Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Tender Perennial
Origin
Southern Africa
Madagascar
Types
Carissa bispinosa, Carissa carandas
Purple vinca, Vinca, cherry red, strawberry color
Number of Varieties
Not Available
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Tropical regions
Subtropical climates, Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-11
9-15
Sunset Zone
H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Cushion/Mound-forming
Clump-Forming
Flower Color
White
Pink, Magenta, Rose
Flower Color Modifier
Not Available
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Light Red
Not Available
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark 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
Dark Green
Leaf Shape
Elliptic and Ovate
Oval
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Tolerances
Shade areas
Pollution, Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Vegetative Reproduction
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
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
Keep ground moist, Needs 2-3 times watering per week, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
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
Prune ocassionally
Fertilizers
fertilize in growing season, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Insects, Red blotch, Scale, Spider mites, Thripes, Whiteflies
Botrytis Blight, Canker, Crown rot, Pythium rot, Root rot
Plant Tolerance
Shade areas
Drought
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Attracts
Birds
Butterflies
Allergy
Toxic
Intestinal gas, Nausea, Vomiting
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Bonsai, Cottage Garden, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beautification, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Not Available
Not Available
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for insects, Prevent Soil Erosion
Air purification
Medicinal Uses
No Medicinal Use
Chest pain, High blood pressure, Inflammation, Sore throat, Tooth ache, Wounds
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Fruits
Whole plant
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Edible, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier, Tropical
Bedding Plant, Container, Hanging Basket, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
CARISSA macrocarpa
CATHARANTHUS roseus
Common Name
Carissia
Madagascar Periwinkle, Periwinkle, Vinca
In Portuguese
carissa
Vinca
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Gentianales
Gentianales
Family
Apocynaceae
Apocynaceae
Genus
Carissa
Catharanthus
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Carisseae
Not Available
Subfamily
Rauvolfioideae
Not Available
Number of Species
Not Available
Importance of Carissa and Vinca
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Carissa and Vinca. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Carissa and Vinca as they differ in many characteristics such as their life, care, benefits, facts, etc. Every gardener must at least have the slightest clue about the plants he wants to plant in his garden. Compare their benefits, which differ in many ways like facts and uses. The medicinal use of Carissa is No Medicinal Use whereas of Vinca is Chest pain, High blood pressure, Inflammation, Sore throat, Tooth ache and Wounds. Carissa has beauty benefits as follows: Not Available while Vinca has beauty benefits as follows: Not Available.
Compare Facts of Carissa vs Vinca
How to choose the best garden plant for your garden depending upon its facts? Here garden plant comparison will help you to solve this query. Compare the facts of Carissa vs Vinca and know which one to choose. As garden plants have benefits and other uses, allergy is also a major drawback of plants for some people. Allergic reactions of Carissa are Toxic whereas of Vinca have Intestinal gas, Nausea and Vomiting respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Carissa has showy fruits and Vinca has no showy fruits. Also Carissa is not flowering and Vinca is not flowering . You can compare Carissa and Vinca facts and facts of other plants too.