Carpobrotus rossii (Pig Face) In Flower
15 Comments »26th October, 2006; Category: Bush Tucker, Climbers and Ground Covers, Drought Tolerant Plants
Carpobrotus rossii (Pig Face)
This is the flower of the succulent plant in the previous post. There were only a few isolated flowers on the plants near the nest. This is a useful plant. Not only is it useful and decorative in the garden, it is one of the bush tucker plants used by the local Aboriginal group. The leaves and fruits were used as a kind of relish to be eaten with meat. The juice from the leaves is also said to be an insect repellant. As with any new thing, a cautious test should be done before slathering one’s skin with the juice of an unknown plant.
I guess the same could be said for the plants in the Aloe family. Aloe Vera is good on a number of skin ailments but I am never sure which member of the species is the one to use.
This image looks upside down to me…
I took the photo looking directly down on the plant which was growing on flat ground.
I have noticed that my poultry love eating my orange flowered pigface plant, are you able to tell me if this is harmful for them or medicinal? I think by now it must not be poisionous for them, since this has been going on for a few months & there health is fine. recards Carmz
Sleepy lizards eat the flowers on the native pig faces, all in the same family of plants, and I am sure they do no harm. The leaves and fruits of the native pigfaces used to be made into a relish by Aboriginal people.
I replanted some cuttings of a pigface and although the plant has thrived it does not flower.
What is wrong?
Pigface are in general winter to spring flowering. If your plant is growing too vigorously, it will not flower well. Do not use too much fertiliser and make sure you have very good drainage. Also do not water constantly.
My pigface plant is now spotted in white goo and is just about dead. I live in the Sutherland Shire NSW and the plant was doing well and this has happened within the last three months. What have I done wrong and how can I avoid this in the future?
Many blessings, Venerable Yangchen
I live in Wamboin just outside Canberra near Bungendore. How does frost affect pigface? What advice can you give for its protection in the cold months if that is needed?
We have frost here, but not as severe as Canberra. If protection is needed, try a light covering with straw, or when frost is predicted, something like an old curtain or sheet.
I don’t water my pig face at all, it is growing vigorously & it has never flowered in over 12 months. How can i get it to flower?
Is it growing in a sunny open position? They need this. Also remember that they are winter- spring flowering.
Will pig face be toxic to dolphins?
I don’t know. It is not toxic to land animals.
I was given a small cutting of the shimmering pink pigface plant. I simply stuck it in soil and left it. It gets water once a month (no joking) and it is huge and full of blooms. I took a cutting from that one and did the same. I am now the proud owner (haha) of two gorgeous pig face plants.
These are very easy plants to propagate as you have found! Congratulations. In fact they can be propagated from quite small pieces. As you say, they are very drought tolerant. Some moisture will keep them spreading as I have discovered with mine this year as a result of last summers rains and better than average autumn rains. The plants in our scrub look wonderful this year.