PlantFiles: Natal Plum
Carissa macrocarpa 'Tomlinson'

I just love this plant!! Every part of it is interesting. The leaves are beautiful; shiny dark green, evergreen, and have a neat shape. The small white flowers smell heavenly!! Reminds me a bit of gardenia or plumeria. I have not yet tried the fruit; right now they have just turned red, and I am waiting for them to ripen a bit more before picking them.

The plant I purchased is from Monrovia; the tag says it is a dwarf variety and is thornless. I have seen that it is not completely thornless, but only has a few small thorns. The fruit starts green and turns red as it matures.

I have a Natal Plum grown from seed planted about five years ago. I got the seed from a plum that I ate! The plant is now about 5 feet tall. I have eaten many natal plums -- they have a sticky white glue-like juice, but the flavor is very good. I have many fruits on the plant now (June 4. 2009), some just starting to turn red. I trim many of the thorns to allow me access to the fruit without injury! I plan to try to harvest and dry the fruit when they mature. I'll report success - or failure!

I agree that this is the dwarf variety and VERY long thorns beneath the leaves. Flowers are fragrant and plant spreads nicely. Does not reseed or send out suckers, etc. Beautiful evergreen. This variety does not set fruit. In my zone 9, it will withstand winters around 30 degrees up to 115 degrees or so. Blooms in summer and spring. I have 5 in my garden.

this is a dwarf variety and thornless. Leaves are round where the traditional carissa has oval leaves. A popular plant in seacoast gardens.
Aug 2008. transplanted summer 2007 and comparing my first pic with the 2nd pic, it has grown tons! Since we've had milder than usual weather, shrub has not been damaged, but I'm bracing myself for such eventuality. Flowers are indeed fragrant.