Carissa bispinosa Tree Seeds ~ num-num; noemnoem - Indigenous Shrub or Tree - Edible Fruit

Carissa bispinosa Seeds

Num-num; Noemnoem

The genus Carissa consists of evergreen shrubs and trees, with handsome, glossy foliage and fragrant, starry-white, jasmine-like flowers. Ornamental and edible, scarlet to crimson oval fruits are produced after flowering. Carissas are attractive, ornamental shrubs and make excellent hedges. This species is only occasionally tree-like (up to 5 m) and is more often a dense bush or rambling shrub in wooded spots or scrub. It is evergreen and twiggy, the branches exhibiting a repeated forked pattern. The plants contain a milky sap and the branches are often hairy. Spines are once- or twice-forked, rarely single, and are sometimes even absent. Leaves are opposite, simple, shortly petiolate, ovate, broadly ovate or ovate-elliptic, with a smooth margin, glossy dark green above, paler below, with short, thorn-like tips (heart-shaped tapering to a sharp point). The whole fruit, including the seed, is edible and although the skin is slightly milky, it has a delicious flavour. It is not uncommon to find fruit and flowers on the same plant. Plants produce attractive flowers that may attract birds, insects (especially butterflies) and even monkeys to your garden. Traditionally, the plants are not only used for the edible fruit but the berries are also used to make jams and jellies. The indigenous people even use the roots to treat toothache. Carissa bispinosa is also used in an annual Swazi ceremony, increasing the courage and ferocity of a black bull when Swazi warriors have to be tested by killing the bull with their bare hands.