Hottentot fig

Carpobrotus edulis, C. glaucescens

fruit

Fleshy, tangy fruit, dried or cooked into jam, sucked like a salty fig.

Origin

South Africa, invasive in the Mediterranean

Where to find it

They carpet the cliffs and dunes of Provence, Corsica and California; in South Africa, “sour fig” jam is sold in Cape Town grocery stores.

Season (United States)

July to September

Preparation

The fruit's skin is pinched to squeeze the pulp straight into the mouth; the skin is thrown away. Dried or as jam, it keeps.

Molecules

In small amounts, not counted Pectins · Insoluble fibers

Did you know?

Invasive on Mediterranean coasts, it smothers the local flora: eating it is almost gardening.