How to Grow Pigface
Carpobrotus glaucescens
Pigface is a hardy Australian coastal succulent groundcover with fleshy triangular leaves and vivid pink-purple daisy-like flowers from spring to summer. It thrives in full sun, sandy or rocky well-drained soil, and tolerates salt spray, drought, and poor soils. Virtually maintenance-free once established. Excellent for coastal gardens, rockeries, green roofs, and erosion control on banks. The fleshy fruit is edible with a salty-sweet flavour.
Yearly Lifecycle
Care Essentials
Generally unnecessary. If growth is very slow, apply a light dose of balanced slow-release fertiliser in spring. Pigface thrives in nutrient-poor soil and over-feeding causes soft, leggy growth.
Watch For
- Snails and slugs (in humid conditions)
- Mealybugs (rare, in sheltered spots)
- Root rot from overwatering or poor drainage
Companions
Dianella, Lomandra, Westringia, Banksia, Coastal Rosemary
Care Requirements
Light
Full sun, coastal exposure fine
Needs maximum sunlight for dense growth and prolific flowering. Thrives in exposed coastal positions with salt spray and wind.
Watering
None once established
Extremely drought-tolerant once rooted. Water weekly only during the first 6-8 weeks of establishment. Overwatering causes root rot.
Fertilizing
Generally unnecessary
Thrives in nutrient-poor sandy soil. If growth is very slow, a light dose of balanced slow-release fertiliser in spring is ample. Over-feeding causes soft, leggy growth.
Pruning
Trim straggly stems in late spring
Cut back any dead or overgrown sections to keep a tidy mat. No formal pruning required. Simply remove growth that exceeds its allocated space.
