Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Cactus
Shrub
Origin
-
Southern Africa
Types
Christmas Cactus, Thanksgiving Cactus
Carissa bispinosa, Carissa carandas
Number of Varieties
620
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
subtropical regions, Tropical Forests
Coastal Regions, Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
13-159-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-9
Sunset Zone
13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
-
Cushion/Mound-forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
15.00 cm90.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
20.00 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple
White
Flower Color Modifier
-
-
Fruit Color
-
Light Red
Leaf Color in Spring
-
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
-
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
-
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Cylindrical
Elliptic and Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
-
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
-
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
-
Slow
Type of Soil
-
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
-
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
-
Well drained
Bloom Time
-
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Shade areas
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Cutting
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Vegetative Reproduction
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Needs very little water
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
Soil Type
-
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
-
Well drained
Sun Exposure
-
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
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
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
fertilize in growing season, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Insects, Red blotch, Scale, Spider mites, Thripes, Whiteflies
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Shade areas
Flowers
-
Showy
Flower Petal Number
-
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Bold
Medium
Foliage Sheen
-
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Birds
Allergy
-
Toxic
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Showy Purposes
Beautification, Bonsai, Cottage Garden, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Food for insects, Prevent Soil Erosion
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Soothing and relieving pain
-
Part of Plant Used
Flowers
Flowers, Fruits
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
-
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Edible, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier, Tropical
Botanical Name
Schlumbergera truncata
CARISSA macrocarpa
Common Name
Schlumbergera, false Christmas cactus, Christmas cactus
Carissia
In Hindi
Schlumbergera
Carissa
In German
Schlumbergera
carissa
In French
Schlumbergera
carissa
In Spanish
Schlumbergera
carissa
In Greek
Schlumbergera
carissa
In Portuguese
Schlumbergera
carissa
In Polish
Schlumbergera
carissa
In Latin
Gymnocalycium
carissa
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Gentianales
Family
Cactaceae
Apocynaceae
Genus
Schlumbergera
Carissa
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Rhipsalideae
Carisseae
Subfamily
Cactoideae
Rauvolfioideae
Number of Species
6100
1
27800
👆🏻