The Carissa macrocarpa plant or Carissa grandiflora (also called Christmas plum) is a medium-sized evergreen ornamental shrub, native to tropical and southern Africa. The thorny branches exude a non-toxic white latex, it has leathery leaves, oval in shape and shiny dark green in colour, up to 7 cm long. From spring, it generates numerous white, waxy, star-shaped, very fragrant flowers, 5 cm wide and borne by terminal or axillary buds, up to 10 cm long. The fruits are like large edible plums, from red to purple-black, 5 cm long, have a delicate strawberry and apple flavor and can be eaten fresh, to prepare jams and marmalades. Fruiting occurs from mid-summer to late autumn, sometimes until Christmas. Drought resistant, it is grown in Mediterranean gardens and is ideal for growing in pots on terraces and balconies. The plant fears prolonged frost. It can exceed a height of about 2 metres.
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