Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Tree
Origin
Southern Africa
North America, Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Central United States, South-Central United States, Texas, Canada
Types
Carissa bispinosa, Carissa carandas
-
Number of Varieties
203
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Tropical regions
Dappled Shade, Sunny Edge, Woodland Garden Canopy
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-113-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
10-1
Sunset Zone
H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Cushion/Mound-forming
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
90.00 cm1,520.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
Yellow green, Chartreuse
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Light Red
Green, Indigo, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Yellow, Red, Orange, Yellow green, Bronze, Orange Red
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Elliptic and Ovate
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
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
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Shade areas
-
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, Do Not over Water
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
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 damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
fertilize in growing season, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium
Nitrogen, Phosphorous
Pests and Diseases
Insects, Red blotch, Scale, Spider mites, Thripes, Whiteflies
Foliage diseases
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Insects
Allergy
Toxic
Dermatitis, Diaphoresis
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Bonsai, Cottage Garden, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
Skin Problems
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for insects, Prevent Soil Erosion
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Alterative, Anodyne, Antirheumatic, Antiseptic, Carminative, Diaphoretic, Diuretic
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Fruits
Leaves
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used as a condiment, Used in making tea, Used to flavour soups
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Edible, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier, Tropical
Shade Trees, Street Trees
Botanical Name
CARISSA macrocarpa
SASSAFRAS albidum
Common Name
Carissia
Sassafras
In Hindi
Carissa
Sassafras
In German
carissa
Sassafras
In French
carissa
Sassafras
In Spanish
carissa
Sasafrás
In Greek
carissa
σασάφρα
In Portuguese
carissa
sassafrás
In Polish
carissa
Sassafras
In Latin
carissa
Sassafras
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Gentianales
Laurales
Family
Apocynaceae
Lauraceae
Genus
Carissa
Sassafras
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Magnoliids
Tribe
Carisseae
Cinnamomeae
Subfamily
Rauvolfioideae
Lauroideae
Number of Species
1004
1
27800
👆🏻