Life Span
Perennial
Annual and Perennial
Type
Shrub
Broadleaf Evergreen
Origin
Southern Africa
Africa, Madagascar
Types
Carissa Carandas
Pentas lanceolata, Pentas ledermannii
Number of Varieties
4300
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal bush land, Sandy areas
Moist Soils, Wet ground, Wet lands
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-1110-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
-
Sunset Zone
H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
21,22
Habit
Cushion/Mound-forming
-
Plant Size
Minimum Height
60.00 cm243.84 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm91.44 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
White, Red, Purple, Pink
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Hot Pink, Magenta, Purple, Red
Tan
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval to roundish
Egg-shaped
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
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Rooted stem cutting, Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Requires regular watering
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
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
Cut or pinch the stems, Pinch Tips, Prune in spring, Prune in summer, Remove branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove hanging branches
Fertilizers
Equal amount of N,P,K
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply 13-13-13 amounts
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Allergy
Mildly Toxic
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
along a porch, deck or patio, Ground Cover, small hedge
Beautification, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Iron, Potassium, Vitamin C
Diarrhea, Malaria, Snakebite, To Treat Ascariasis, To Treat Lymphadenitis
Part of Plant Used
Fruits
Flowers, Leaves, Root
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
Bedding Plant, Container, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
CARISSA macrocarpa 'Emerald Blanket'
PENTAS
Common Name
Large Num-Num
Pentas, Star flower, Star cluster
In Hindi
नेटाल बेर
Pentas plant
In German
Natal Plum
Pentas Pflanze
In French
natal Plum
plante Pentas
In Spanish
Ciruela Natal
planta pentas
In Greek
Natal Plum
φυτό Pentas
In Portuguese
Natal Plum
planta Pentas
In Polish
Natal Plum
Pentas roślin
In Latin
Natal Plum
Pentas herba
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Vascular plant
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Gentianales
Gentianales
Family
Apocynaceae
Rubiaceae
Genus
Carissa
Pentas
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Carisseae
Knoxieae
Subfamily
Rauvolfioideae
Rubioideae
Number of Species
2082
1
27800
👆🏻