Hottentot Fig Print

Hottentot Fig — Carpobrotus edulis

A sun-loving coastal succulent with fleshy, tide-filled leaves and luminous flowers that glow pink to gold against rock and sand. Native to southern Africa, it now spills across cliffs and dunes of the Mediterranean, including the Algarve, where land and ocean meet.

Edibility: Edible, with care.
The ripe fruit and fresh leaves have been traditionally eaten or used sparingly, their cool, saline juice once applied to soothe burns, stings, and irritated skin.

Medicinal use: Yes, traditionally.
In its native landscape, this plant was valued for its astringent and calming properties, especially in simple skin remedies.

Both admired and contested, Carpobrotus edulis is considered invasive in many coastal ecosystems, where its abundance can quiet native voices.

A plant of thresholds ~ beautiful, resilient, and complicated — reminding us that what survives anywhere does not always belong everywhere.