Author Topic: first taste of natal plum (carissa macrocarpa)  (Read 5168 times)

shaneatwell

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1324
    • California, San Diego, sunset 23 and 18
    • View Profile
first taste of natal plum (carissa macrocarpa)
« on: August 23, 2013, 10:30:04 PM »
Just discovered this common landscape bush has an edible fruit. Picked four today. Two were large , 3cm, bright red and soft to the touch. Two were small, 1.5cm, dark red and soft to mushy. Guessing the latter were overripe. The larger fruit were grainy with a taste close to unripe strawberries. The smaller were closer to unripe blueberries. Both got more sour towards the end and left some stickiness on the lips. Squeezing the fruit you could see the latex. Where the stem broke off as well. The taste was ok but id not seek it out.

Ive read that the taste can be quite nice so ill keep searching for a good specimen.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carissa
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/carissa.html
http://www.pennilessparenting.com/2013/05/foraging-large-num-nums-natal-plums.html
Shane

Ethan

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1644
    • Central California Z9/9
    • View Profile
Re: first taste of natal plum (carissa macrocarpa)
« Reply #1 on: August 23, 2013, 10:51:21 PM »
They are all over the place in SD, I've found a few tasting the bushes that actually had a good taste and not too much latex.  Now I have a seedling one in the front yard that makes pretty good fruits too.  Not an OMG fruit but tasty and nice to eat as you munch around the yard.

nullzero

  • Zone 10a
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3768
    • View Profile
Re: first taste of natal plum (carissa macrocarpa)
« Reply #2 on: August 23, 2013, 11:13:50 PM »
Have you guys tried Carpobrotus edulis, Hottentot fig. They are actually quite nice especially if you find a fleshy one that is fully ripe. You have to navigate around the out areas of the fruit (otherwise its salty and not to appealing to eat).
Grow mainly fruits, vegetables, and herbs.

KarenRei

  • Arctic Member
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1806
    • Reykjavík, Iceland
    • View Profile
Re: first taste of natal plum (carissa macrocarpa)
« Reply #3 on: August 23, 2013, 11:22:19 PM »
It kinda bugs me when people grow an inedible or poor-tasting plant in lieu of an edible one for which there is almost no difference.  In your case, bad tasting natal plums.  Up here in Iceland the one that always gets me are the  Ribes sp. hedge rows some people plant, both on public and private property.  The bushes look just like redcurrants, the berries look just like redcurrants, it's a sister species to the redcurrant, redcurrants grow just as well up here.... except that the version that they plant tastes vile and disgusting.  Why, I mean, why?  If it makes no difference, why not have something that actually *tastes good*, even if you don't plan to pick it yourself?

I've had to learn to recognize the small difference in the leaves on the vile tasting ones when picking berries on public property.  :Þ
Já, ég er að rækta suðrænar plöntur á Íslandi. Nei, ég er ekki klikkuð. Jæja, kannski...

NylsX

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 53
  • Green Roof Partisan
    • MEXICO, Acapulco , Guerrero. Zone 14.
    • View Profile
Re: first taste of natal plum (carissa macrocarpa)
« Reply #4 on: August 24, 2013, 12:26:22 AM »
I personally like this plant, the one i have has beautifully scented flowers that are followed by lots of fruits, the flavor is strawberry like but with a nice twist that i can't quite describe, i use it alone in cold drinks or mixed with orange or mandarina juice. it tastes good and is very nutritional i heard. This is the kind of very useful plant that has no waste, heres is more used in landscaping for its compact bushy form, for the forked formidable thorns, the showy beautifully scented white flowers and delicious fruit. :)
<<< NylsX no Sekai >>>

shaneatwell

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1324
    • California, San Diego, sunset 23 and 18
    • View Profile
Re: first taste of natal plum (carissa macrocarpa)
« Reply #5 on: August 24, 2013, 12:37:10 AM »
It kinda bugs me when people grow an inedible or poor-tasting plant in lieu of an edible one for which there is almost no difference.  In your case, bad tasting natal plums.  Up here in Iceland the one that always gets me are the  Ribes sp. hedge rows some people plant, both on public and private property.  The bushes look just like redcurrants, the berries look just like redcurrants, it's a sister species to the redcurrant, redcurrants grow just as well up here.... except that the version that they plant tastes vile and disgusting.  Why, I mean, why?  If it makes no difference, why not have something that actually *tastes good*, even if you don't plan to pick it yourself?

