Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Grass
Origin
Southern Africa
Southwestern United States
Types
Carissa bispinosa, Carissa carandas
Muhlenbergia rigens, Muhlenbergia emersleyi
Number of Varieties
205
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Tropical regions
Sandy areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-117-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12 - 1
Sunset Zone
H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Cushion/Mound-forming
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
90.00 cm30.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
-
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Light Red
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Elliptic and Ovate
Long linear and narrow
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Slow
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Shade areas
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Vegetative Reproduction
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Requires regular watering, Water daily during growing season, Water when top layer of soil becomes dry
Requires watering in the growing season, Water occasionally
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune to control growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
fertilize in growing season, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium
fertilize in spring
Pests and Diseases
Insects, Red blotch, Scale, Spider mites, Thripes, Whiteflies
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Shade areas
Drought, Heat Tolerance
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Birds, Deers, Insects
Allergy
Toxic
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Bonsai, Cottage Garden, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beautification, Ground Cover, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for insects, Prevent Soil Erosion
Food for animals, Nesting sites for birds, Shelter for wildlife
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Sore throat
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Fruits
Leaves, Root
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Can be made into a herbal tea, Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Edible, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier, Tropical
Feature Plant, Foundation, Groundcover, Mixed Border, Wildflower
Botanical Name
CARISSA macrocarpa
MUHLENBERGIA rigens
Common Name
Carissia
Deer Grass
In Hindi
Carissa
हिरण घास
In German
carissa
Deer Grass
In French
carissa
cerfs Herbe
In Spanish
carissa
Ciervo Hierba
In Greek
carissa
ελάφια Grass
In Portuguese
carissa
cervos grama
In Polish
carissa
Deer Trawa
In Latin
carissa
deer Grass
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Anthophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Gentianales
Poales
Family
Apocynaceae
Poaceae
Genus
Carissa
Muhlenbergia
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Carisseae
-
Subfamily
Rauvolfioideae
Chloridoideae
Number of Species
10040
1
27800
👆🏻