Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Shrub
Shrub
Origin
Europe, Morocco, Western Asia
Southern Africa
Types
-
Carissa bispinosa, Carissa carandas
Number of Varieties
70020
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Boggy areas, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Mountain Slopes, Temperate Regions
Coastal Regions, Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
5-89-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
8-5
12-9
Sunset Zone
A1, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 15, 16, 17
H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Cushion/Mound-forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
10.20 cm90.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
610.00 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Red, Pink
White
Flower Color Modifier
-
-
Fruit Color
-
Light Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Gray Green, Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Gray Green, Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Gray Green, Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Gray Green, Dark Green
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Needle like
Elliptic and Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Slow
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Shade areas
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Divison, Seedlings, Stem Cutting
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Vegetative Reproduction
Plant Maintenance
Low
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
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
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune in early summer, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune to control growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
Ammonium Nitrate
fertilize in growing season, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
Armillaria mellea, Chlorosis, Crown rot, Powdery mildew, Root rot, Rust, Verticillium Wilt
Insects, Red blotch, Scale, Spider mites, Thripes, Whiteflies
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Dry soil, Shade areas, Wet Site
Shade areas
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single, Double, Semi-Double
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Fine
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Butterflies, Moths
Birds
Allergy
-
Toxic
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Bouquets, Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beautification, Bonsai, Cottage Garden, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Skin inflammation
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Food for animals, Food for insects
Air purification, Food for insects, Prevent Soil Erosion
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Arthritis, Bladder Infection, Colic, Diarrhea, Gout, Inflammation, Kidney Stones, Rheumatism, Stomach pain, Urinary tract problems
-
Part of Plant Used
Flowers
Flowers, Fruits
Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea, Food for animals, Used for its medicinal properties
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Cutflower, Edging, Foundation, Groundcover, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Edible, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier, Tropical
Botanical Name
CALLUNA vulgaris
CARISSA macrocarpa
Common Name
Heather, Common heather, Ling
Carissia
In Hindi
हीथ
Carissa
In German
Heidekraut
carissa
In French
bruyère
carissa
In Spanish
brezo
carissa
In Greek
ερείκη
carissa
In Portuguese
urze
carissa
In Polish
wrzos
carissa
In Latin
Heather
carissa
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Ericales
Gentianales
Family
Ericaceae
Apocynaceae
Genus
Calluna
Carissa
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Ericeae
Carisseae
Subfamily
Ericoideae
Rauvolfioideae
Number of Species
860100
1
27800
👆🏻