Carpobrotus dimidiatus; Natal Dune
Vygie; Strandvygie (Afrik)
Article by Geoff Nichols
I'd like to deal with another plant that most of you will
have encountered on your trips to the beach especially if you have been stung
by blue-bottles. This species is known as the Natal Dune Vygie.
This species occurs naturally along the coast of Natal on the primary dunes
along our beaches. Its triangular-shaped leaves are very distinct and it
is the juice from these leaves that is smeared on the stings of blue-bottles.
Dune Vygies must have sunny well drained sandy soil to grow in. They are
best used as a ground cover in very exposed conditions don't be tempted
into over fertilizing the soil as this will just make the plants over grow
and soft making them susceptible to rot.
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The pinkish
purple flowers are typical of the “mesem” family and make a very attractive
show in the summer months. To propagate these plants just break off a piece
of the creeping stem and bury the node at which roots will appear in a couple
of weeks and you then have a new plant. Along our beachfront areas this species
has grown up the diamond mesh fencing to create a hedge effect to very good
effect in this very climatically demanding landscape. It is also a dune pioneer
and is used in the struggle to stabilize the shifting sands along our seafront.
What it cannot survive is the traffic along the edges of our dunes.
Bees are the main pollinators visiting the flowers once they have opened.
The creeping stems also provided the White-fronted Sandplovers with shelter
near which these birds will place their eggs.
This species will replace invasive alien plants like Bryophyllum delagoense
and Opuntia monacantha.
