Northern Beaches FloraBaby Sun Rose Blowfly Grass (Briza maxima) Bottlebrushes Coastal Morning Glory (Ipomoea indica) Cyathea cooperi Grevillea ‘Peaches and Cream’ Grevillea Poorinda Royal Mantle Native Violet Norfolk Pine Ochna Pigface Ribwort Plantain (Plantago lanceolata) Scurvy Weed Spear Thistle (Cirsium vulgare) Spiny-headed Mat-rush
This bright deep pink-purple flower is commonly known as Pigface (Carpobrotus glaucescens). It is a prostrate, creeping succulent with trailing stems that can be up to 2 metres long. There are roots at the nodes along the stems, which aids in its spread as it grows, forming a great groundcover over large areas.
From these nodes the Pigface produces upright leafy branches. The leaves themselves are thick and fleshy, with smooth leaves that are triangular in cross section.
The flowers are large, and striking in their colour, the strength of the pink-purple daisy-like flowers are luminous in the full sun. They usually flower from October to January, but are known to also flower throughout the year. The plant produces a red-purple berry fruit, that was used by the native aborigines as a food source.
- Scientific classification
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Phylum: Charophyta
- Class: Equisetopsida
- Subclass: Magnoliidae
- Superorder: Caryophyllanae
- Order: Caryophyllales
- Family: Aizoaceae
- Genus: Carpobrotus
- Species: Carpobrotus glaucescens
Footnote & References
- Carpobrotus glaucescens (Haw.) Schwantes, Pigface, Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/https://id.biodiversity.org.au/node/apni/2887120
- Carpobrotus glaucescens, Growing Native Plants, Australian National Herbarium, https://www.anbg.gov.au/gnp/interns-2005/carpobrotus-glaucescens.html
- Pigface – NSW Landcare Gateway, NSW Landcare, https://landcare.nsw.gov.au/groups/maclean-landcare-group/projects/signs-plant-labels-fact-sheets-for-community-education/australian-native-plant-factsheets/Pigface.pdf
- Pigface – Carpobrotus glaucescens, by Megan Hallowes, SGA Sustainable Gardening Australia, https://www.sgaonline.org.au/pigface-carpobrotus-glaucescens/
Northern Beaches FloraBaby Sun Rose Blowfly Grass (Briza maxima) Bottlebrushes Coastal Morning Glory (Ipomoea indica) Cyathea cooperi Grevillea ‘Peaches and Cream’ Grevillea Poorinda Royal Mantle Native Violet Norfolk Pine Ochna Pigface Ribwort Plantain (Plantago lanceolata) Scurvy Weed Spear Thistle (Cirsium vulgare) Spiny-headed Mat-rush
Northern BeachesNorthern Beaches Fauna Northern Beaches Flora
New South WalesBarunguba Montague Island Bourke Blue Mountains Bundeena Central Coast Kosciuszko National Park Mount Kaputar National Park Lower North Shore Northern Beaches Sapphire Coast Snowy Mountains Region South Coast Stony Range Regional Botanic Garden Sydney