Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
Southern Africa
Southern Africa
Types
Carissa Carandas
Gasteria brachyphylla, Gasteria rawlinsonii
Number of Varieties
416
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal bush land, Sandy areas
Deciduous forests, River side, rocky banks of streams
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-11-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
-
Sunset Zone
H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
13, 16, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Cushion/Mound-forming
Rosette/Stemless
Plant Size
Minimum Height
60.00 cm12.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm10.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
Coral
Flower Color Modifier
-
-
Fruit Color
Hot Pink, Magenta, Purple, Red
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
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
Tongue shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Bright direct sunlight, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Slow
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought, Dry soil
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Leaf Cutting, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
Do Not over Water
In Summer
Lots of watering
Less Watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Equal amount of N,P,K
Doesn't require fertilization when grown in rich soil
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Fusarium root rot, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought, Heat And Humidity
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
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Ants, Flies
Allergy
Mildly Toxic
Irritation to intestines, Skin rash
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
along a porch, deck or patio, Ground Cover, small hedge
-
Beauty Benefits
-
For treating wrinkles, Good for the Scalp
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Iron, Potassium, Vitamin C
Aging, Blood disorders, Laxative
Part of Plant Used
Fruits
Leaves, Sap
Other Uses
Cake, Jam, Jelly, Sauces
Can be made into a herbal tea, Making Shampoo, Oil is used in mosquito repellents
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Edible, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier, Tropical
Container, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
CARISSA macrocarpa 'Emerald Blanket'
GASTERIA
Common Name
Large Num-Num
Gasteria
In Hindi
नेटाल बेर
Gasteria
In German
Natal Plum
Gasteria
In French
natal Plum
Gasteria
In Spanish
Ciruela Natal
Gasteria
In Greek
Natal Plum
Gasteria
In Portuguese
Natal Plum
Gasteria
In Polish
Natal Plum
Gasteria
In Latin
Natal Plum
Gasteria
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
-
Class
Magnoliopsida
Monocots
Order
Gentianales
Asparagales
Family
Apocynaceae
Aloaceae
Genus
Carissa
Gasteria
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
Carisseae
-
Subfamily
Rauvolfioideae
Asphodeloideae
Number of Species
2016
1
27800
👆🏻