The coast is dry. The wind never stops. The stonecrop does not care. A small, succulent herb with fleshy, rounded leaves that are edible and have a crisp, slightly sour flavour. They can be eaten raw in salads. The plant grows on coastal cliffs, rock outcrops and sand dunes. It is very drought-tolerant, storing water in its fleshy leaves. The small, white flowers appear in summer. A plant that carries its own water bottle. The leaves are arranged in opposite pairs along the stem. They are thick and succulent, bright green, and often tinged with red in full sun. The stems are slender and branching, forming small, cushion-like clumps. Looks assembled from spare parts that nearly fit. But the parts work. The flowers are small and white, with four or five petals. They appear in summer and are followed by small, capsule-like fruits containing the seeds. The flowers are pollinated by insects. A brief bloom. A hard life. Native stonecrop is a plant of the coastal zone. It grows on exposed cliffs, rocky outcrops, and sand dunes. It tolerates salt spray, strong winds, and long periods of drought. The succulent leaves store water, allowing the plant to survive in the driest conditions. A plant that has learned to wait for rain. To find native stonecrop is to walk the coastal cliffs and rocky shores. Look for the small, fleshy leaves, the white flowers. It is a plant of the exposed places, a survivor of the dry coast. A few leaves can add a crisp, sour note to a salad. The cliff is bare. The wind whips the salt spray. The stonecrop hugs the rock, fleshy leaves storing every drop of moisture. It does not need much. It never has. And that seems to be enough for a plant that lives on the edge.