I've had to learn to recognize the small difference in the leaves on the vile tasting ones when picking berries on public property.  :Þ

Most landscaping plants are for esthetics and ease of care. It is a shame that they could have used a a good tasting equivalent but itd probably cost more or grow slower or be less drought tolerant. Im just happy to find theyre edible and enjoying the adventure of finding a good tasting one. Like ive done recently with strawberry tree, at my own doorstep no less.
Shane

shaneatwell

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1324
    • California, San Diego, sunset 23 and 18
    • View Profile
Re: first taste of natal plum (carissa macrocarpa)
« Reply #6 on: August 27, 2013, 01:43:34 PM »
Quick update. I've been tasting different specimens from around my neighborhood and work. The norm seems to be what I described above. A bit sour, a bit sweet, fruity, pleasant but not great. But the fruits have ranged from sour/grainy/spit-it-out to grainy/tasteless to sour/pleasant to sweet/fruity. These last grew on a dwarf variety. I've also seen great variation in number of fruits (from a couple to many dozens per plant) and size of flowers. Have not yet noticed any variation in the flower scent. Wish it was a bit stronger.

I also found this perfect method of guerrilla propagation from wikipedia:

Carissa macrocarpa is quite easy to grow. Its seeds germinate 2 to 4 weeks after sowing. The development of the seedlings is very slow at first. Plants cultivated from seeds are bearing fruits within the first 2 years. A vegetative propagation is possible and preferred. The most efficient method consists of notching young branchlets by cutting them halfway through. Then they are bent downwards and allowed to hang limply. After the young branchlets have built a callus, in approximately 2 months, the cutting has to be removed from the parent and planted in sand under moderate shade. Roots form within one month. Carissa macrocarpa will produce fruits within the first 2 years applying this reproduction method.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carissa_macrocarpa
Shane

fyliu

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3216
    • Burbank/Covina, CA 10a
    • View Profile
Re: first taste of natal plum (carissa macrocarpa)
« Reply #7 on: August 27, 2013, 02:07:28 PM »
The dark red ones should taste better. The red ones are not ready and has latex. People make jam and pie from these.

shaneatwell

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1324
    • California, San Diego, sunset 23 and 18
    • View Profile
Re: first taste of natal plum (carissa macrocarpa)
« Reply #8 on: August 27, 2013, 03:27:32 PM »
The dark red ones should taste better. The red ones are not ready and has latex. People make jam and pie from these.

I've tasted quite a few red vs. dark red from the same bushes and while the taste is different, I've not noticed any where the dark red is better.
Shane

shaneatwell

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1324
    • California, San Diego, sunset 23 and 18
    • View Profile
Re: first taste of natal plum (carissa macrocarpa)
« Reply #9 on: August 27, 2013, 03:34:20 PM »
I just went to a local nursery and tried fruits from green carpet, boxwood beauty and tuttlei. None of them great, green carpet marginally better than the others. Boxwood had a hint of unripe grape that was interesting.
Shane

huertasurbanas

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3366
    • Junín, Argentina, zone 9b/9a
    • View Profile
    • huertasurbanas
Re: first taste of natal plum (carissa macrocarpa)
« Reply #10 on: December 31, 2015, 12:54:50 PM »
The dark red ones should taste better. The red ones are not ready and has latex. People make jam and pie from these.


Hi, our plant fruited for the first time! So I should wait till the fruit is dark red and gives to the touch?

fyliu

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3216
    • Burbank/Covina, CA 10a
    • View Profile
Re: first taste of natal plum (carissa macrocarpa)
« Reply #11 on: December 31, 2015, 03:56:56 PM »
Yes, let them get dark and soft. The latex will be less and it will be less astringent.
I've tasted one bush here in Burbank where the fruit was bad even at that stage.

huertasurbanas

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3366
    • Junín, Argentina, zone 9b/9a
    • View Profile
    • huertasurbanas
Re: first taste of natal plum (carissa macrocarpa)
« Reply #12 on: December 31, 2015, 04:49:41 PM »
Yes, let them get dark and soft. The latex will be less and it will be less astringent.
I've tasted one bush here in Burbank where the fruit was bad even at that stage.

Ok, thanks, this is from seeds from Steven at Portugal so the fruit should be good