Carpobrotus edulis (L.) L.Bolus, Aizoaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Threat only at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk, score: 9.5 (Go to the risk assessment)

Common name(s): [more details]

English: Hottentot fig, ice plant, pigface

French: figue marine

Spanish: higo del Cabo, higo marino

Habit:  succulent

Description:  "Stems spreading or prostrate, to 2 m long. Leaves 4-8 cm long, 8-17 mm wide, bright green, often tinged red along edges; adaxial and lateral surfaces distinctly concave; keel denticulate, sometimes only in upper portion. Flowers 7-8.5 cm diam.; pedicels 10-20 mm long. Petal-like staminodes yellow changing to pink, usually densely streaked when dry; stamens 400-600, 6-7-seriate. Styles 8-10, free; ovary conical, barely compressed, convex on top." (Prescott and Venning, 1984; p. 26).

Key to species:
Carpobrotus edulis: Calyx club-shaped; petals usually yellow, top of the ovary elevated.
Carpobrotus acinaciformis:  Calyx oblong or nearly globose; petals rose- or purplish-pink; top of the ovary flat or slightly concave (Adamson & Salter, 1950; p. 390).

Habitat/ecology:  Widely planted as a soil binder on embankments and as an ornamental in coastal districts (Prescott and Venning, 1984; p. 26). Can form impenetrable mats that crowd out other species.  "Coastal dunes and cliffs, salt marshes, coastal scrub.  The extensive vegetative growth of this plant leads to the formation of extensive, impenetrable and species poor mats up to 50 cm thick that may cover large areas, displacing native beach vegetation and preventing the establishment of native plants.  In California, the plant poses a threat to several rare and endangered plant species. The plant grows both in moist and dry sites. Soils under mats of this plant are becoming increasingly acid"  (Weber, 2003; p. 86).

In New Zealand, "cliffs and sand dunes, coastal and inland on railway and roadside cuttings" (Webb et al., 1988; p. 95).

Propagation:  Seed and cuttings. "Fruits are eaten by mammals which effectively disperse the seeds"  (Weber, 2003; p. 86).

Native range:  South Africa.

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J. (2004) (p. 42)
Pitcairn Islands Pitcairn Islands	Pitcairn Island	introduced	Meyer, Jean-Yves (2000) (p. 104) "Potential invader".
Pitcairn Islands Pitcairn Islands	Pitcairn Island		Binggeli, P./Starmer, J. (1997)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia Australia (continental)	Australia (continental)	introduced invasive	Weber, Ewald (2003) (p. 86)
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	introduced invasive	Webb, C. J./Sykes, W. R./Garnock-Jones, P. J. (1988) (p. 95)
United States (west coast) United States (west coast states)	USA (California)	introduced invasive	Weber, Ewald (2003) (p. 86)

Comments:  Naturalized in coastal southern and eastern Australia and in the US.

Control: 

Physical: Hand-pull individual plants and remove any buried stems. Mulch to prevent re-establishment. Large mats can be removed by rolling them up like a carpet (Randall et al.,1996).

Chemical: Glyphosate herbicides.

Additional information:  The Nature Conservancy photos

Additional online information about Carpobrotus edulis is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

Taxonomic information about Carpobrotus edulis may be available from the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN).

References:

Adamson, R. S./Salter, T. M. 1950. Flora of the Cape Peninsula. Juta & Co.

Binggeli, P./Starmer, J. 1997. Pitcairn Island. Aliens 6:2.

Florence, J. 2004. Flore de la Polynésie française, Vol. 2. Paris. IRE Editions, Publications Scientifiques, Collection Faune et Flore Tropicales 41. 503 pp.

Meyer, Jean-Yves. 2000. Preliminary review of the invasive plants in the Pacific islands (SPREP Member Countries). In: Sherley, G. (tech. ed.). Invasive species in the Pacific: A technical review and draft regional strategy. South Pacific Regional Environment Programme, Samoa. 190 pp.

Prescott, A./Venning, J. 1984. Flora of Australia. Vol 4, Aizoaceae. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.

Randall, J. M./Marinelli, J. (eds.). 1996. Invasive plants: weeds of the global garden. Brooklyn Botanic Garden Handbook 149. 111 pp.

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2007. National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online searchable database.

Webb, C. J./Sykes, W. R./Garnock-Jones, P. J. 1988. Flora of New Zealand, Volume IV: Naturalised pteridophytes, gymnosperms, dicotyledons. Botany Division, DSIR, Christchurch. 1365 pp.

Weber, Ewald. 2003. Invasive plants of the World. CABI Publishing, CAB International, Wallingford, UK. 548 pp.