order: gentianales
family: apocynaceae
genus: carissa
species: macrocarpa
first posted on 08/01/2013:
This is yet another plant from my dogbane (apocynaceae) collection. The species is said to be native to South Africa, where it is also widely cultivated for its plum-looking, edible fruits. Other species from the Carissa genus bearing similar fruits include C. spinarum (conkerberry // currant bush) and C. carandas (karanda). All of these fruits have been used in different geographical areas as food. Although caution should be taken, as all other parts of the plants are said to be poisonous According to the description found on different sources, the plant has spines, but I haven't discovered any on my plant. The flowers are white and looking like stars. Their fragrance is much like that of a gardenia plant and is said to be more intense at night to attract nocturnal pollinators. My plant dealer didn't specify if this is of a particular cultivar, so I assume its characters should be close to those of the wild species. Although I cannot rule out the possibility of any of the cultivars I've come across on the internet. The list of the cultivars goes on and on. This includes 'Tuttlei', 'Tomlinson', 'Green Carpet', 'Boxwood Beauty', 'horizontalis' etc. My intention is to grow it into a sizeable bush or a small tree, so I hope I haven't got myself a prostrate cultivar.
In my "care notes", it says the plant can withstand cold down to 5°C with no problem and it is tolerant of shades. So that makes overwintering it quite convenient. Whenever the temperature outside drops below 5°C, I'd move it into the stairwell, where it takes up a corner, that is otherwise less than ideal, lighting-wise, for other plants. The soil that comes with the plant looks fresh and airy. I can tell that it has been repotted very recently. In spite of this, I intend to transplant it into a proper pot in the next possible appointment. All this while, I have too many plants growing in plastic containers. With them scattered all around, the garden can hardly look fetching. A friend of mine actually made a comment on this during her visit. But for now, the weather is still too cold and there's nothing going on with the plant. So I guess I'd just lie in wait to see its flowers and plums.
>>Update (25.12.2013):
My lovely num-num bush bloomed so beautifully this summer. It turned out that the fragrance wasn't as strong as I had expected. Its faint citrus-like note could only be sensed if the flowers are pressed tight against the nose. As pretty as they are, the flowers are unfortunately short-lived. I didn't get to see any fruit, the reason of which probably being that there isn't any colibri around.
family: apocynaceae
genus: carissa
species: macrocarpa
first posted on 08/01/2013:
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| natal plum in late autumn 2012. |
This is yet another plant from my dogbane (apocynaceae) collection. The species is said to be native to South Africa, where it is also widely cultivated for its plum-looking, edible fruits. Other species from the Carissa genus bearing similar fruits include C. spinarum (conkerberry // currant bush) and C. carandas (karanda). All of these fruits have been used in different geographical areas as food. Although caution should be taken, as all other parts of the plants are said to be poisonous According to the description found on different sources, the plant has spines, but I haven't discovered any on my plant. The flowers are white and looking like stars. Their fragrance is much like that of a gardenia plant and is said to be more intense at night to attract nocturnal pollinators. My plant dealer didn't specify if this is of a particular cultivar, so I assume its characters should be close to those of the wild species. Although I cannot rule out the possibility of any of the cultivars I've come across on the internet. The list of the cultivars goes on and on. This includes 'Tuttlei', 'Tomlinson', 'Green Carpet', 'Boxwood Beauty', 'horizontalis' etc. My intention is to grow it into a sizeable bush or a small tree, so I hope I haven't got myself a prostrate cultivar.
In my "care notes", it says the plant can withstand cold down to 5°C with no problem and it is tolerant of shades. So that makes overwintering it quite convenient. Whenever the temperature outside drops below 5°C, I'd move it into the stairwell, where it takes up a corner, that is otherwise less than ideal, lighting-wise, for other plants. The soil that comes with the plant looks fresh and airy. I can tell that it has been repotted very recently. In spite of this, I intend to transplant it into a proper pot in the next possible appointment. All this while, I have too many plants growing in plastic containers. With them scattered all around, the garden can hardly look fetching. A friend of mine actually made a comment on this during her visit. But for now, the weather is still too cold and there's nothing going on with the plant. So I guess I'd just lie in wait to see its flowers and plums.
>>Update (25.12.2013):
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| in flower july 2013. |
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