Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Tree
Origin
Southern Africa
Southeastern Asia, India, China
Types
Carissa Carandas
Tropical Fruit Tree
Number of Varieties
410
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal bush land, Sandy areas
Subtropical forests, Tropical Forests
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-1110-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-9
Sunset Zone
H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 24
Habit
Cushion/Mound-forming
Spreading
Plant Size
Minimum Height
60.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm1,370.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
Ivory
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Hot Pink, Magenta, Purple, Red
Green, Yellow green, Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval to roundish
Oblong or Lanceolate
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
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
-
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
Average Water Needs
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
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove dead branches
Fertilizers
Equal amount of N,P,K
Put diluted fertilizers
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Chlorosis, Susceptible to insect pests and moulds
Plant Tolerance
Drought
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
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
-
Allergy
Mildly Toxic
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
along a porch, deck or patio, Ground Cover, small hedge
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Iron, Potassium, Vitamin C
Antibacterial, Antidiabetic, Antifungal, antimicrobial, Astringent, Expectorant
Part of Plant Used
Fruits
Bark, Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Cake, Jam, Jelly, Sauces
Jam, Jelly, used in Indian cuisine in curries
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Edible, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier, Tropical
Edible, Feature Plant, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Shade Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
CARISSA macrocarpa 'Emerald Blanket'
DILLENIA indica
Common Name
Large Num-Num
Chulta, Elephant Apple
In Hindi
नेटाल बेर
Elephant Apple
In German
Natal Plum
Elefant von Apple
In French
natal Plum
Elephant d'Apple
In Spanish
Ciruela Natal
El elefante de Apple
In Greek
Natal Plum
ελέφαντας της Apple
In Portuguese
Natal Plum
Elefante da Apple
In Polish
Natal Plum
Słoń Jabłko
In Latin
Natal Plum
Elephant Apple
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Gentianales
Dilleniales
Family
Apocynaceae
Dilleniaceae
Genus
Carissa
Dillenia
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
Carisseae
-
Subfamily
Rauvolfioideae
-
Number of Species
201
1
27800
👆🏻