Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Shrub
Origin
Southern Africa
United States, Southeastern United States, South-Central United States, Texas, Mexico
Types
Carissa Carandas
-
Number of Varieties
42
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal bush land, Sandy areas
Cultivated Beds
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-118-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
11-7
Sunset Zone
H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, 8, 9, 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 cm90.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
Red, Magenta, Orange Red
Flower Color Modifier
-
-
Fruit Color
Hot Pink, Magenta, Purple, Red
Brown, Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval to roundish
Arrowhead
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Slow
Fast
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
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
Average Water Needs
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
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
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
Apply 10-10-10 amount
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
-
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
Allergy
Mildly Toxic
Toxic
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
along a porch, deck or patio, Ground Cover, small hedge
Borders
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Iron, Potassium, Vitamin C
Antiemetic, Diuretic, Purgative, Tonic
Part of Plant Used
Fruits
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Cake, Jam, Jelly, Sauces
Used as a general tonic, Used as a rat poison, Used as a vegetable
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Edible, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier, Tropical
Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall, Wildflower
Botanical Name
CARISSA macrocarpa 'Emerald Blanket'
ERYTHRINA herbacea
Common Name
Large Num-Num
Red cardinal, Cardinal spear
In Hindi
नेटाल बेर
Red Cardinal
In German
Natal Plum
Red Cardinal
In French
natal Plum
Cardinal rouge
In Spanish
Ciruela Natal
Cárdenas
In Greek
Natal Plum
κόκκινο Καρδινάλιος
In Portuguese
Natal Plum
Cardeal vermelho
In Polish
Natal Plum
Red Cardinal
In Latin
Natal Plum
Cardinalis Rubrum
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Gentianales
Fabales
Family
Apocynaceae
Fabaceae
Genus
Carissa
Erythrina
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Carisseae
Phaseoleae
Subfamily
Rauvolfioideae
Faboideae
Number of Species
2010
1
27800
👆🏻