47.214.193.24: Wikifruit: independently reviewed article maintenance

2026-09-29T13:53:39Z

Wikifruit: independently reviewed article maintenance

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{| class="wikitable" style="float: right; width: 320px; margin-left: 1.25em; margin-bottom: 1em;"
! colspan="2" style="background: #e8e8e8;" | Hottentot fig (''Carpobrotus edulis'')
|-
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;" | [[File:Hottentot Fig - Flowering.jpg|300px|Carpobrotus edulis in flower.]]
|-
! Other common names
| Sour fig; sea fig
|-
! Scientific name
| ''Carpobrotus edulis''
|-
! Genus
| [[Carpobrotus]]
|-
! Family
| [[Aizoaceae]]
|-
! Order
| [[Caryophyllales]]
|-
! Habit
| Low-growing, evergreen, mat-forming succulent
|-
! Native setting
| South African coastal rocks, dunes and sea cliffs
|-
! Fruit
| Yellowish, about 20–35 mm across when described as ripe fruit
|}

'''''Carpobrotus edulis''''' is a low-growing coastal succulent commonly called Hottentot fig, sour fig, or sea fig. GBIF accepts ''Carpobrotus edulis'' as the species name. [[#cite_note-1|[1]]] It is native to coastal South Africa, where it grows on rocks, dunes, and sea cliffs. [[#cite_note-2|[2]]] The plant is useful in hot, dry, exposed gardens only where its rapid vegetative spread can be contained.

== Description ==

The species is an evergreen succulent that forms a dense, low carpet. Its stems may reach about 3 m long while the mat is roughly 20 cm tall. [[#cite_note-3|[3]]] Small stem fragments can regenerate, and a regional California management profile records dense mat formation and both seed and vegetative propagation. [[#cite_note-4|[4]]] This makes site selection and fragment control important wherever the plant is grown.

== Cultivation ==

=== Soil and water ===

Use a sharply drained sandy or sandy-gravelly medium. The species is associated with sandy and rocky coastal places, and a horticultural synthesis recommends well-drained sandy soil. [[#cite_note-3|[3]]] Avoid beds that remain wet after rain. Once established, it is reported to tolerate drought; water more attentively during establishment while keeping the root zone free-draining. [[#cite_note-3|[3]]]

=== Sun and humidity ===

Grow it in full sun with open airflow. The species is reported to tolerate wind and salt spray once established, matching its exposed coastal habit. [[#cite_note-3|[3]]] Salt tolerance does not remove the need for drainage, and a site where stems can spread beyond the intended bed should be avoided. Small fragments may regenerate in the regional management account. [[#cite_note-4|[4]]]

=== Seasonal changes ===

Based on its sandy coastal habitat and reported drought resistance, reduce irrigation during cool or wet periods and prioritize rapid drainage; increase attention to watering while new plants establish. [[#cite_note-3|[3]]] Protect the plant from hard frost: Temperatures below about −2 °C can kill it. [[#cite_note-3|[3]]] Nutritional and phenolic measurements from sampled plants in southern Portugal varied by location and season, so those measurements should not be treated as a universal harvest calendar. [[#cite_note-2|[2]]]

== Propagation ==

Seeds can be surface-sown at about 23 °C; the reported germination window is usually 7–10 days under that condition. Stem cuttings are described as easy to root after being allowed to dry for one or two days before planting. [[#cite_note-3|[3]]] Because fragments can regenerate, keep propagation material and discarded stems contained during handling. [[#cite_note-4|[4]]]

== Flowering, fruiting, and harvest ==

The plant bears fleshy yellowish fruits described as about 20–35 mm across. They should be allowed to become fully ripe before use: the fruit is reported to be strongly astringent before full ripeness. [[#cite_note-3|[3]]]

== Fruit and uses ==

Ripe fruit is described as sweetly acidic, mucilaginous, and relatively low in flesh. It may be eaten raw or prepared as jam, jelly, or preserves. [[#cite_note-3|[3]]] A full-text study of material collected at three southern Portuguese locations over four seasons found location- and season-dependent differences in measured nutrients, minerals, phenolics, and in-vitro assay results. Those findings describe the sampled biomass and do not establish medicinal treatment or universal food properties. [[#cite_note-2|[2]]]

== References ==

* [[#cite_ref-1|↑]] '''[1]''' [https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/match?name=Carpobrotus%20edulis GBIF species match: Carpobrotus edulis].

* [[#cite_ref-2|↑]] '''[2]''' [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10456270/ Medeiros et al. (2023), ''From Threat to Opportunity: Harnessing the Invasive Carpobrotus edulis (L.) N.E.Br for Nutritional and Phytotherapeutic Valorization Amid Seasonal and Spatial Variability'', ''Marine Drugs'', DOI 10.3390/md21080436].

* [[#cite_ref-3|↑]] '''[3]''' [https://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Carpobrotus+edulis ''Carpobrotus edulis'' - Useful Tropical Plants].

* [[#cite_ref-4|↑]] '''[4]''' [https://www.cal-ipc.org/plants/profile/carpobrotus-edulis-profile/ ''Carpobrotus edulis'' Profile - California Invasive Plant Council].

== Image credits ==

* ''Hottentot Fig - Flowering.jpg'': Andreiflorea993, own work, 5 August 2025, [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hottentot_Fig_-_Flowering.jpg CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons. The image shows ''Carpobrotus edulis'' in flower.

Carpobrotus edulis - Revision history

47.214.193.24: Wikifruit: independently reviewed article maintenance