Sour fig
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3Will it grow where I live?
Sour fig is only hardy to zone 8, so outdoors year-round it needs the mildest spots in Central Europe – wine-growing regions, the Rhine valley, coasts, Lake Constance, Ticino – or a container overwintered under cover. Most of the British Isles and the Pacific coast of North America qualify. It also needs warm summers – in Central Europe that means wine-growing regions, cities or a sheltered south-facing wall.
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Profile
- Family
- Aizoaceae
- Habit
- perennial
- Height
- 0.3 m
- Spread
- 3 m
- Growth
- very fast
- Lifespan
- 30 years
- First yield
- after 2 years
- Hardiness
- zone 8–11
- Shade tolerance
- full sun
- Soil
- Sand
- Soil moisture
- Desert – semi-dry
- pH
- 5.5 – 8
- Synonyms
- Freeway iceplant, Ice plant
Flowering & harvest
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flowering | ||||||||||||
| Fruit harvest | ||||||||||||
| Leaf harvest |
Uses
Growing
Vollsonniger Standort auf sandig-durchlässigem Boden, besonders an Küsten und Hängen. Extrem trockenheits- und salztolerant; in Kultur invasiv, daher eindämmen.
Frequently asked questions
Sour fig: how big does it get?
Sour fig (Carpobrotus edulis) grows as a perennial and reaches roughly 0.3 m in height when mature, with a spread of about 3 m. Growth is very fast.
Sour fig: what site does it need?
Sour fig tolerates full sun. Suitable soils are Sand. Soil moisture should be in the range Desert – semi-dry. The pH may lie between 5.5 and 8.
Sour fig: is it hardy?
Sour fig is listed as hardy in zone 8–11 and survives normal winters outdoors there.
Sour fig: will it grow in Central Europe?
Sour fig is only hardy to zone 8, so outdoors year-round it needs the mildest spots in Central Europe – wine-growing regions, the Rhine valley, coasts, Lake Constance, Ticino – or a container overwintered under cover. Most of the British Isles and the Pacific coast of North America qualify. It also needs warm summers – in Central Europe that means wine-growing regions, cities or a sheltered south-facing wall.
Sour fig: when does it flower?
In a temperate northern-hemisphere climate it flowers from May to July.
Sour fig: when is it harvested?
In a temperate northern-hemisphere climate the fruit ripens from July to September.
Sour fig: is it poisonous?
No toxicity is recorded for Sour fig. With wild plants, never rely on a database alone — only on a confident identification.
Sour fig: what is it used for?
Rated on a scale up to 10: Edible 3/10, Medicinal 3/10, Other uses 3/10.
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Community experience
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