Carpobrotus rossii (Pig Face, Karkalla)
Pardalote's nest at base of Carpobrotus rossii (Pig Face)
Husband was checking out a pigeon’s nest in the corner of our block when a small bird seemed to fly from under his foot. Closer inspection revealed this little burrow at the base of the pig face, Carpobrotus rossii. The bird is the Spotted Pardalote. These and Rainbow Bee Eaters make burrows in sandy banks or cliff faces. During the spring and summer we often find scratchings that indicate the beginnings of burrows and it is quite exciting to actually have one being constructed on our place. Husband was able to get a photo of the bird carrying grass to the burrow to line it.
The nest is in the middle of the patch of this Pig Face. It is a very hardy plant like all succulents seem to be. I will be planting some of this on the edge of our driveway to create the illusion of ‘lawn’. There is no way that I could keep lawn going there and I wouldn’t want to anyway because it would be a waste of water.
Hi my pigs face is growing well but it has yellowish blisters all I’ve them and black bugs that I thought were little ants but they’re not they have different shape ends. They have legs like ants. What could be causing the blistering disease? Is it these bugs? And do you know what they could be? I live on the NSW/Qld border.
Thank you for your help.
Hi Haley,
This site was managed by my wife who passed away last year, but I will still try to help you. Am I correct in thinking that you are currently in the middle of a severe drought? Pigface plants are very hardy but even here in SA we had record high temperatures no rain from Dec to May and many of the pigface plants started to wilt and die. Recent rains have seen them recover somewhat. I haven’t observed any bugs on the plants here. I wonder if they are looking for moisture and this is affecting them?
Trevor
Hello, so sorry to hear about your wife. I hope you are ok.. No we’re not in a drought we are in the coast so not so bad. At first I thought the blister looking bumps on the plant were from the ants but looking closer they’re not ants. I might take photo of them and go into a nursery or Bunnings and ask someone if they know what it could be.
Thank you for replying to my message.