Carissa macrocarpa (Eckl.) A.DC..

Common Name: Large Num-Num
Family: Apocynaceae Juss.

Country of Origin: Kenya to SE. Cape Prov.
Habitat: sand dunes and edges of coastal forests in Eastern Cape Province

Description: A South African shrub used as a hedge or free standing shrub because of its interestingly formed branches and shiny deep-green leaves, offset by white and pink flowers. The plant bears a 2" egg-shaped red fruit that exudes a white astringent latex unless fully ripe. The fruit can be eaten out-of-hand but does make good cranberry-like preserves. It is a salt tolerant plant.

USDA Zone: 9-11

Accession Data:

Accession # 198500459
Source: Unknown
Accession Date: 12-31-1985
Bench: 1105 - AFR:Ground Bed 1 NW
- Currently: active - healthy
- Qty: 1 confirmed on 07-01-2025

Classification:

Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
SubClass: euasterid I
Order: Gentianales
SubOrder:
Family: Apocynaceae
SubFamily: Rauvolfioideae
Tribe: Carisseae
SubTribe:

Flowering Data:

This accession has been observed in bloom on:

Year	Jan				Feb				Mar					Apr				May				Jun					Jul				Aug				Sep					Oct				Nov				Dec
2025
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008

References (internal):

EEB Greenhouse Holdings native to: Zaire / Kenya / Mozambique / Zambia / Zimbabwe / Cape Provinces / KwaZulu-Natal / Northern Provinces /

References (external):

The Plant List (2013). Version 1.1. Last accessed on Wednesday, July 26, 2017.
California Rare Fruit Growers WWW Site
Encyclopedia of Life. Accessed 22 May 2014
WCSP (2016). World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Last accessed on Wednesday, July 26, 2017.
Image #00 (cropped) & #01 (original) by Forest & Kim Starr [CC BY 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons. Last accessed on Wednesday, July 26, 2017.

data regenerated on Tue, 01 Jul 2025 11:21:12 -0400 [bcm v4.0]