Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Epiphyte
Shrub
Origin
Southeastern United States, Latin America and the Caribbean, Caribbean, Central America, South America
Southern Africa
Types
-
Carissa bispinosa, Carissa carandas
Number of Varieties
320
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Swamps
Coastal Regions, Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-139-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 23, 24
H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Cushion/Mound-forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.50 cm90.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.60 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Burgundy, Dark Red, Light Green, Violet, Dark Salmon
White
Flower Color Modifier
Multi-Color
-
Fruit Color
-
Light Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Long Linear
Elliptic and Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Slow
Slow
Type of Soil
-
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Slightly Acidic
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall, Late Fall
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Shade areas
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Bulbs, By dividing rhizomes, tubers, Divison
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Vegetative Reproduction
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Requires regular watering
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
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Slightly Acidic
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
-
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
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
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
fertilize in growing season, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Insects, Red blotch, Scale, Spider mites, Thripes, Whiteflies
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Shade areas
Flowers
Showy
Showy
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
Coarse
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, pollinators
Birds
Allergy
-
Toxic
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Bouquets, Showy Purposes
Beautification, Bonsai, Cottage Garden, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Food for insects, Prevent Soil Erosion
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Cancer, Eye Problems
-
Part of Plant Used
Bulbs, Flowers, Leaves
Flowers, Fruits
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Mixed Border
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Edible, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier, Tropical
Botanical Name
PROSTHECHEA cochleata
CARISSA macrocarpa
Common Name
Clamshell Orchid, Cockleshell Orchid, Black Orchid
Carissia
In Hindi
Clamshell Orchid
Carissa
In German
Clamshell Orchid
carissa
In French
Clamshell Orchid
carissa
In Spanish
Clamshell Orchid
carissa
In Greek
Encyclia Cochleata
carissa
In Portuguese
Clamshell Orchid
carissa
In Polish
Clamshell Orchid
carissa
In Latin
Clamshell Orchid
carissa
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Orchidales
Gentianales
Family
Orchidaceae
Apocynaceae
Genus
Prosthechea
Carissa
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Epidendreae
Carisseae
Subfamily
Epidendroideae
Rauvolfioideae
Number of Species
50100
1
27800
👆🏻