Carissa macrocarpa (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Carissa macrocarpa (Ecklon) A. DC.

Family: Apocynaceae

Synonyms

• Carissa grandiflora A. DC.

Vernacular names

• Carissa, Natal plum, amantungula (En)
• Pommier kei (Fr).

Distribution

Origin in South Africa, cultivated in tropics and subtropics all over the world. Rarely grown in South-East Asia.

Uses

The fruits are eaten raw or prepared into jams, jellies, syrup, cakes and puddings. The plant makes a good protective hedge.

Observations

• Vigorous spreading shrub, up to 6 m tall, branches armed with strong spines up to 5 cm long, all parts containing white latex.
• Fruit a globose to ovate berry, up to 6 cm × 4 cm, red to crimson.

Plants need full sun and a seasonal climate. Propagation mainly vegetatively by air layering or ground layering. Tolerant of salt and light frost.

Selected sources

• Backer, C.A. & Bakhuizen van den Brink, R.C., 1963 1968. Flora of Java. 3 Volumes. Noordhoff, Groningen, the Netherlands.

• Mansfeld, R. & Schultze Motel, J., 1986. Verzeichnis landwirtschaftlicher und gärtnerischer Kuturpflanzen. 2nd ed. 4 Volumes. Springer Verlag, Berlin. 1998 pp.

• Mansfeld, R. & Schultze Motel, J., 1986. Verzeichnis landwirtschaftlicher und gärtnerischer Kuturpflanzen. 2nd ed. 4 Volumes. Springer Verlag, Berlin. 1998 pp.

• Page, P.E. (Compiler), 1984. Tropical tree fruits for Australia. Queensland Department for Primary Industries, Brisbane, Australia. 226 pp.

Authors

P.C.M. Jansen, J. Jukema, L.P.A. Oyen, T.G. van Lingen