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Emerald Blanket Carissa
Carissa macrocarpa
- Common Name: Emerald Blanket (Carissa Varieties include: ‘Natal Plum’, ‘Boxwood Beauty’ and ‘Emerald Blanket’).
- Scientific Name: Carissa macrocarpa
- Family Name: Apocynaceae
- Origin: South Africa
- Height: 1’ – 1 ½’
- Width: 4’ – 8’ spread
- Growth: Moderate
- Zone: 9A - 11
- Light Needs: Full sun – partial shade.
- Salt Tolerance: Moderate.
- Soil/PH/Texture: Prefers clay, sand or loam soils, Slightly Acid – Neutral (pH 6.1 – 7.3)
- Soil Moisture: Average moisture – average water needs in well-drained pot - water regularly to keep it looking healthy but let it dry out in-between watering.
- Drought Tolerance: Has high drought and humidity tolerance.
- Pests/Diseases: Long-term health usually not affected by pests.
- Growing Conditions: ‘Emerald Blanket’ is a dwarf cultivar and likes to grow low to the ground and has a spreading habit that makes it perfect for a groundcover.
- Characteristics: This evergreen has blue-green, small, leathery, ovoid leaves that are dark green in color accompanied by sharp, bifurcate (forked) spines about 1 ½ inches long. It produces showy, fragrant, 1” – 2” star shaped white flowers that bloom in the summer – early winter. It has showy bright red oval berries about 2” long.
- Propagation: By seed, woody or semi-hardwood stem cuttings. Plant does not set seed because flowers are sterile.
- Wildlife: Attracts bees, birds and butterflies.
- Facts: The plum-shaped berries are occasionally used for making jellies.
- Designer Considerations: Can be used as a bonsai, groundcover, foundation plant, surrounding a specimen plant, along a deck, patio, pool cage, or porch, it is suitable for xeriscaping or for in a container plant (3 galllon or larger).
Emerald Blanket Carissa