The Tropical Fruit Forum

Tropical Fruit => Tropical Fruit Discussion => Topic started by: brian on January 16, 2022, 10:34:32 PM

Title: is this an edible fruit? no idea what plant it is
Post by: brian on January 16, 2022, 10:34:32 PM

I saw this at a nearby nursery.  No label.  Doesn't look like anything I've seen before.


(https://i.postimg.cc/7fcRQqTn/fruit2.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/7fcRQqTn)


(https://i.postimg.cc/CnRNjfJT/fruit1.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/CnRNjfJT)

Title: Re: is this an edible fruit? no idea what plant it is
Post by: W. on January 16, 2022, 10:48:40 PM

It looks like Natal Plum (Carissa macrocarpa). It is edible. I think it is relatively common in South Florida, where it makes a good hedge. You can eat the fruit off the plant or use it in jams, etc.

Title: Re: is this an edible fruit? no idea what plant it is
Post by: brian on January 16, 2022, 10:58:17 PM

thanks!  That definitely looks right. 

Is the fruit any good?  It seems to only be listed as "edible"

Title: Re: is this an edible fruit? no idea what plant it is
Post by: W. on January 16, 2022, 11:41:54 PM

I went and looked up Jared's Weird Explorer video. He describes the flavor as being similar to a blackberry milkshake: https://youtu.be/UxErwuIwBB8. The fruit he ate was from a plant at the Fruit & Spice Park, so it might have a better flavor than other examples. But, Natal Plum is often propagated by cuttings, so who knows. I have a couple of plants, grown from seed, and a couple years away from fruiting, so I have never tasted it. If the one you found tastes great, see if you can either buy it at a good price or if you can get a cutting off it.

Title: Re: is this an edible fruit? no idea what plant it is
Post by: sbtropic on January 17, 2022, 01:11:20 AM

I used to have the Natal plum. It got sick and died. Just one caution, make sure the fruit is ripe. It should not be eaten under ripe. The fruit tastes OK. It's not a 10, but it's not bad.

The tree is common in some old commercial Socal landscaping.

Title: Re: is this an edible fruit? no idea what plant it is
Post by: Fruitguy on January 17, 2022, 01:23:58 AM

The twice forked thorns make it great for a security hedge. If not topped it will become a small tree.

Title: Re: is this an edible fruit? no idea what plant it is
Post by: Galatians522 on January 17, 2022, 10:07:23 PM

The natal plums I have eaten varied quite a bit. The good ones (slightly wrinkled) tasted like cranberry mixed with apple sauce. They are one of the few edible fruits with milky sap in the flesh. Everything but ripe fruits us poisonous if I remember correctly.