Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Flowering Plants, Herbs
Origin
Southern Africa
Hybrid origin
Types
Carissa Carandas
Not Available
Number of Varieties
Not Available
Habitat
Coastal bush land, Sandy areas
moist forests, Mountains
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-11
4-9
Sunset Zone
H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20
Habit
Cushion/Mound-forming
Clump-Forming
Flower Color
White
Purple, Pink, Lavender
Flower Color Modifier
Not Available
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Hot Pink, Magenta, Purple, Red
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Shape
Oval to roundish
Pinnate
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Late Spring, Summer
Tolerances
Drought
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
Needs very little water
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
cut main trunk every 5 years, Prune after flowering, Prune central stem, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Equal amount of N,P,K
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply 5-10-5 amounts, Compost
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Nematodes, Red blotch, Trunk Rot
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Attracts
Birds
Butterflies, Leaf Hoppers
Allergy
Mildly Toxic
Itchiness, Not Available, Sore Throat
Aesthetic Uses
along a porch, deck or patio, Ground Cover, small hedge
Beautification
Beauty Benefits
Not Available
Anti-ageing, Good Cleanser, Remove blemishes, Removes pimples
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Food for animals, Food for birds, soil stabilisation
Medicinal Uses
Iron, Potassium, Vitamin C
Cough, Haemorrhages, Laxative, Obesity, Tonic
Part of Plant Used
Fruits
Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Cake, Jam, Jelly, Sauces
Added to salads, Can be boiled and seasoned, pickled, Culinary use
Used As Indoor Plant
Yes
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Edible, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier, Tropical
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Botanical Name
CARISSA macrocarpa 'Emerald Blanket'
Averrhoa bilimbi
Common Name
Large Num-Num
Bilimbi, Mimbro
In Hindi
नेटाल बेर
Bilimbi
In German
Natal Plum
bilimbi
In French
natal Plum
bilimbi
In Spanish
Ciruela Natal
bilimbi
In Greek
Natal Plum
bilimbi
In Portuguese
Natal Plum
bilimbi
In Polish
Natal Plum
bilimbi
In Latin
Natal Plum
Rondo Beardtongue
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Gentianales
Oxalidales
Family
Apocynaceae
Oxalidaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Carisseae
Not Available
Subfamily
Rauvolfioideae
Not Available
Number of Species
Not Available
Importance of Natal Plum and Bilimbi
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Natal Plum and Bilimbi. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Natal Plum and Bilimbi 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 Natal Plum is Iron, Potassium and Vitamin C whereas of Bilimbi is Cough, Haemorrhages, Laxative, Obesity and Tonic. Natal Plum has beauty benefits as follows: Not Available while Bilimbi has beauty benefits as follows: Not Available.
Compare Facts of Natal Plum vs Bilimbi
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 Natal Plum vs Bilimbi 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 Natal Plum are Mildly Toxic whereas of Bilimbi have Itchiness, Not Available and Sore Throat respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Natal Plum has showy fruits and Bilimbi has no showy fruits. Also Natal Plum is not flowering and Bilimbi is not flowering . You can compare Natal Plum and Bilimbi facts and facts of other plants too.
