Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Shrub
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India, China
Southern Africa
Types
Tropical Fruit Tree
Carissa Carandas
Number of Varieties
104
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Subtropical forests, Tropical Forests
Coastal bush land, Sandy areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-159-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 24
H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Spreading
Cushion/Mound-forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
1,370.00 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Ivory
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Green, Yellow green, Brown
Hot Pink, Magenta, Purple, Red
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
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oblong or Lanceolate
Oval to roundish
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Slow
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
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
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove dead branches
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Put diluted fertilizers
Equal amount of N,P,K
Pests and Diseases
Chlorosis, Susceptible to insect pests and moulds
Aphids
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
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
-
Birds
Allergy
-
Mildly Toxic
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
along a porch, deck or patio, Ground Cover, small hedge
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antibacterial, Antidiabetic, Antifungal, antimicrobial, Astringent, Expectorant
Iron, Potassium, Vitamin C
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Fruits, Leaves
Fruits
Other Uses
Jam, Jelly, used in Indian cuisine in curries
Cake, Jam, Jelly, Sauces
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Feature Plant, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Shade Trees, Tropical
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Edible, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier, Tropical
Botanical Name
DILLENIA indica
CARISSA macrocarpa 'Emerald Blanket'
Common Name
Chulta, Elephant Apple
Large Num-Num
In Hindi
Elephant Apple
नेटाल बेर
In German
Elefant von Apple
Natal Plum
In French
Elephant d'Apple
natal Plum
In Spanish
El elefante de Apple
Ciruela Natal
In Greek
ελέφαντας της Apple
Natal Plum
In Portuguese
Elefante da Apple
Natal Plum
In Polish
Słoń Jabłko
Natal Plum
In Latin
Elephant Apple
Natal Plum
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Dilleniales
Gentianales
Family
Dilleniaceae
Apocynaceae
Genus
Dillenia
Carissa
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Carisseae
Subfamily
-
Rauvolfioideae
Number of Species
120
1
27800
👆🏻