Carissa macrocarpa: Country Or Region Of Origin
Kenya to South Africa
Plant Profile: Carissa macrocarpa
Taxonomy: Carissa macrocarpaNames
Natal Plum
Phonetic Spelling:ka-RIS-uh ma-kro-KAR-pa
Genus:Carissa
Species:macrocarpa
Family:Apocynaceae
The Natal Plum is a resilient evergreen shrub characterized by its spiky branches, thick green leaves, aromatic white blossoms, and vibrant red fruits that are edible. This versatile plant can serve as a hedge, a security barrier, or a foundation planting in suitable climates. Alternatively, it can be cultivated in a container and moved indoors during the winter months. Additionally, it demonstrates a good tolerance to salt spray.
Carissa macrocarpa Feature Summary
Carissa macrocarpa Image Gallery
Tags
#white flowers
#easy to grow
#low maintenance
#security
#showy fruits
#salt spray tolerant
#dense
#red fruits
#edible fruits
#leathery leaves
#glossy fruits
#purple fruits
#spiny
#non-toxic for horses
#non-toxic for dogs
#non-toxic for cats
Similar Plants
Carissa macrocarpa Feature Summary
Attributes
Kenya to South Africa
Fruits have a raspberry-cranberry flavor
Woody
Fruit
Oval, resemble plums, hence the common name. Immature green maturing to red or purple fleshy thin skinned edible.
Green
Red/Burgundy
Purple/Lavender
Edible
Showy
Flowers
5 petaled solitary fragrant star-shaped white flowers
White
Solitary
Fragrant
4-5 petals/rays
Star
Whole Plant Traits
Shrub
Edible
Broadleaf Evergreen
Dense
Low
Spines
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
9a
9b
10a
10b
Leaves
Broadleaf Evergreen
Green
Simple
Opposite
Ovate
Entire
Glossy
Leathery
Stem
Landscape
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Screen/Privacy
Security
Container
Spines/Thorns
Carissa macrocarpa Image Gallery
Carissa macrocarpa Attributes
Carissa macrocarpa: Edibility
Fruits have a raspberry-cranberry flavor
Carissa macrocarpa: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Carissa macrocarpa Fruit
Carissa macrocarpa: Fruit Description
Oval, resemble plums, hence the common name. Immature green maturing to red or purple fleshy thin skinned edible.
Carissa macrocarpa: Fruit Color
Green
Purple/Lavender
Red/Burgundy
Carissa macrocarpa: Fruit Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy
Carissa macrocarpa Flowers
Carissa macrocarpa: Flower Description
5 petaled solitary fragrant star-shaped white flowers
Carissa macrocarpa: Flower Color
White
Carissa macrocarpa: Flower Inflorescence
Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel
Carissa macrocarpa: Flower Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy
Carissa macrocarpa: Flower Petals
2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals
Carissa macrocarpa: Flower Shape
Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel
Carissa macrocarpa Whole Plant Traits
Carissa macrocarpa: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Carissa macrocarpa: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Carissa macrocarpa: Habit/Form
Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping
Carissa macrocarpa: Maintenance
Low
Medium
High
Carissa macrocarpa: Appendage
Prickles
Spines
Tendrils
Thorns
Carissa macrocarpa Cultural Conditions
Carissa macrocarpa: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Carissa macrocarpa: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
10a
10b
9a
9b
Carissa macrocarpa Leaves
Carissa macrocarpa: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Carissa macrocarpa: Leaf Color
Green
Carissa macrocarpa: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Carissa macrocarpa: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Carissa macrocarpa: Leaf Shape
Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate
Carissa macrocarpa: Leaf Margin
Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate
Carissa macrocarpa: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Carissa macrocarpa: Leaf Feel
Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy
Carissa macrocarpa Stem
Carissa macrocarpa: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Carissa macrocarpa Landscape
Carissa macrocarpa: Design Feature
Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree
Carissa macrocarpa: Resistance To Challenges
Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind
Carissa macrocarpa: Landscape Location
Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland
Carissa macrocarpa: Problems
Allelopathic
Contact Dermatitis
Frequent Disease Problems
Frequent Insect Problems
Invasive Species
Malodorous
Messy
Poisonous to Humans
Problem for Cats
Problem for Children
Problem for Dogs
Problem for Horses
Short-lived
Spines/Thorns
Weak Wood
Weedy
