Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Perennial
Origin
Southern Africa
United States, Canada
Types
Carissa bispinosa, Carissa carandas
-
Number of Varieties
2010
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Tropical regions
Cultivated Beds, Dappled Shade, Woodland Garden Canopy, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-114-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
9-1
Sunset Zone
H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
-
Habit
Cushion/Mound-forming
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
90.00 cm120.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm120.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
White, Green, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
-
-
Fruit Color
Light Red
Dark Purple
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green, Burgundy
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Elliptic and Ovate
Obtuse
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Slow
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Shade areas
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Vegetative Reproduction
Divison, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Low
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
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
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
Prune in summer, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
fertilize in growing season, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Cadmium fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Insects, Red blotch, Scale, Spider mites, Thripes, Whiteflies
Mosaic viruses, Yellow Leaves
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
Birds, Small mammals
Allergy
Toxic
Abdominal pain, allergic reaction, cramps, Diarrhea, Nausea, Spasms, Toxic, Toxic if not prepared properly, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Bonsai, Cottage Garden, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for insects, Prevent Soil Erosion
Food for animals, Food for birds
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Anodyne, anti-inflammatory, Antirheumatic, Arthritis, Curing mumps and measles, Homeopathy
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Fruits
Flowers, Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used as an insecticide, Used for its medicinal properties, Used for making soaps, Used in making blue ink
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Edible, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier, Tropical
Wildflower
Botanical Name
CARISSA macrocarpa
PHYTOLACCA americana
Common Name
Carissia
American Pokeweed, Inkberry, Pokeberry
In Hindi
Carissa
POKEBERRY
In German
carissa
Kermesbeere
In French
carissa
POKEBERRY
In Spanish
carissa
Pokeberry
In Greek
carissa
POKEBERRY
In Portuguese
carissa
POKEBERRY
In Polish
carissa
alkiermes
In Latin
carissa
pokeberry
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Gentianales
Caryophyllales
Family
Apocynaceae
Phytolaccaceae
Genus
Carissa
Phytolacca
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
Carisseae
-
Subfamily
Rauvolfioideae
-
Number of Species
10035
1
27800
👆🏻