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Natal Plum without fruit????

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Posted by mommystuff z9/10 Cent FL (mommystuff@yahoo.com) on
Mon, Oct 9, 06 at 21:27

Good Evening,

I have a gorgeous huge plant in my yard that has been accurately identified by several different landscape architects as Natal Plum. It blooms profusely year round (or so it seems) and have a fabulous contorted root system. We've lived here 10 years and it was quite large when we moved in, so I know it is fairly old. Any idea why have I never had any fruits? The majority of our yard is landscaped with edibles and I never knew this was an edible because of the lack of fruit. I kept it around because of the lovely smelling flowers that are always present on it. Any idea or suggestions as to what I can do to get it to produce fruit? I would love any help.

Blessings,

Kelly

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RE: Natal Plum without fruit????

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First; it's not a plum; it just carries that name. The flowers are sterile so will not set seed or fruit. Parts of the plant are also poisonous. Being Apocynaceae; it is more closely related to the Jasmines. A fine ornamental, but not an edible.

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RE: Natal Plum without fruit????

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I have only seen 1 with fruit. But never tried to eat it.
I am a wimp!

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RE: Natal Plum without fruit????

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Natal Plum is very edible... But fruiting can be a problem especially if there are no other Carissa around. Maybe you could try hand-pollination or, like I did, plant another bush nearby.
Here is a link to Natal Plum.
Rose-Marie

Here is a link that might be useful: Natal plum

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Don't eat those Natal Plums!

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Especially if you live near Rockport TX on the coast - eating the ones grown wild here would be particularly nasty!

Umm the reason it would be nasty is that my little girl Hattie (8) and I love to drive around, pick them and eat em! We would be really upset if you chose plums that were bright red and just a tad soft to the touch!

I just dug holes to plant 50 of them for her 9th birthday coming up next month. Anyone know what soil I should add- What we have is a bit sandy.

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RE: Natal Plum without fruit????

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I have lived here since 1998 and enjoy the lovely strong frangrance that these plants with shiny round dark green leaves(new in 1997) give around my pool. One just gave a bright pink fruit which is smaller than any of my limes but I have no idea how or whether it is eaten. Does the one in TX have fragrant white star flowers?

  
 

 

 


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