Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Shrub
Origin
Southern Africa
North America, United States, North-Central United States, Central United States, Canada
Types
Carissa Carandas
Blue False Indigo
White False Indigo
Number of Varieties
42
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal bush land, Sandy areas
gardens, Grassland, Warmer regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-112-8
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
8-1
Sunset Zone
H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
A1, A2, A3, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Habit
Cushion/Mound-forming
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
60.00 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm120.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
Purple
Flower Color Modifier
-
-
Fruit Color
Hot Pink, Magenta, Purple, Red
Light Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Light Green, Gray Green, Gray
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Light Green, Gray Green, Gray
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Light Green, Gray Green, Gray
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval to roundish
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Slow
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting
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
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Equal amount of N,P,K
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Red blotch
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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
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
-
Part of Plant Used
Fruits
Whole plant
Other Uses
Cake, Jam, Jelly, Sauces
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
Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
CARISSA macrocarpa 'Emerald Blanket'
AMORPHA canescens
Common Name
Large Num-Num
False Indigo
In Hindi
नेटाल बेर
इंडिगो
In German
Natal Plum
falsches Indigo
In French
natal Plum
faux Indigo
In Spanish
Ciruela Natal
Falso Indigo
In Greek
Natal Plum
Λάθος Indigo
In Portuguese
Natal Plum
false Indigo
In Polish
Natal Plum
fałsz Indigo
In Latin
Natal Plum
falsum indicum
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
-
Order
Gentianales
Fabales
Family
Apocynaceae
Fabaceae
Genus
Carissa
Amorpha
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Carisseae
-
Subfamily
Rauvolfioideae
-
Number of Species
2021
1
27800
👆🏻