Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Fruit, Shrub
Origin
Southern Africa
South America
Types
Carissa bispinosa, Carissa carandas
V. × heilbornii
Number of Varieties
200
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Tropical regions
Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-119-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
11-9
Sunset Zone
H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Cushion/Mound-forming
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
90.00 cm180.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm150.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
Yellow green
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Light Red
Green, Light Yellow, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
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
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Elliptic and Ovate
Palmate
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
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Shade areas
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Vegetative Reproduction
Vegetative Reproduction
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
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
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 shoots
Fertilizers
fertilize in growing season, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Insects, Red blotch, Scale, Spider mites, Thripes, Whiteflies
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Shade areas
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
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
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
-
Allergy
Toxic
-
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
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Digestive disorders
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Fruits
Fruits
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used in making champagne
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Edible, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier, Tropical
Container, Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
CARISSA macrocarpa
VASCONCELLEA x heilbornii
Common Name
Carissia
Babaco, Mountain Papaya
In Hindi
Carissa
Babaco
In German
carissa
Babaco
In French
carissa
Babaco
In Spanish
carissa
Babaco
In Greek
carissa
Babaco
In Portuguese
carissa
Babaco
In Polish
carissa
Babaco
In Latin
carissa
Babaco
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Gentianales
Brassicales
Family
Apocynaceae
Caricaceae
Genus
Carissa
Vasconcellea
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Carisseae
-
Subfamily
Rauvolfioideae
-
Number of Species
1001
1
27800
👆🏻