Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Tender Perennial
Origin
Southern Africa
Melanesia, Micronesia, Polynesia
Types
Carissa Carandas
-
Number of Varieties
42
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal bush land, Sandy areas
Humid climates
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-119-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-10
Sunset Zone
H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Cushion/Mound-forming
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
60.00 cm180.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm30.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
White, Red, Pink
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
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval to roundish
Oblong
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Slow
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
From Rhizomes, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
Keep the ground moist but not water-logged
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, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial 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
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Fertilizer every month during spring, Requires high amount of nitrogen, since leafy plants, use higher nitrogen content fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Aphids, Earwigs, fungus, Mealybugs, Nematodes, Red blotch, Root rot, Scale, Thripes
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
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
-
Allergy
Mildly Toxic
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
along a porch, deck or patio, Ground Cover, small hedge
Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Iron, Potassium, Vitamin C
Antirheumatic, Appetite enhancer, Asthma, Bronchitis, Cold, Headache, Laxative, Muscle Pain, Sore throat, Sweat bullets, Tonsillitis
Part of Plant Used
Fruits
Flowers, Root bark
Other Uses
Cake, Jam, Jelly, Sauces
Culinary use, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Edible, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier, Tropical
Container, Cutflower, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
CARISSA macrocarpa 'Emerald Blanket'
ALPINIA purpurata
Common Name
Large Num-Num
Jungle Queen, Red Ginger
In Hindi
नेटाल बेर
लाल अदरक
In German
Natal Plum
Red Ginger
In French
natal Plum
Red Ginger
In Spanish
Ciruela Natal
Red Ginger
In Greek
Natal Plum
Red Ginger
In Portuguese
Natal Plum
Red Ginger
In Polish
Natal Plum
Red Ginger
In Latin
Natal Plum
Gingiberi Rubrum
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Gentianales
Zingiberales
Family
Apocynaceae
Zingiberaceae
Genus
Carissa
Alpinia
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Carisseae
Alpinieae
Subfamily
Rauvolfioideae
Alpinioideae
Number of Species
2050
1
27800
👆🏻