Carpobrotus edulisHottentot Fig

Few ground covers hold a dune the way Carpobrotus edulis does. The Hottentot Fig is a South African coastal succulent whose fleshy three-angled leaves form a dense mat over sand and rubble, flushing red under drought stress, and whose large daisy-like flowers open yellow and age through to pink.

It is used for dune stabilisation, embankments, roadside batters and any exposed coastal ground where irrigation is not on offer.

Specifications

• Height0.15 to 0.3 metres
• Widthspreads 2 to 3 metres or more per plant
• Native toCoastal South Africa, in the Western and Eastern Cape
• FoliageFleshy, three-angled succulent leaves, grey-green flushing red in drought; evergreen
• Growth rateFast

Conditions

• SoilPrefers sandy, free-draining soils and tolerates poor, stony and saline ground
• LightFull sun
• WaterLow; highly drought-tolerant once established
• ClimateThrives in Mediterranean, coastal and semi-arid regions

Additional Features

• FlowersLarge daisy-like flowers opening yellow and ageing to pink, spring into summer
• UsesIdeal for dune stabilisation, embankments and batters, coastal ground cover and roadside slopes
• SpacingPlant 0.5 to 1 metre apart for cover within a season
• Low MaintenanceNeeds no irrigation once away; trim back where it oversteps a bed edge
• Pest ResistanceRobust and generally free of pests
• Drought ToleranceSurvives extended rainless periods on stored leaf moisture
• Salt ToleranceTolerates salt spray and saline sands on exposed coastlines
• Erosion ControlDense rooting mat binds loose sand and unstable batters

The Hottentot Fig is the default answer for holding bare coastal sand together with no water and no maintenance budget.