Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Tree
Origin
Southern Africa
-
Types
Carissa Carandas
Honey Locust
Number of Varieties
410
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal bush land, Sandy areas
Woodland Garden Canopy
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-115-8
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
9-3
Sunset Zone
H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
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
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
60.00 cm1,524.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm1,066.80 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
Rose, Violet
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Hot Pink, Magenta, Purple, Red
Purple, Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Red, Crimson, Bronze
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval to roundish
Pinnate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Slow
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Spring, Late Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Pollution, Drought, Salt, Soil Compaction
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, Needs a lot of water initially, occasional watering once established
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, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Cut limbs, Prune in winter, Prune up lowest branches, Remove branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Equal amount of N,P,K
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought, Pollution, Salt, Soil Compaction
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
Mildly Toxic
Abdominal pain, Depression, Diarrhea, Digestive Problems, gastro-intestinal problems, Kidney Disease, Liver disease, Nausea, Vomiting, weakness
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
along a porch, deck or patio, Ground Cover, small hedge
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Shadow Tree, soil stabilisation
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Iron, Potassium, Vitamin C
Antispasmodic, Antivinous, Cancer, Cholagogue, Diuretic, Emetic, Emmoiliant, Eye Problems, Febrifuge, Laxative, Purgative, Tonic
Part of Plant Used
Fruits
Flowers, Seeds, Wood
Other Uses
Cake, Jam, Jelly, Sauces
Fibre, For making oil, Used as a dye, Used as essential oil, Used as fuel, Used for woodware
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, Street Trees
Botanical Name
CARISSA macrocarpa 'Emerald Blanket'
ROBINIA 'Purple Robe'
Common Name
Large Num-Num
Hybrid Black Locust, Purple Robe Locust
In Hindi
नेटाल बेर
Black Locust Tree
In German
Natal Plum
Schwarz Locust Tree
In French
natal Plum
Noir Arbre Locust
In Spanish
Ciruela Natal
Negro del árbol de la langosta
In Greek
Natal Plum
Μαύρο Locust Tree
In Portuguese
Natal Plum
Árvore Locust Preto
In Polish
Natal Plum
Robinii akacjowej Drzewo
In Latin
Natal Plum
Locusta arbor Niger
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Gentianales
Fabales
Family
Apocynaceae
Fabaceae
Genus
Carissa
Robinia
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Carisseae
Robinieae
Subfamily
Rauvolfioideae
Faboideae
Number of Species
2025
1
27800
👆🏻