Carissa Natal Plum Bonsai
This showy plant is native to south africa and can be grown under almost any conditions except freezing cold.
Carissa natal plum bonsai. There is little information on this plant in the bonsai literature which is surprising as it is readily available and becoming quite popular. The simple beautiful flowers are produced throughout most of the year with a five lobed white corolla and are borne either solitary or in clusters. There are three common varieties of carissa macrocarpa of which natal plum is the largest. An evergreen small thorny bush which develops white and pink flowers and edible dark red fruit.
The dwarf plum also called the natal plum is a dense closely branched spiny evergreen tree which is native to tropical and subtropical regions of africa australia and asia. It is thin and bruises easily. Carissa bonsai trees also known as natal plum are created from several carissa varieties. The plant itself is easy to grow and the fruit fragrant flowers and small leaves are definitely a plus.
The skin of the fully ripe fruit is bright crimson streaked with darker red. The flesh is deep red or crimson with white mottling. Natal plum is a strong and moderately fast growing plant which tolerates almost any abuse. When grown under optimum conditions of high heat and humidity growth is extremely rapid and the rooting of cuttings an almost sure success.
If you want a small variety that is two feet tall or under look for nana prostrata bonsai boxwood beauty or horizontalis. It likes plenty of light and should get at least four hours of direct sunlight daily. They are all suitable for bonsai. Natal plum carissa sp.
The fruits of the carissa carissa grandiflora are oval or round and vary in size and shape. It is a low spreading plant that is often used as a ground cover shrub. Natal plum carissa 8 years 9 months ago 1592. It develops white fragrant flowers and deep red fruit.
Emerald blanket is a dwarf cultivar. Then they were transplanted again the same night into their own little pot. Natal plum carissa grandiflora is a small thorny evergreen subtropical tree which lends itself well to bonsai culture. My friend from our bonsai club gave me three young natal plum seedlings which she had transferred from one pot to another along with some other seedlings.
A typical fruit is approximately an inch in diameter and one and a half inches long.