Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Tender Perennial
Origin
Southern Africa
Madagascar
Types
Carissa Carandas
Purple vinca, Vinca, cherry red, strawberry color
Number of Varieties
Not Available
Habitat
Coastal bush land, Sandy areas
Subtropical climates, Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-11
9-15
Sunset Zone
H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Cushion/Mound-forming
Clump-Forming
Flower Color
White
Pink, Magenta, Rose
Flower Color Modifier
Not Available
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Hot Pink, Magenta, Purple, Red
Not Available
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark 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
Leaf Shape
Oval to roundish
Oval
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Tolerances
Drought
Pollution, Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
Keep ground moist, Needs 2-3 times watering per week, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
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
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune ocassionally
Fertilizers
Equal amount of N,P,K
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Botrytis Blight, Canker, Crown rot, Pythium rot, Root rot
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Attracts
Birds
Butterflies
Allergy
Mildly Toxic
Intestinal gas, Nausea, Vomiting
Aesthetic Uses
along a porch, deck or patio, Ground Cover, small hedge
Beautification, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Not Available
Not Available
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Medicinal Uses
Iron, Potassium, Vitamin C
Chest pain, High blood pressure, Inflammation, Sore throat, Tooth ache, Wounds
Part of Plant Used
Fruits
Whole plant
Other Uses
Cake, Jam, Jelly, Sauces
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, 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, Hanging Basket, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
CARISSA macrocarpa 'Emerald Blanket'
CATHARANTHUS roseus
Common Name
Large Num-Num
Madagascar Periwinkle, Periwinkle, Vinca
In German
Natal Plum
Vinca
In French
natal Plum
Vinca
In Spanish
Ciruela Natal
Vinca
In Greek
Natal Plum
Vinca
In Portuguese
Natal Plum
Vinca
In Polish
Natal Plum
Vinca
In Latin
Natal Plum
Galium
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Gentianales
Gentianales
Family
Apocynaceae
Apocynaceae
Genus
Carissa
Catharanthus
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Carisseae
Not Available
Subfamily
Rauvolfioideae
Not Available
Number of Species
Not Available
Not Available
Importance of Natal Plum and Vinca
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Natal Plum and Vinca. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Natal Plum and Vinca 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 Vinca is Chest pain, High blood pressure, Inflammation, Sore throat, Tooth ache and Wounds. Natal Plum has beauty benefits as follows: Not Available while Vinca has beauty benefits as follows: Not Available.
Compare Facts of Natal Plum vs Vinca
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 Vinca 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 Vinca have Intestinal gas, Nausea and Vomiting respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Natal Plum has showy fruits and Vinca has no showy fruits. Also Natal Plum is not flowering and Vinca is not flowering . You can compare Natal Plum and Vinca facts and facts of other plants too.