Carpobrotus rossii
(Haw.) Schwantes
Karkalla, Pigface
(c) Rolf Lawrenz, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Rolf Lawrenz
(c) Ryan Shofner, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Ryan Shofner
(c) Ellura Sanctuary, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Ellura Sanctuary
What to Eat
Edible parts: Fruit, Flowers, Leaves
None known.
Where to Find It
Temperate. It can grow in the subtropics and in semiarid places. It needs well drained soil. It can grow in dry soil and in full sun. It cannot stand frost. It can grow near coasts. It grows on sand dunes and the edges of salt marshes. Melbourne Botanical Gardens. Hobart Botanical Gardens. Tasmania Herbarium. Arboretum Tasmania.
Australia*, Tasmania*,
How to Identify
A plant which forms a carpet over the ground. It spreads 2-4 m wide. The stems are slender. The leaves are succulent or soft and fleshy. They are triangle shaped in cross section. The leaves are up to 6-10 cm long and 5-8 mm broad. They are curved inwards and taper from the base. The flowering branches curve upwards. The flowers are large and purple or pink. They are 3.5-5.5 cm across. The flower stalks are 3 cm long. The fruit are 2 cm long by 1.5 cm wide and almost round. They are purplish-red.
How to Grow
Plants can be grown from seed, cuttings or divisions of the stems which have rooted. Cuttings form roots quickly.
Medicinal Uses
None known.
Other Uses
None known.
Wikipedia
Source ↗Carpobrotus rossii (formerly Mesembryanthemum rossii) is a succulent coastal groundcover plant of the family Aizoaceae. Native to southern Australia, it is known by various common names, including karkalla, pig face, sea fig and beach bananas. C. rossii can be confused with rounded noon-flower Disphyma crassifolium subsp. clavellatum, which has also been erroneously called "karkalla" and "beach bananas" in the Australian native food trade.
Other Information
It is produced commercially.
Notes
It is good for binding loose soil. There are about 25 Carpobrotus species. Also put in the family Mesembryanthemaceae.
Names & Synonyms
Gadwud, Katwort, Keeng-a, Puuyuupkil, Wenddar
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