Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Grass
Origin
Southern Africa
Middle Africa
Types
Carissa bispinosa, Carissa carandas
Perennial Grass
Number of Varieties
2015
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Tropical regions
Floodplains, Forest margins, Tropical regions, waterways, Wet lands, Woodlands
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
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 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 cm120.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm120.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
Sandy Brown
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Light Red
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Purple
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Purple
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Purple
Shape
Leaf Shape
Elliptic and Ovate
Long Linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Slow
Very 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, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Shade areas
Cold climate, Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Vegetative Reproduction
Budding, 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 regular watering, Water more in summer
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
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 dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
fertilize in growing season, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium
Nitrogen, organic fertlizers
Pests and Diseases
Insects, Red blotch, Scale, Spider mites, Thripes, Whiteflies
Insects, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Shade areas
Cold climate, Drought, Salt
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
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Birds, Flying insects
Allergy
Toxic
Asthma, breathing problems
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Bonsai, Cottage Garden, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for insects, Prevent Soil Erosion
Air purification, Amazing growth rate, Food for animals, Food for insects, Prevent Soil Erosion, Shelter for wildlife, Wildlife, Windbreak
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Eye Problems, Headache, Skin Disorders, Wounds
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Fruits
Leaves, Seeds
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Food for animals, Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Edible, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier, Tropical
Bedding Plant, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
CARISSA macrocarpa
PENNISETUM purpureum 'Prince'
Common Name
Carissia
Elephant Grass
In Hindi
Carissa
हाथी घास
In German
carissa
Elefantengras
In French
carissa
l'herbe à éléphant
In Spanish
carissa
pasto elefante
In Greek
carissa
ελέφαντα χόρτο
In Portuguese
carissa
capim-elefante
In Polish
carissa
trawa słoniowa
In Latin
carissa
elephanti herba
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Gentianales
Poales
Family
Apocynaceae
Poaceae
Genus
Carissa
Pennisetum
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Carisseae
Paniceae
Subfamily
Rauvolfioideae
Panicoideae
Number of Species
1001
1
27800
👆🏻