Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Tender Perennial
Origin
Southern Africa
Southern Africa
Types
Carissa bispinosa, Carissa carandas
Perennial
Number of Varieties
2050
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Tropical regions
Desert, Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Temperate Regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-118-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
10-8
Sunset Zone
H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Cushion/Mound-forming
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
90.00 cm61.30 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
Yellow, Light Yellow, Brown
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Light Red
Green, Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Elliptic and Ovate
Grass like
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Slow
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Shade areas
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Vegetative Reproduction
Rhizome division, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
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
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, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune to control growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
fertilize in growing season, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium
Any balanced general purpose fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Insects, Red blotch, Scale, Spider mites, Thripes, Whiteflies
Nematodes, Scale
Plant Tolerance
Shade areas
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
Toxic
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Bonsai, Cottage Garden, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for insects, Prevent Soil Erosion
Ethnobotanic
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Fruits
Root
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Roots were worn to protect and strengthen the wearer, 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
Bog Garden, Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Tropical, Water Gardens
Botanical Name
CARISSA macrocarpa
DIETES bicolor
Common Name
Carissia
African iris, Fortnight lily
In Hindi
Carissa
African Iris
In German
carissa
Afrikanische Iris
In French
carissa
African Iris
In Spanish
carissa
Iris africano
In Greek
carissa
Αφρικανική Iris
In Portuguese
carissa
Iris africano
In Polish
carissa
Afryki Iris
In Latin
carissa
African Iris
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Gentianales
Asparagales
Family
Apocynaceae
Iridaceae
Genus
Carissa
Dietes
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
Carisseae
Irideae
Subfamily
Rauvolfioideae
Iridoideae
Number of Species
100300
1
27800
👆🏻