Carpobrotus edulis

Carpobrotus edulis is a creeping plant with succulent leaves in the genus Carpobrotus, native to South Africa. Its common names include hottentot-fig, sour fig, ice plant, highway ice plant, or vygie.

Description

A succulent small shrub. It is a creeper. It grows 10-15 cm high and spreads 100-150 cm wide. The branches are long and have 2 edges. They branch extensively. They lie along the ground. The leaves are flattened and fleshy. They are 11 cm long. They are 3 angled and bent. The flowers are 9-12 cm across. They are light yellow or pink and occur singly. The fruit are shaped like a top. They have a red tint. They are edible.

Edible Uses

The fruit can be eaten raw, cooked, dried for later use, or made into pickles, chutney, and similar preserves. There is very little flesh and it must be fully ripe, as unripe fruit is very astringent; ripe fruit is mucilaginous and sweetly acid. The succulent leaves can be eaten raw in salads or cooked, and also work as a substitute for pickled cucumber, though they are notably mucilaginous.

Traditional Uses

The leaves are pickled and used as a substitute for pickled cucumbers in salads. The fruit are eaten fresh by chewing off the narrow end and sucking out the slimy sweet-sour contents. They can be dried, cooked, pickled or made into chutneys and preserves. They can be used for jam.

Medicinal Uses

Used as a traditional medicinal plant, methanolic extracts have shown some anti-cancer properties, and the plant has also demonstrated anti-bacterial activity.

Distribution

It is a temperate plant. It is native to South Africa. It requires moisture in hot weather and can be dry in cooler weather. It often grows in rocky dry soils in an open sunny position. It is drought resistant but frost tender. It can grow in arid places. It suits hardiness zones 8-10. Tasmania Herbarium.

Where It Grows

Africa, Angola, Argentina, Australia*, Botswana, Britain, Canada, Central Africa, Chile, East Africa, Egypt, Europe, France, Greece, Hawaii, Ireland, Mediterranean, Mexico, Mozambique, New Zealand, North Africa, North America, Pacific, South Africa*, Southern Africa, South America, St Helena, Tasmania, Uruguay, USA,

Cultivation

They can be grown from seeds or cuttings.

Propagation

Surface sow seed from March to June in a greenhouse, with lower night-time temperatures being beneficial. Seed typically germinates in 7–10 days at 23°C. Prick seedlings out into individual pots once large enough to handle and grow on in a greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant out into permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings can be taken at any point during the growing season — allow the cutting to dry in the sun for a day or two, then pot up in a very sandy mix. Very easy to propagate this way.

Other Uses

Planted in maritime areas to stabilise sandy soils, the plants form a dense carpet suited to ground cover. Can be grown as a fire barrier in areas subject to forest fires, as it is moderately fire-retardant. Dried leaves contain approximately 19.4% tannin and dry stems around 14.2% tannin; yields of 1,700 kilos per hectare have been achieved from cultivated plants.

Other Information

It is an important food for children. The fruit are sold. It is cultivated.

Notes

There are about 25 Carpobrotus species. Also put in the family Mesembryanthemaceae. This one can become invasive.

Nutrition

Synonyms

Also Known As

Balsamo, Doca, Frutilla de mar, Ghoena, Higo marino, Igcukuma, Ityum'tyum', Kaffir fig, Sour fig, Round-leaved Pigface, Suurvy

References (51)

• Andersohn, G., 1983, Cacti and Succulents. EP Publishing. p 288
• Barkhuizen, 1978,
• Bircher, A. G. & Bircher, W. H., 2000, Encyclopedia of Fruit Trees and Edible Flowering Plants in Egypt and the Subtropics. AUC Press. p 85
• Blamey, M and Grey-Wilson, C., 2005, Wild flowers of the Mediterranean. A & C Black London. p 42
• Bodkin, F., 1991, Encyclopedia Botanica. Cornstalk publishing, p 217

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