Common Name:

General Information

Carpobrotus chilensis is a succulent, evergreen, perennial plant that sends out prostrate stems 2 metres or more long that root at the nodes and can carpet the ground[].
The edible fruits and leaves are sometimes harvested from the wild for local consumption.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - Argentina, Chile, Peru, Ecuador.

Habitat

Coastal dunes and bluffs, margins of estuaries, along roadsides; at elevations from sea level to 100 metres in southwest N. America[].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Perennial
Height	0.20 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of lowland, mainly warm temperate and subtropical maritime areas, though it has become naturalized in parts of the tropics, including the coast of Ecuador.
Requires a sunny position, though in very hot climates it can benefit from some afternoon shade[]. Requires a well-drained soil, growing well in poor sandy soils. Plants are tolerant of salt-laden winds.
There are various reports of the plant becoming naturalized outside its native range[].
Plants can flower and fruit all year round[].
The flowers open in the morning and close at night[].

Edible Uses

Fruit[, ]. An agreeable flavour, though it can be purgative if eaten in abundance[]. It can be eaten raw, cooked, dried for later use or made into pickles, chutney etc[, , , , , ]. There is very little flesh in the fruit and it must be fully ripe otherwise it is very astringent[]. Mucilaginous and sweetly acid[].

Leaves[]. Raw or cooked[, ]. Succulent, they are eaten in salads and can also be used as a substitute for pickled cucumber[]. We find them too mucilaginous to be enjoyable[].

Medicinal

The following reports are for the related C. Edulis. They are almost certainly also applicable to this species[].

The leaf juice is astringent and mildly antiseptic. It is mixed with water and swallowed to treat diarrhoea, dysentery and stomach cramps, and is used as a gargle to relieve laryngitis, sore throat and mouth infections[]. Chewing a leaf tip and swallowing the juice is enough to ease a sore throat[]. A mixture of leaf juice, honey and olive oil in water is an old remedy for TB[].
The leaf juice is used externally as a soothing lotion for burns, bruises, scrapes, cuts, grazes and sunburn, ringworm, eczema, dermatitis, sunburn, herpes, nappy rash, thrush, cold sores, cracked lips, chafing, skin conditions and allergies[]. Leaf juice or a crushed leaf is a famous soothing cure for insect stings[].

A syrup made from the fruit is said to have laxative properties[]. An old and apparently very powerful remedy for constipation is to eat fruits and then drink brackish water[].

Agroforestry Uses:

Species in this genus have a vigorous, prostrate growth habit, producing a dense carpet of foliage and making a very effective ground cover. They can be planted in maritime areas, especially in Mediterranean climates, in order to prevent soil erosion in sandy soils, dunes and on banks[, ].
The plant has very fleshy leaves and is moderately fire-resistant. It can be used in barrier plantings to prevent the spread of forest fires[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - surface sow in containers. Lower night-time temperatures are beneficial. The seed usually germinates in 7 - 10 days at 23°c[]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on until large enough to plant out.
Cuttings at any time during the growing season. Allow the cutting to dry in the sun for a day or two then pot up in a very sandy mix. Very easy[].

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