Natal Plum

Name: Natal Plum
Brand: Outdoor Dream Builders

Carissa macrocarpa

A South African shrub with fragrant white flowers, edible fruit, and medium thorns that creates a lush oasis feel in the desert landscape.

Hardy in USDA zones 9-11 but frost-sensitive; foliage burns below the mid-20s, so favor warmer low-desert microclimates and avoid cold pockets.

AMWUA Notes

A moderate-water South African shrub; the milky sap can irritate skin and it shows heat stress above 110F, so give it afternoon relief in the hottest, most reflected spots.

Care Guide

💧Watering

Water deeply every 7-10 days in summer to keep the glossy foliage lush; it is moderately drought tolerant but looks best with steady moisture and good drainage.

✂️Pruning

Shears well into a formal hedge and takes shaping any time of year, but wear gloves for the forked thorns; light hand-pruning preserves flowers and fruit.

🌱Fertilizing

Feed lightly in spring with a balanced fertilizer; yellowing in alkaline soil may call for chelated iron.

🛡️Pests

Watch for scale and occasional spider mites; otherwise low-trouble. Note the milky sap can irritate skin.

☀️Seasonal Notes

Evergreen year-round with fragrant white flowers in spring and sporadically after, followed by edible red plum-like fruit; sensitive to hard frost below the mid-20s.

Soil, Feeding & Propagation

🪨Soil

Prefers well-drained sandy or loamy soil; tolerates alkaline pH but can grow chlorotic in heavy caliche.

💧Drainage

Needs well-drained soil.

🌱Nutrient Needs

Moderate feeder.

🌰Propagation

From seed or semi-hardwood cuttings.

📐Spacing

4-5 ft

🌳Roots & Placement

Shallow, non-invasive roots; safe near structures and paving.

Placement Tips

•At up to 7 ft it forms a dense hedge; space 4-5 ft apart for a screen or use dwarf forms for lower borders.
•The forked thorns make an outstanding security or barrier hedge along fences and under windows.
•Keep well back from pool decks and barefoot areas because of the thorns despite its low litter.
•Site in full sun for best flowering and fruit set, with protection from the hardest frost.