Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Tree
Origin
Southern Africa
Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, South-Central United States, Texas
Types
Carissa bispinosa, Carissa carandas
Aralia spinosa
Number of Varieties
201
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Tropical regions
Dappled Shade, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden Secondary
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-114-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
9-1
Sunset Zone
H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Cushion/Mound-forming
Thicket/Colonizing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
90.00 cm300.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm460.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
White, Green, Ivory
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Light Red
Purple, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Green, Blue Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Blue Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Yellow, Green, Purple, Blue Green, Dark Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Elliptic and Ovate
bipinnate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Slow
Fast
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
Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Shade areas
Pollution, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Vegetative Reproduction
Cuttings, Divison, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
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
Needs high amount of water
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
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
fertilize in growing season, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Insects, Red blotch, Scale, Spider mites, Thripes, Whiteflies
Aphids, Leaf spot, Mealybugs
Plant Tolerance
Shade areas
Drought
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Bees, Butterflies, Insects
Allergy
Toxic
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Bonsai, Cottage Garden, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Borders, Woodland margins
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for insects, Prevent Soil Erosion
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Alterative, Analgesic, Diaphoretic, Opthalmic
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Fruits
Bark, Leaves, Root
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used as a potherb
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, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
CARISSA macrocarpa
ARALIA spinosa
Common Name
Carissia
American Angelica Tree, Devil's Walking Stick, Hercules' Club
In Hindi
Carissa
Devil's Walking Stick
In German
carissa
Teufelsspazierstock
In French
carissa
Walking bâton du diable
In Spanish
carissa
Bastón del Diablo
In Greek
carissa
Περπάτημα Stick διαβόλου
In Portuguese
carissa
Vara andando de diabo
In Polish
carissa
Diabelski laska
In Latin
carissa
Virgam diaboli
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Gentianales
Apiales
Family
Apocynaceae
Araliaceae
Genus
Carissa
Aralia
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Carisseae
-
Subfamily
Rauvolfioideae
Aralioideae
Number of Species
10030
1
27800
👆🏻