Natal Plums

[Jean H]

http://www.eattheweeds.com/natal-plums-num-num/

Anyone have any NATAL PLUMS growing on their land? I just heard about them and thought they would be nice to plant as a landscape hedge and also for eating and making jam?

Jean Hopper

[bananahead]

They are often seen as a hedge in parking lots ie Walmart... lots of thorns!

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save our indigenous and endemic Hawaiian Plants... learn about them, grow them, and plant them on your property, ....instead of all that invasive non-native garbage I see in most yards... aloha

[Rourk]

Hi Jean,
The thorns help make them a more secure hedge. I know it as a common hedge in S. California. However, the fruit I've tasted is really astringent. Maybe it changes once it is cooked.
-Rourk

[cinnaminnacat]

there are many varieties of natal plum in the world. some varieties are poisonus and a few make edible fruit similar to a giant cranberry. the edible ones are used to make jam and chutneys. they vary in their cultural requirements. if you are going to plant some new ones, you might want to be careful to select the right one for your use since they are all thorny and hard to take out. personally, i love the fragrance!

best wishes

[Cagary]

There is only one variety of Natal Palm (Carissa macrocarpa). Some cultivars produce better fruit, but you are unlikely to find these outside of its native South Africa. ("Natal" as in the province in South Africa.)

The fruit is not poisonous and neither are the leaves and other parts of the bush. Like other fruits, the Natal Plum has to be ripe before one can eat it. Let it get soft and red before trying it. You are certainly not going to tear out your mango tree in order to plant more Natal Plum bushes, but the fruit is tasty enough. The bush is quite thorny, but getting to the fruit is not all that difficult.

-Veritas odium parit”(Terence 195–159 BC))-"Truth begets hatred".

[cinnaminnacat]

Sorry for the confusion. I incorrectly used the common name natal plum to refer to all carissa.

best wishes