Re: Carissa macrocarpa (aka Natal Plum) & Chufi

I'm amazed Carissa has survived an English winter! It
mopes in an average oceanside summer in northern
California. (Oakland, where it thrives, is another
story entirely.)
-Jason Dewees

--- "Seán_A._O'Hara" <sean.ohara@groupmail.com> wrote:
> At 10:40 PM 5/3/01 +0100, MARK BRENT wrote:
> >I've recently been handed another plant of Carissa
> macrocarpa to 
> >supplement the one we have already which, alas, is
> looking none too 
> >cheerful after the winter deluge. I do know this
> particulular plant is 
> >probably right on the edge of our known limits as
> regards its climatical 
> >requirements, although it has flowered & grown well
> here for the last 
> >couple of years. What I'm more keen to know is its
> soil requirements to 
> >help improve the odds of its possible longer term
> prospects. From what I 
> >gather it is cultivated commercially in California
> as well as being an 
> >ornamental commonly found in the mediterranean
> region whence my plant came 
> >(Menorca to be precise). Any information will be
> much appreciated.
> 
> Mark -
> 
> My general impression from the specimens of this
> plant that I have grown is 
> that it prefers a 'warm soil'.  While tolerant of
> heavy clays, it resents 
> sodden, cold soils.  It seems to grow best in a mix
> that has a fair bit of 
> sand, gravel, and even some stones, which can help
> keep the temperature of 
> the soil a bit on the warm side.  It also seems to
> really enjoy the ambient 
> heat generated from neighboring paving or walls.  It
> blooms best in full 
> sun, though will take some shade (probably best very
> exposed under your 
> English sun).  It is a wonderful plant but it grows
> more easily south of us 
> (the Calif. SF Bay Area) where there is a larger
> percentage of really warm 
> days.  It also tolerated seaside planting and salty
> sand.
> 
> Near my office is a very old planting in front of an
> office building.  They 
> are in good shape, take a lot of high wind, are
> completely encircled in 
> paving in non-raised openings that contain
> relatively normal soil.  They 
> get shade in the afternoon, but otherwise they are
> in pretty full sun.
> 
> There are various cultivars available, from low to
> quite tall.  I've seen 
> many plantings that were apparently from seed-grown
> stock, sowing 
> tremendous variation.
> 
> Regards,
> Sean O.
> 
> 
> 
> h o r t u l u s   a p t u s     -    'a garden
> suited to its purpose'
> Seán A. O'Hara        fax (707) 667-1173    
> sean.ohara@groupmail.com
> 710 Jean Street, Oakland, CA 94610-1459, U.S.A.
> 


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