Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Tree
Origin
Southern Africa
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
Carissa Carandas
Saraca asoca
Number of Varieties
41
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal bush land, Sandy areas
Forests, Subtropical forests
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-1110-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-10
Sunset Zone
H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H2
Habit
Cushion/Mound-forming
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
60.00 cm850.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
Yellow, Orange, Gold, Crimson
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Hot Pink, Magenta, Purple, Red
Dark Red, Dark Salmon
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Green, Pink, Copper
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval to roundish
Pinnate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial shade
Growth Rate
Slow
Slow
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
-
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
Average Water Needs, Never Over-water, Requires regular watering
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
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Equal amount of N,P,K
organic fertlizers
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Red blotch
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
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Hummingbirds, Butterflies
Allergy
Mildly Toxic
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
along a porch, deck or patio, Ground Cover, small hedge
Beautification, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Iron, Potassium, Vitamin C
Bleeding, hemorrhoids, Used as a sedative
Part of Plant Used
Fruits
Bark, Leaves
Other Uses
Cake, Jam, Jelly, Sauces
Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Edible, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier, Tropical
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
CARISSA macrocarpa 'Emerald Blanket'
SARACA indica
Common Name
Large Num-Num
Ashoka Tree, Sorrowless Tree
In Hindi
नेटाल बेर
Saraca इंडिका
In German
Natal Plum
SARACA indica
In French
natal Plum
Saraca indica
In Spanish
Ciruela Natal
indica Saraca
In Greek
Natal Plum
Saraca indica
In Portuguese
Natal Plum
Saraca indica
In Polish
Natal Plum
Saraca indica
In Latin
Natal Plum
Saraca indica
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Gentianales
Fabales
Family
Apocynaceae
Fabaceae
Genus
Carissa
Saraca
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Carisseae
Detarieae
Subfamily
Rauvolfioideae
-
Number of Species
204
1
27800
👆🏻