توضیحات
Carissa macrocarpa is a shrub native to Southern Africa. It is commonly known as the Natal plum and, in South Africa, the large num-num. In Afrikaans the fruit is called noem-noem
Carissa macrocarpa deals well with salt-laden winds, making it a good choice for coastal areas. It is commonly found in the coastal bush of the Eastern Cape and Natal. It produces shiny, deep green leaves and snowy white flowers whose perfumed scent intensifies at night. Like other Carissa species, C. macrocarpa is a spiny, evergreen shrub containing latex. They bloom for months at a time. The ornamental plump, round, crimson fruit appears in summer and fall (autumn) at the same time as the blooms. In moderate, coastal areas the fruits appear through the year. The fruit can be eaten out of hand or made into pies, jams, jellies, and sauces. Some claim that other than the fruit, the plant is poisonous. However, this claim is a myth, possibly based on similarities to other plants with milky sap. The College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at University of California, Davis rates the plant as mildly toxic.
آلو ناتال میوه ای کمتر شناخته شده است که میوه ترش و آبداری دارد. این میوه غنی از ویتامین سی می باشد و به عنوان منبع غنی این ویتامین مورد استفاده قرار گرفته شده است. در انواع بستنی، شربت و ژله ها آلو ناتال قابل استفاده است. طعم میوه ترش است و در حالتی که کاملا رسیده و نرم شود شیرین میشود. با توجه به اینکه این گیاه در خانواده آپوکیناسه جای دارد تمام قسمت های گیاه مانند شاخه و برگ تا حدودی سمی هستند و فقط میوه های آن خوراکی هستند
