Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I have a lot of baby sun rose plants (Mesembryanthemum cordifolium/Aptenia cordifolia) growing around one of my ponds. As these plants are very prolific, I frequently have to cut them back, and historically, these went into the compost pile. A while ago I read that they were edible (not all sources agree however), and I tried some. It tasted pretty horrible to me, and no amount of salad dressing was fixing it, so I promptly forgot about it. The next time I trimmed it, I thought I would see how my yabbies liked it. Well, they didn't like it, they loved it! It is unbelievable how much of it they go through. It is now my yabby food of choice. I have yet to try eating the yabbies that have been eating it regularly to see if they still taste fine though...

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"Always listen to experts. They'll tell you what can't be done and why. Then go do it."
The character Lazarus Long (From the author Robert Heinlein)

Did some searching furnaceboy and found some info - seems that it is a kind of herb so I would imagine it is safe and this info below might shed some light in the taste you experienced -


The 2000 book Encyclopedia of Fruit Trees and Edible Flowering Plants of Egypt and the Subtropics by Alfred G. Bircher and Warda H. Bircher, states that Aptenia cordifolia leaves can be eaten like spinach. I have read, and experienced, that the same succulent's leaf flavor can vary from good to bland to poor depending on time of year. For example, the spring foliage, young and tender, may be worth eating, while the mature leaves become less palatable. Also, one cultivar or clone of a given species can taste better than another. I find the pure green foliage of 'Red Apple' bland, and the paler foliage of 'Variegata' bad tasting. I desire to taste authentic purebred green Aptenia cordifolia. It may be as poor tasting as 'Variegata' or as good as 'Red Apple' . . .

Let the yabbies go for Id say!!

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