Ngarrindjeri name: Ngunanies
Kaurna name: Pigface – Karkalla Inland Pigface: Multyo. Fruit: Muityu
Common names: Pigface, Karkalla, Nunganies, Sea Fig, Beach Bananas
Taxonomic name: Carprobrotus rossii, Carprobrotus modestus
Family: Aizoaceae
Related herbs: : Inland Pigface, Round Leaved Pigface, Warrigal Greens, Bower Spinach, Sea Spinach, Ice Plants
Area of origin: Coastal regions of Southern Australia (WA to Tas and Vic)
Flowering Time: Spring and early Summer. Fruit persists locally until late Summer.
Parts used: Leaves (inner gel), fruit
Has been used medicinally for: Constipation, nutrition. general digestive upsets. Upper respiratory tract and throat infections. Burns (inc. Sunburn), rashes. irritated skin. Stings and bites (inc. bluebottle and jellyfish stings). Itching caused by spider and tick bites. Wounds. Possible hypolipidemic effect but only in animal studies (yuck). Blood thinning action (in vitro studies only).
Healing Actions: nutritive, demulcent, anti-inflammatory. Anti-platelet (in vitro). Antioxidant (in vitro).
TCM: clears heat, resolves toxicity, moistens dryness, soothes skin.
Taste: Leaves – salty, sour. Fruit – sweet/slightly salty
Tissue states: Hot, dry, atrophied
Energetics: Cooling, moistening
Organ/System affinities: Stomach, Lung, Large Intestine. Skin, digestive system
Healing constituents: Polysaccharides (mucilage), Minerals, Oxalates., Tannins. Phenolic compounds, flavonoids. Many online sources have confused C. edulis for this plant and listed research done on that in South Africa. Those listed below are those I’ve come across mentioned in research published on C. rossii
Contraindications and warnings: Existing diarrhoea. Kidney sensitivity – it contains oxalates. Kidney stones (Pigface is very mineral and salt rich). Oedema because of the high sodium content.
Drug/herb interactions: Mucilage may reduce medication absorption. Oxalates may affect calcium absorption
Description
Caprobrotus rossii is one of the sprawling, local native succulents called ‘Pigface’. It occurs near the coast, unlike its inland cousin, Inland Pigface (C. modestus) which, as the name suggests, occurs inland.
The leaves are triangular in cross section and full of moisture in the form of a gel , similar to that found in Aloe vera leaves. One classic identifying feature is that the fruit leaves behind a star-shaped scar after picking.
Spectacular purple, solitary flowers (3-6cm diameter) are borne on short pedicles. Glossy, hairless tepals are arranged in several whorls. Fruit is a smooth, slightly glossy oval, globe like fleshy berry. In summer, it bears the succulent fruit from where the pink or purple flowers were between April and October.
These fruit are a popular bushfood, as, when squeezed out (you don’t eat the skin), they have the texture of a fig (lots of small crunchy seeds), and the taste of strawberry! They are wonderful dipped in chocolate and eaten with ice cream. The fruits get redder as they age and with Sun exposure – the pinker the better!
The insides of a nearly dry fruit are very tasty too, but in a way that’s different from the ripe fruit. They can be made into cakes but since risking chewing on one of the dry fruit back in 2016, I’ve been addicted to the gooey, salty black mess inside. I’ve shared it with a couple of Ngarrindjeri Elders who can’t remember Pigface being eaten that way. We jokingly call it ‘Native Vegemite’ or ‘Bush Vegemite’.
Pigface fruits
A Pigface fruit in close up
Medicinal uses
The juice from the fresh leaves can be used in much the same way as Aloe vera, for sunburn (before or after the sun has done its thing), bites and stings. Leaves can be eaten raw or cooked usually roasted and squeezing their juice straight into your mouth is a tasty treat when foraging or walking.
Literally anything related to redness in the skin can benefit from the application of Pigface gel. As it grows on the beaches and in the Mallee, this makes it the perfect plant companion for those areas.
If you keep a few leaves in the fridge or Esky during your escapes, they’ll give you cooling, soothing relief.
Leaves are also both a bulking laxative (adds bulk to you stools making them easier to pass) and I believe, an osmotic laxative, meaning that the salt and minerals in the gel pulls water into yur intestines, moistening things up and helping your stools slide right along.
Preparing and using Pigface
Pigface leaves are only used fresh or chilled in a fridge or Esky. Break the leaves and apply the gel directly to wounds. It will soothe irritation and help close the wound as the mucilage dries, pulling the tissue together – its like one of those soothing Band-Aids with Aloe vera gel but from the Bush, not the chemist’s!
You can eat the leaves straight from the plant for a cooling, hydrating feeling in your dry mouth. Some restaurants of the kind that offer ‘Bushtucker’ at high prices and tiny tiny serves, usually covered in sauces, offer meals with cooked, blanched or fresh Pigface leaves but you only every get one or two. If your plate has more than a few, send them back or you will have a nasty case of diarrhoea sooner or later – their laxative effect is that good!
If you want to use them as a laxative yourself, try just eating two-three leaves for a start, then give it an hour or so. Drink a lot of water too.
Other herb pages on Ligaya Garden
We cover a lot of ground on many herb related topics here on our website. There are whole pages devoted to different topics as well as frequent posts. Some of the links are –
