Natal Plum – Carissa macrocarpa

Plant family: Apocynaceae

Plant origin: South Africa.

Fruit description: The fruit is a shiny, crimson oval plum, which is 3cm long. The flesh is pink, sweet, juicy and delicious, with one small seed per fruit.

Flowers:

Growing conditions: Natal Plums are a hardy and attractive, dense, evergreen shrub, growing to 2.5 metres tall. It has shiny, dark green elliptical leaves and small forked thorns. It tolerates salty, windy, and drought conditions, which makes it perfect for coastal areas. It makes an excellent hedge plant.

Uses: Eat Natal Plums fresh, or make it into desserts, lovely jams, jellies, chutney and preserves. You can freeze or dry the fruit.

Medicinal uses:

Pollination requirements: Self-Pollinating.

Harvest time Fruit is produced all year.

Plant relatives

Special features: It has dense growth and thorns and makes the perfect security hedge for small birds like wrens and finches. It is also a very attractive bonsai plant or container plant.

Grown by method: Cutting Grown Pot size: 100mm

Plant growing Height and Width for pots or in the ground planting: Grows to 1.5 metres high by 1 metres wide if Planted in a Pot. Grows 2.5 metres high by 2 metres wide if Planted in the Ground.

Shipping plant pot or planter bag size: 100mm