Seasonal Wild Flowers

Hottentot-fig

Latin name

Carpobrotus edulis

Family

Aizoaceae

Flowering season

March to August

English distribution

It grows mainly in the far West Country and the Scilly

Islands, but is also found along the southern and

eastern coasts as far north as Suffolk.

See the BSBI distribution map for Hottentot-fig

Habitat

It is a neophyte in the UK and a native of South

Africa.

It has been grown in gardens since the 1690s

and known in the wild since the 1880s.

Until it got out of control, it was planted to stabilise

sand dunes.

Its spread is limited by its sensitivity to frost.

It grows on sea-cliffs, sand dunes and waste

land by the sea.

Description

Hottentot-fig is a succulent, mat-forming, creeping,

perennial herb growing up to 3m.

Flowers are showy, up to 10cm across and range

from yellow to bright pinkish-red.

There are numerous petals and stamens.

There are up to 9 large stigmas.

There are 5 fleshy sepals which persist and

enclose the fruits.

The fruits are fleshy and dark brown and said

to be edible.

Leaves are succulent, 3-angled and up to 10cm.

They start light green and turn reddish towards the

end of the season.

Stems are woody and spreading.

The stems and leaves completely cover large areas

and crowd out other plants.

It is spread by garden throw-outs and nesting gulls.

It is considered to be a serious invasive alien and

is on the Defra list of nuisance invasive species.

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Hottentot-fig on Bryher, Isles of Scilly

Flowers and leaves

Petals, stamens and stigmas

Corolla of magenta flower

Side view of flower- fleshy sepals

Side view of magenta flower- sepals

Close-up of flower: 9 stigmas, many

stamens with anthers producing pollen

Close-up of central stigmas and linear

mature stamens

Fruits among the leaves

Fruit from above: fleshy sepals covering

fleshy fruit

Side view of fruits

3-sided succulent leaves

Spreading stem

Red srem

Ground cover excluding other plants

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