Few plants have everything— neat foliage, fragrant, attractive flowers, the possibility of fruit, and the case of culture.
Yet the one which comes closest to this perfection, in my opinion, is Carissa grandiflora, specifically its variety, Nana compacta, the dwarf, spineless Natal plum.
Carissa Grandiflora’s Striking Features
This particular variety of carissa has dark, shiny, oval leaves opposite along the stems, set so closely they overlap like shingles.
The foliage is naturally glossy and usually needs only a tepid shower to retain its beauty.
However, older leaves that may have lost some of their original lusters may be polished with preparations made for this purpose.
Off and on throughout the year, carissa produces 5-petaled, waxy white, heavily fragrant flowers on the tips of the branches.
These are more than an inch in diameter, which is large when compared to the overall size of the plant, and they are doubly striking because they are set off by the rosettes of dark leaves.
If all goes well, the flowers are followed by large, round scarlet fruits, and often a plant may have both flowers and fruit simultaneously.
The fruit is fully edible, but since it is so attractive, few growers care to remove it from the plant.
My First Encounter Of The Carissa Bonsai
I first saw this plant several years ago in Florida.
At that time, it was just experimental, and one grower, evidently struck by its Oriental appearance, had trained and pruned one large specimen as a bonsai.
Although admittedly a short-cut one, it could have taken its place with the best of them.
Since seeing his plant displayed in this fashion, I have always kept all of mine in bowls that had an Oriental feeling, and with small, very sharp embroidery scissors, I have snipped a few branches to emphasize the lateral tiers of overlapped leaves.
It is interesting to note that now a southern grower of choice house plants is calling this carissa bonsai.
Simple Culture For The Carissa Bonsai
The culture for this plant is simplicity itself.
Give it a warm place, light shade, and rich, moist soil.
It is not a fast-growing plant, by the way, and tends to resent being repotted unless handled carefully.
But on the plus side, it is fairly resistant to insects and diseases.
Do try the carissa bonsai—it will be the loveliest table patio plant you have ever grown!