the update. we are scheduled to go down on April 23rd. Let's hope it's one of those beautiful, sunny days on the coast. cheers

Just a heads-up on the ice plants in PG. We were there yesterday and they are in full bloom. Gorgeous carpets of color all along the coastline. Just an amazing sight! ***kim*** ((#))

Pacific Grove is one of my favorite places to vacation at. I wish I could be there now. Well, I'll have to settle for my beautiful Pacific Grove screensaver, ice plants and all.

We were walking along PG and admiring the iceplant yesterday when a couple drove up, the young woman asking my wife if she could ask a rediculous question. "In your opinion, what COLOR is the iceplant?"

"Well, it's sort of a hot pink," my wife responded.

"That's what I said!" she shouted with a laugh. "My husband says its Purple!"

His head dangled into view. "It IS purple!" He smiled looking for my opinion.

Knowing when to stay nuetral, I responded, "Its Blue!"

"Hahaha!" They both laughed as they drove off still debating the color.

Fortuntately, we have admired the iceplant for 32 years now, as we spent our honeymoon and many anniversaries in Carmel/Pacific Grove during mid-May.

Oh, and the color? It's beautiful! :)

~ ben

We were in PG week of April 29th and the iceplants were blooming in very pink way. But the big purple flowers on the large bushes weren't. Nor were the orange flowers along the rocks. Have these two already bloomed were were we too early? I'll try to post a photo if I can get it on disk and figure out how to post here.