Carissa grandiflora ‘Prostrata’ (Natal Plum) is many-branched, spiny shrub with ovate, rich green leaves, to 7cm long. Fragrant, waxy, white, jasmine-like flowers, 5cm wide, are borne in terminal or axillary cymes, to 10cm long, in late spring; they are followed by plum-like, ovoid-ellipsoid, red to purple-black fruit, 5cm long. Height 2-3m or more, Spread 3m or more. Native of S. Africa. Various cultivars have been selected, including ‘Fancy’, which is erect and very free-flowering, with glossy, dark green leaves and orange-red fruit, and ‘Tuttlei’ which is dwarf, prostrate, and dense, and useful as ground cover or for containers.

Amathungulu, Carissa grandiflora, NAtal plum, Prostrata, the large num-num, umThungulu oBomvu