Botanical name |
Carissa bispinosa |
Other names |
Num-num; noemnoem (Afrikaans) |
Family |
Apocynaceae |
Dimensions |
Shrub or small tree, may reach 4 m |
Description of stem |
Many-stemmed and branching, bark light grey, younger stems green; characteristically forked or doubly forked spines |
Description of leaves |
Ovate, leathery, dark green above, lighter below, glabrous, only central vein prominent, base round but variable, margin entire, rolled under |
Description of flowers |
White, occasionally slightly pink; tube of petals opening in overlapping positions; terminal clusters occurring in Spring |
Description of seed/fruit |
Red, ovoid, edible; 1,5 cm; May to October |
Description of roots |
|
Variation |
Variations bispinosa and acuminata occurring with some intermediate forms |
Propagation and cultivation |
|
Tolerances |
|
Uses |
Garden plant, edible fruit, browsed by game |
Ecological rarity |
Common |
Pests and diseases |
Tends to get scale or fungus in shady areas |
Other |
|
Location |
Dry woodland, coastal scrub and forest margins |
Distribution (SA provinces) |
Limpopo; Mpumalanga; Gauteng; Northwest; Free State; Kwazulu-Natal; Eastern Cape; Western Cape |
Country |
South Africa; Mozambique; Swaziland; Lesotho |