Apocynaceae family offers a great ambience with its ornamental climbers and flowers, but has little to offer on the edible platter, as most of its plant members exude toxic latex, and have leaves, flowers and fruits that are inedible and toxic to humans. In this pretty toxic family, one genera, Carissa, is kind enough to produce edible fruits for humans. However the fruits may be consumed raw only when fully ripe, and soft to touch. The unripe fruits of some species may be rich in latex and can be toxic.
Plants from the genus Carissa are salt tolerant, woody shrubs or small trees with spines on stems. They have simple, glossy, dark green leaves and strongly fragrant, tubular white flowers with 5 petals. The fruits are showy berries that mature to pinkish red and then deep purple in case of Carissa carandas (karonda) and deep crimson in case of Carissa macrocarpa (natal plum). The fruit tastes sour when it matures to the pinkish-red color but sourish-sweet when fully ripens to a deeper color. Raw fruit can be made into pickles, jam or jellies while ripe fruits are consumed as such or used as substitutes of cherries in baking etc..
The fruits of Carissa carandas commonly known as Karonda or Carandas Plum, is rich in iron, calcium, phosphorus and vitamins A and C.
Its fruit is used in Ayurveda, to treat digestion related problems, fresh and infected wounds, skin diseases, urinary disorders and diabetic ulcer, as well as biliousness, stomach pain, constipation, anemia, skin conditions, anorexia and insanity. Leaf decoction is used to treat fever, diarrhea, and earache. The roots serve as a stomachic, an anthelmintic medicine for itches and also as insect repellents.
The plant loves warm climate, is slightly drought tolerant and highly salt tolerant. So it is suitable to grow in coastal areas. It requires full sunlight and well drained soils for optimum growth. The spines on these plants make them suitable for fencing.
References:
