Life Span
Perennial
  
Annual and Perennial
  
Type
Shrub
  
Shrub
  
Origin
Southern Africa
  
Southeastern Asia, India
  
Types
Carissa Carandas
  
Not Available
  
Habitat
Coastal bush land, Sandy areas
  
gardens, Homesteads, Urban areas
  
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-11
  
10-15
  
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
  
10-9
  
Sunset Zone
H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
  
H1, H2, 24
  
Habit
Cushion/Mound-forming
  
Upright/Erect
  
Plant Size
  
  
Plant Color
  
  
Flower Color
White
  
Orange, Light Yellow, Peach, Orange Red
  
Flower Color Modifier
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Fruit Color
Hot Pink, Magenta, Purple, Red
  
Non Fruiting Plant
  
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
  
Green, Dark Green
  
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
  
Ovate
  
Thorns
Yes
  
No
  
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
  
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
  
Growing Conditions
  
  
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
  
Full Sun, Partial Sun
  
Growth Rate
Slow
  
Medium
  
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
  
Loam
  
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
  
Acidic, Neutral
  
Soil Drainage
Well drained
  
Average
  
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
  
Indeterminate
  
Repeat Bloomer
Yes
  
Yes
  
Tolerances
Drought
  
Not Available
  
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
  
Ground, Pot
  
How to Plant?
Seedlings
  
Seedlings
  
Plant Maintenance
Medium
  
Medium
  
Watering Plants
  
  
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
  
Form a Soil ring to water efficiently, Keep ground moist, Requires watering in the growing season, Water more in summer
  
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
  
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
  
Average
  
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
  
Full Sun, Partial Sun
  
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
  
No pruning needed in the early stages, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove deadheads
  
Fertilizers
Equal amount of N,P,K
  
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
  
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
  
Insects
  
Plant Tolerance
Drought
  
Drought
  
Flowers
Showy
  
Showy
  
Flower Petal Number
Single
  
Single
  
Fruits
  
  
Showy Fruit
Yes
  
No
  
Edible Fruit
Yes
  
No
  
Fragrance
  
  
Fragrant Flower
Yes
  
Yes
  
Fragrant Fruit
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Leaf
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Bark/Stem
No
  
No
  
Showy Foliage
Yes
  
No
  
Showy Bark
No
  
No
  
Foliage Texture
Medium
  
Medium
  
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
  
Glossy
  
Evergreen
No
  
No
  
Invasive
No
  
No
  
Self-Sowing
No
  
Yes
  
Attracts
Birds
  
Hummingbirds, Butterflies
  
Allergy
Mildly Toxic
  
no allergic reactions
  
Uses
  
  
Aesthetic Uses
along a porch, deck or patio, Ground Cover, small hedge
  
Beautification, Showy Purposes
  
Beauty Benefits
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Edible Uses
Yes
  
No
  
Environmental Uses
Air purification
  
Air purification
  
Plant Benefits
  
  
Medicinal Uses
Iron, Potassium, Vitamin C
  
Cold, Cough, Wounds
  
Part of Plant Used
Fruits
  
Flowers
  
Other Uses
Cake, Jam, Jelly, Sauces
  
Used as Ornamental plant
  
Used As Indoor Plant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Edible, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier, Tropical
  
Bedding Plant, Container, Feature Plant, Hedges, Mixed Border, Tropical
  
Botanical Name
CARISSA macrocarpa 'Emerald Blanket'
  
CROSSANDRA infundibuliformis
  
Common Name
Large Num-Num
  
Firecracker Flower
  
In Hindi
नेटाल बेर
  
आबोली
  
In German
Natal Plum
  
Kracher-Blume
  
In French
natal Plum
  
Firecracker fleur
  
In Spanish
Ciruela Natal
  
flor petardo
  
In Greek
Natal Plum
  
πυροτέχνημα λουλούδι
  
In Portuguese
Natal Plum
  
flor foguete
  
In Polish
Natal Plum
  
petarda kwiat
  
In Latin
Natal Plum
  
flos Firecracker
  
Kingdom
Plantae
  
Plantae
  
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
  
Not Available
  
Class
Magnoliopsida
  
Not Available
  
Order
Gentianales
  
Lamiales
  
Family
Apocynaceae
  
Acanthaceae
  
Genus
Carissa
  
Crossandra
  
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
  
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
  
Tribe
Carisseae
  
Not Available
  
Subfamily
Rauvolfioideae
  
Brodiaeoideae
  
Number of Species
Not Available
  
Importance of Natal Plum and Firecracker Flower
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Natal Plum and Firecracker Flower. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Natal Plum and Firecracker Flower 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 Firecracker Flower is Cold, Cough and Wounds. Natal Plum has beauty benefits as follows: Not Available while Firecracker Flower has beauty benefits as follows: Not Available.
Compare Facts of Natal Plum vs Firecracker Flower
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 Firecracker Flower 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 Firecracker Flower have no allergic reactions respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Natal Plum has showy fruits and Firecracker Flower has no showy fruits. Also Natal Plum is not flowering and Firecracker Flower is not flowering . You can compare Natal Plum and Firecracker Flower facts and facts of other plants too.