Life Span
Perennial
  
Perennial
  
Type
Shrub
  
Vegetable
  
Origin
Southern Africa
  
Southeastern Asia, India
  
Types
Carissa Carandas
  
Basella rubra, L.Basella oleracea, Landw.Basella lucida, L.Basella japonica, Burm.f.Basella cordifolia,
  
Number of Varieties
Not Available
  
Habitat
Coastal bush land, Sandy areas
  
gardens
  
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-11
  
Not Available
  
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
  
12-7
  
Sunset Zone
H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
  
H1, H2, 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
  
Vining/Climbing
  
Plant Size
  
  
Minimum Width
Not Available
  
Plant Color
  
  
Flower Color
White
  
White, Pink, Light Pink
  
Flower Color Modifier
Not Available
  
Bicolor
  
Fruit Color
Hot Pink, Magenta, Purple, Red
  
Purple, Black
  
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
  
Green, Light Green
  
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
  
Green, Dark Green
  
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
  
Green, Dark Green
  
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
  
Green, Dark Green
  
Shape
  
  
Leaf Shape
Oval to roundish
  
Round
  
Thorns
Yes
  
No
  
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
  
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
  
Neutral
  
Soil Drainage
Well drained
  
Well drained
  
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
  
Indeterminate
  
Repeat Bloomer
Yes
  
Yes
  
Tolerances
Drought
  
Drought
  
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
  
Ground, Pot
  
How to Plant?
Seedlings
  
Seedlings
  
Plant Maintenance
Medium
  
Medium
  
Watering Plants
  
  
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
  
Keep ground moist, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water less during winter
  
In Summer
Lots of watering
  
Lots of watering
  
In Spring
Moderate
  
Moderate
  
In Winter
Average Water
  
Average Water
  
Soil
  
  
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
  
Neutral
  
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
  
Clay, Loam
  
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
  
Well drained
  
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
  
Full Sun, Partial Sun
  
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
  
Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Requires very little pruning
  
Fertilizers
Equal amount of N,P,K
  
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
  
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
  
Insects, Mites
  
Plant Tolerance
Drought
  
Drought
  
Flowers
Showy
  
Showy
  
Flower Petal Number
Single
  
Single
  
Fruits
  
  
Showy Fruit
Yes
  
Yes
  
Edible Fruit
Yes
  
Not Available
  
Fragrance
  
  
Fragrant Flower
Yes
  
No
  
Fragrant Fruit
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Leaf
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Bark/Stem
No
  
No
  
Showy Foliage
Yes
  
Yes
  
Showy Bark
No
  
No
  
Foliage Texture
Medium
  
Medium
  
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
  
Glossy
  
Evergreen
No
  
No
  
Invasive
No
  
Sometimes
  
Self-Sowing
No
  
Yes
  
Attracts
Birds
  
Not Available
  
Allergy
Mildly Toxic
  
no allergic reactions
  
Uses
  
  
Aesthetic Uses
along a porch, deck or patio, Ground Cover, small hedge
  
Not Used For Aesthetic Purpose
  
Beauty Benefits
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Edible Uses
Yes
  
Yes
  
Environmental Uses
Air purification
  
Air purification
  
Plant Benefits
  
  
Medicinal Uses
Iron, Potassium, Vitamin C
  
Astringent
  
Part of Plant Used
Fruits
  
Fruits, Leaves
  
Other Uses
Cake, Jam, Jelly, Sauces
  
Culinary use, Used As Food
  
Used As Indoor Plant
Yes
  
No
  
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Edible, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier, Tropical
  
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
  
Botanical Name
CARISSA macrocarpa 'Emerald Blanket'
  
BASELLA alba
  
Common Name
Large Num-Num
  
Ceylon Spinach, Indian Spinach, Malabar Spinach
  
In Hindi
नेटाल बेर
  
भारतीय पालक
  
In German
Natal Plum
  
Indian Spinat
  
In French
natal Plum
  
épinards indienne
  
In Spanish
Ciruela Natal
  
espinaca india
  
In Greek
Natal Plum
  
Ινδικό Σπανάκι
  
In Portuguese
Natal Plum
  
espinafre indiano
  
In Polish
Natal Plum
  
Indyjski szpinak
  
In Latin
Natal Plum
  
Spinach Indian
  
Kingdom
Plantae
  
Plantae
  
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
  
Not Available
  
Class
Magnoliopsida
  
Not Available
  
Order
Gentianales
  
Caryophyllales
  
Family
Apocynaceae
  
Basellaceae
  
Genus
Carissa
  
Basella
  
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
  
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
  
Tribe
Carisseae
  
Not Available
  
Subfamily
Rauvolfioideae
  
Not Available
  
Number of Species
Not Available
  
Season and Care of Natal Plum and Indian Spinach
Season and care of Natal Plum and Indian Spinach is important to know. While considering everything about Natal Plum and Indian Spinach Care, growing season is an essential factor. Natal Plum season is Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter and Indian Spinach season is Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. The type of soil for Natal Plum is Loam, Sand and for Indian Spinach is Clay, Loam while the PH of soil for Natal Plum is Acidic, Neutral and for Indian Spinach is Neutral.
Natal Plum and Indian Spinach Physical Information
Natal Plum and Indian Spinach physical information is very important for comparison. Natal Plum height is 60.00 cm and width 60.00 cm whereas Indian Spinach height is 2.40 cm and width Not Available. The color specification of Natal Plum and Indian Spinach are as follows:
Natal Plum flower color: White
Natal Plum leaf color: Dark Green
Indian Spinach flower color: White, Pink and Light Pink
- Indian Spinach leaf color: Green, Light Green
Care of Natal Plum and Indian Spinach
Care of Natal Plum and Indian Spinach include pruning, fertilizers, watering etc. Natal Plum pruning is done Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches and Remove dead leaves and Indian Spinach pruning is done Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts and Requires very little pruning. In summer Natal Plum needs Lots of watering and in winter, it needs Average Water. Whereas, in summer Indian Spinach needs Lots of watering and in winter, it needs Average Water.