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Carpobrotus deliciosus

Common name:	Sweet Hottentot Fig	Family:	Aizoaceae
Author:	(L.Bolus.)L.Bolus.	Botanical references:	200
Synonyms:
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	S. Africa - Cape Province and Riversdale districts.
Habitat:	Not known
Edibility Rating (1-5):	2	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	0

Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Caryophyllales. Fig-marigold family

Physical Characteristics

An evergreen perennial growing to 0.2m by 1m . It is hardy to zone 8 and is frost tender. It is in leaf all year. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs). We rate it 2/5 for edibility and 0/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils and can grow in saline soil. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Cultivated Beds, By Walls, By South Wall, By West Wall.

Edible Uses

Fruit.

Fruit - raw or used as a garnish for fruit salads[183, 200]. The fruit can also be dried and eaten like candy or made into jams and preserves[183]. There is very little flesh in the fruit and it must be fully ripe otherwise it is very astringent[K].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

None known

Other Uses

Fire retardant; Soil stabilization.

The plant is moderately fire-retardant and can be planted as a barrier to the spread of forest fires in Mediterranean and similar climates[200].
Planted on sunny banks and sandy soils in order to prevent soil erosion[200].

Cultivation details

Requires a well-drained sandy soil in a sunny position[1, 200]. Plants can be grown on dry walls or in the flower border[166]. Established plants are very drought resistant[200]. Very resistant to wind and salt spray[166]. Moderately fire-retardant[200].
Plants are not very frost resistant , they can be damaged by temperatures below about -2°c and only succeed outdoors in the milder areas of the country[200].
A vigorous prostrate plant, rooting as it spreads. The flowers only open in the afternoon[200].

Propagation

Seed - surface sow March to June in a greenhouse. Lower night-time temperatures are beneficial. The seed usually germinates in 7 - 10 days at 23°c[138]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Cuttings at any time 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[K].

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

Web References

[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

References for the family Aizoaceae.

[CHINA] Draft Data Very detailed botanical/identification info. from the Flora of China.

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[138] Bird. R. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 3. Thompson and Morgan. 1989
Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation.

[166] Taylor. J. The Milder Garden. Dent 1990
A good book on plants that you didn't know could be grown outdoors in Britain.

[183] Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

Readers Comments

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Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future - Species Database. Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
WEB search engine by Rich Morris - Home Page- Contact Info
Blagdon Cross, Ashwater, Beaworthy, Devon, EX21 5DF, UK.
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We make no claims of magical effects or supernatural powers for any item in this catalog. In spite of legendary attributes or occult and craft tradition, such items are offered as curios only and beliefs concerning their magical effectiveness are related only for historical interest.