What is the pink-blooming flower that I see all over the city of San Francisco?

Question

When arriving to the city by air, for example, I notice large patches of "pink" groundcover. I think I was once told that this plant was brought to the region from the Mediterranean. . . . Does anyone know what this plant is called? And even beter how easily available it is to find and plant in a home garden?

Many thanks.

Answer 1

maybe its this pink sand verbena like that found at chrissy field: http://www.nps.gov/archive/goga/prsf/nathist1/wildflowers/pinks_to_reds/pink_sand_verbena.htm

Answer 2

If you are seeing it from the air, what you are seeing is not a ground cover, it is an ocean cover. California from the air is primarily golden, and the urban areas are green from trees, and grey (from cement/asphalt/roofing).

Much of the border of San Francisco bay is shallow and suitable for making salt by evaporation. These huge evaporation pans, which incidentally also support a lot of wildlife, get high concentrations of brine shrimp. A single brine shrimp is kinda greyish, but when they get together, then wow! you get that bright orangey pink you see.

The brine shrimps are not imported but are native to the bay.