Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Tree
Origin
Southern Africa
Eastern Africa, Middle Africa
Types
Carissa Carandas
Kigelia africana
Number of Varieties
49
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal bush land, Sandy areas
Riverine forest, wooded grassland
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-119-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-9
Sunset Zone
H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 12, 13, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Cushion/Mound-forming
Arching/Fountain-shaped
Plant Size
Minimum Height
60.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm910.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
Dark Red, Tan
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Hot Pink, Magenta, Purple, Red
Tan
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
-
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
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
Needs a lot of water initially
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
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
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
Balanced liquid fertilizer monthly
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Leaf spot, Mealybugs, Rust
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
Mildly Toxic
Poisonous when unripe
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
along a porch, deck or patio, Ground Cover, small hedge
-
Beauty Benefits
-
Acne, Slow downs aging
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Iron, Potassium, Vitamin C
Gynaecological, Malaria, STDs
Part of Plant Used
Fruits
Dried seeds, Leaves
Other Uses
Cake, Jam, Jelly, Sauces
Used to flavour beer, Used to produce a red dye
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, Tropical
Botanical Name
CARISSA macrocarpa 'Emerald Blanket'
KIGELIA africana
Common Name
Large Num-Num
Sausage Tree
In Hindi
नेटाल बेर
Sausage Tree
In German
Natal Plum
Sausage Tree
In French
natal Plum
saucisse Arbre
In Spanish
Ciruela Natal
Árbol de salchicha
In Greek
Natal Plum
λουκάνικο δέντρο
In Portuguese
Natal Plum
Árvore de salsicha
In Polish
Natal Plum
kiełbasa Drzewo
In Latin
Natal Plum
farciminis ligno
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Gentianales
Lamiales
Family
Apocynaceae
Bignoniaceae
Genus
Carissa
Kaempferia
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Carisseae
Tecomeae
Subfamily
Rauvolfioideae
-
Number of Species
209
1
27800
👆🏻