What is Hotnotsvy Used For? A Comprehensive Guide

December 22, 2025 •

4 min read

Native to the Western and Eastern Cape of South Africa, the plant known as Hotnotsvy, or Hottentot fig, has been used for centuries by the indigenous Khoi people for its extensive medicinal and culinary properties. The plant is a robust, creeping succulent with fleshy leaves and vibrant yellow or purple flowers, and is also widely recognized as the sour fig.

Quick Summary

Hotnotsvy, also known as Hottentot fig or sour fig, is a multi-purpose succulent with edible, sour fruit used for jams and syrups, while its leaves are prized for various traditional medicinal applications. It is also used environmentally for soil stabilization.

Key Points

Edible Fruit: Hotnotsvy produces edible, sour fruit that is commonly used to make jams, syrups, and preserves.
Antiseptic Leaf Juice: The leaves of the plant contain a juice with antiseptic properties, traditionally used for treating skin conditions, wounds, and sore throats.
Soil Stabilization: Hotnotsvy is a fast-growing, hardy groundcover that is effective for controlling erosion on embankments and coastal dunes.
Traditional Remedy: It has been a valued remedy in South Africa for centuries, used for everything from digestive issues to thrush.
Invasive Potential: While useful, Carpobrotus edulis is classified as an invasive species in many regions and can outcompete native flora.
Antioxidant Properties: The leaves are noted to have a strong antioxidant profile, adding to their nutritional and health benefits.

What Exactly Is Hotnotsvy?

Hotnotsvy, scientifically known as Carpobrotus edulis, is a hardy succulent groundcover that thrives in coastal regions. Its name is derived from its history and characteristics, and it is known by many names around the world, including ice plant, sour fig, and Hottentot fig. The plant's leaves are thick, fleshy, and triangular, while its prominent, daisy-like yellow flowers fade to a pale pink. It is known for its fast-spreading nature and has been widely adopted in different regions for various purposes, sometimes with unintended ecological consequences as an invasive species. Understanding its rich history and versatile applications provides insight into its significance, particularly in South Africa where its uses are deeply rooted in traditional practices.

Culinary Uses of Hotnotsvy

The fruit of the Hotnotsvy plant is one of its most prized components, offering a distinctly sour and salty flavor that can be utilized in numerous ways. The mature fruits become yellowish, wrinkled, and leathery, containing a sticky, jelly-like pulp with seeds.

Preparing Hotnotsvy Fruit

Raw Consumption: When fully ripe, the fruits can be eaten fresh. The bottom is typically bitten off and the jelly-like contents are sucked out.
Jams and Syrups: The most common culinary use is to make jam or syrup. The fruits are simmered with sugar and spices until a thick, dark red consistency is achieved.
Pickling and Preserving: The fruit can also be preserved or pickled for later use, extending its availability beyond the harvest season.
Added to Dishes: Some cultures add the fruit to curries or use it in other forms of cooking, taking advantage of its unique flavor profile.

Medicinal Applications and Health Properties

Hotnotsvy is a valuable medicinal plant, with its leaf juice in particular being a well-regarded remedy passed down through generations. The succulent leaves contain tannins and exhibit potent antiseptic, astringent, and anti-inflammatory properties.

External Medicinal Uses

Treating Wounds and Burns: A pulp or juice from the leaves is applied externally to help heal burns, sores, and other wounds.
Skin Conditions: The soothing properties of the leaf gel make it effective for treating skin conditions like eczema, sunburn, and other rashes.
Insect Bites and Stings: The leaf juice can be used to soothe irritation and pain from insect bites, including blue bottle jellyfish stings.
Oral and Throat Ailments: Gargling with a diluted mixture of the leaf juice is a traditional remedy for sore throats, mouth infections, and thrush.

Internal Medicinal Uses

Digestive Ailments: Consuming a small amount of the leaf juice diluted with water is traditionally used to treat diarrhea, dysentery, and stomach cramps.
Other Internal Remedies: In traditional remedies, the plant has been used for a range of other ailments, including tuberculosis (mixed with honey and olive oil) and digestive issues like constipation.

Ecological and Environmental Uses

Beyond its personal uses, Hotnotsvy is also valued for its environmental benefits, particularly in certain geographical contexts.

Soil Stabilization

Hotnotsvy is a very hardy and fast-growing groundcover that roots as it spreads, making it an excellent choice for stabilizing soil on embankments, railway cuttings, and coastal dunes.
It forms dense mats that help prevent soil erosion and can withstand harsh coastal conditions like salt spray.

Invasive Potential

It is important to note that while useful for soil stabilization in some areas, Carpobrotus edulis is considered an invasive species in many parts of the world, including California, Australia, and the Mediterranean. Its aggressive growth can outcompete native vegetation, reduce biodiversity, and even exacerbate coastal erosion due to its water-retaining leaves. For more information on its invasive status, see this detailed Wikipedia article: Carpobrotus edulis.

Comparison of Hotnotsvy Uses


Plant Part	Primary Uses	Preparation Method	Key Properties
Fruit	Culinary (Jams, syrups, raw)	Cooked with sugar; eaten fresh	Edible, sour, salty, sweet (when processed)
Leaves (Juice/Pulp)	Medicinal (Topical and internal)	Diluted and gargled; applied as a poultice	Antiseptic, astringent, anti-inflammatory
Entire Plant (as groundcover)	Environmental (Soil stabilization)	Planted from cuttings; allowed to spread	Drought-resistant, hardy, fast-spreading

Conclusion

From a traditional South African remedy to a global groundcover, the Hotnotsvy plant offers a remarkable array of uses. Its edible fruits have long been enjoyed as a staple ingredient for jams and other preserves, while the antiseptic and astringent properties of its leaves have provided relief for a variety of skin and digestive ailments. However, its success as a groundcover must be weighed against its potential to become an invasive species in non-native habitats. This multifaceted nature underscores why it is crucial to understand the plant's full profile before introducing it to new environments, ensuring that its beneficial uses do not compromise local ecosystems.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, the fruits of the Hotnotsvy plant (Carpobrotus edulis) are edible when ripe. They have a salty and sour taste and are frequently used to make jams and syrups in South Africa.

The juice extracted from the succulent leaves of Hotnotsvy is known for its antiseptic and astringent properties. It is traditionally used as a topical treatment for wounds, burns, and skin conditions like eczema, and as a gargle for sore throats and mouth infections.

Yes, Hotnotsvy has several medicinal properties. Its leaves are known to be antibacterial, antiseptic, and anti-inflammatory, and it has been used in traditional medicine to treat digestive troubles, skin infections, and throat ailments.

Hotnotsvy is native to the coastal regions of South Africa, specifically the Western and Eastern Cape provinces, where it grows as a natural groundcover.

Yes, Hotnotsvy is widely known for its ability to stabilize soil due to its fast-growing, mat-forming, and deep-rooting nature. It is often used to control erosion on coastal dunes and embankments.

Hotnotsvy is also commonly known by several other names, including Hottentot fig, sour fig, ice plant, and the scientific name Carpobrotus edulis.

In its native habitat, Hotnotsvy is not threatened, but it is considered an invasive species in many other parts of the world, including California, Australia, and the Mediterranean, where it can outcompete native plants.