Life Span
Annual
Annual
Type
Broadleaf Evergreen
Shrub
Origin
China
Southern Africa
Types
-
Carissa bispinosa, Carissa carandas
Number of Varieties
320
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Banks, Slopes
Coastal Regions, Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
6-99-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
12-9
Sunset Zone
21,22
H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Cushion/Mound-forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
90.00 cm90.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
120.00 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Ivory
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Purple, Black
Light Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green, Yellow 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
Lance shaped
Elliptic and Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial Sun, Partial shade, Full Shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Slow
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Late Winter
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Deer resistant, Pollution, Shade areas
Shade areas
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Semi-hardwood cuttings
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Vegetative Reproduction
Plant Maintenance
Low
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Keep ground moist, Keep the Soil well drained
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Requires regular watering, Water daily during growing season, Water when top layer of soil becomes dry
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Partial Sun, Partial shade, Full Shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune in spring, Prune in summer, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune to control growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
Nitrogen, use all-purpose fertilizers
fertilize in growing season, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Sooty Mold
Insects, Red blotch, Scale, Spider mites, Thripes, Whiteflies
Plant Tolerance
Deer resistant, Drought, Pollution, Shade areas
Shade areas
Flowers
Insignificant
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
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Birds
Allergy
-
Toxic
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beautification, Bonsai, Cottage Garden, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Food for birds
Air purification, Food for insects, Prevent Soil Erosion
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Fruits
Flowers, Fruits
Other Uses
Food for animals, Showy Purposes
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Foundation, Hedges, Mixed Border, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Edible, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier, Tropical
Botanical Name
SARCOCOCCA confusa
CARISSA macrocarpa
Common Name
Sweet Box
Carissia
In Hindi
Sarcococca confusa
Carissa
In German
Sarcococca verwirrt
carissa
In French
Sarcococca confus
carissa
In Spanish
Sarcococca confundido
carissa
In Greek
Sarcococca συγχέεται
carissa
In Portuguese
Sarcococca confuso
carissa
In Polish
sarcococca mylić
carissa
In Latin
confusa Sarcococca
carissa
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Buxales
Gentianales
Family
Buxaceae
Apocynaceae
Genus
Sarcococca
Carissa
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Carisseae
Subfamily
-
Rauvolfioideae
Number of Species
20100
1
27800
👆🏻