Pink Pigface

~ Carpobrotus glaucescens ~

AIZOACEAE

These beach babes are definitely one of my favourite flowers. They’re the happy, bright-pink faces waiting for you as you scurry through the sand dunes towards the shoreline. Apart from its joyous daisy-like show, Pigface is an important species for our coastlines, with its extensive root systems helping to keep the sand in the sand dunes and out of the ocean. If you get a bit sunburnt on your beach sojourn, use the juice of the leaf like aloe vera, and you can also enjoy its fruit as a summertime snack, whole or peeled.

WHERE TO LOOK

Find Pink Pigface among the sand dunes on the coastline of eastern Australia, often in the company of Spinifex Grass, Goats Foot (see p. 29) and the sun-kissed bodies of surfers. Other native species such as C. rossii can be found along beaches in Victoria, lutruwita (Tasmania), South Australia and Western Australia.

FEATURES

Pigface has a woody stem that grows up to 2m long and lies along the sand dunes, with succulent-like leaves protruding upwards. The smooth leaves look like green hand-cut chips in shape, standing 3–10cm tall. Pink daisy-like flowers around 6cm in diameter with yellow centres nuzzle into the ground cover and red crab-claw-looking fruit appear through the summertime. The invasive species Carpobrotus edulis is not as vibrant as the native, producing a pale, yellowish flower.

FLOWERING SEASON

Spring and summer → Flowers can generally be found in the warmer months but they’re also known to pop up anytime during the year. The fruit develops after flowering and is a summertime treat, tasting like a mix of strawberry, fig and kiwifruit.

TRADITIONAL USES

The whole plant can be eaten raw or cooked and is used to replace moisture, salts, sugars and carbohydrates in the body. According to Indigenous Plant Use by Barkandji woman Zena Cumpston, Pigface is used by First Nations People to accompany cooked meats (adding a salty flavour) and the juice from the leaves is used to soothe insect bites.

PLANTING

An inland species called C. modestus can be cultivated in gardens to combat erosion and bring some drought-resistant colour to your space. Pigface can be grown from seed or from cuttings by taking 30cm lengths. Tube stock can also be found online or in specialty nurseries.