Life Span
Annual
Annual and Perennial
Type
Shrub
Grass
Origin
Southern Africa
North America, United States, Western United States, Southwestern United States, Mexico
Types
Carissa bispinosa, Carissa carandas
Bouteloua gracilis
Number of Varieties
2014
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Tropical regions
Open Plains, Prairies
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-113-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
9 - 5
Sunset Zone
H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21
Habit
Cushion/Mound-forming
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
90.00 cm91.44 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm91.44 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
Blue Violet
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Light Red
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Purple, Blue Green, Tan
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Elliptic and Ovate
Grass like
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
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, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Shade areas
Pollution, Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Vegetative Reproduction
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
Average Water Needs, Medium
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
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
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
-
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, Pollution
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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Butterflies, Flying insects
Allergy
Toxic
Anaphylaxis, Asthma, Hay fever, Pollen, Respiratory problems, Runny nose, Watery eyes
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Bonsai, Cottage Garden, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Ground Cover
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for insects, Prevent Soil Erosion
Air purification, soil erosion prevension on hill slopes, Wildlife
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Cuts
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Fruits
Seeds, Whole plant
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Edible, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier, Tropical
Dried Flower/Everlasting, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Botanical Name
CARISSA macrocarpa
BOUTELOUA gracilis 'Blonde Ambition'
Common Name
Carissia
Blonde Ambition Blue Grama Grass, Blue Grama Grass
In Hindi
Carissa
Blue Grama Grass
In German
carissa
Blau Grama Grass
In French
carissa
Boutelou gracieux
In Spanish
carissa
Azul Grama Grass
In Greek
carissa
Μπλε Grama Grass
In Portuguese
carissa
Azul Grama Grama
In Polish
carissa
Niebieski Grama Trawa
In Latin
carissa
Blue Grama Grass
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Lilopsida
Order
Gentianales
Cyperales
Family
Apocynaceae
Poaceae
Genus
Carissa
Bouteloua
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Carisseae
-
Subfamily
Rauvolfioideae
-
Number of Species
10050
1
27800
👆🏻