CAT-00143
Conkerberry
Carissa spinarum
Catalog fields
- Genus
- Carissa
- Photo
- Not recorded
- Edible
- Yes
- layout
- single
- Habitat
- Not recorded
- Published
- Yes
- Food group
- Fruit
- Latin name
- Carissa spinarum
- Fruit photo
- Not recorded
- Plant title
- Conkerberry
- Source URLs
- https://pza.sanbi.org/carissa-spinarum; https://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?lvl=sp&name=Carissa~spinarum&page=nswfl Open source ↗ Open source 2 ↗
- Catalogue ID
- CAT-00143
- Mature width
- Not confirmed; allow spread appropriate to growth habit
- Native range
- Australian tropical/subtropical and inland habitats; also occurs beyond Australia.
- Plant family
- Apocynaceae
- Supplier SKU
- Not recorded
- Listing group
- Regional / traditional food plant
- Mature height
- Up to 4 m
- Native states
- NSW, NT, QLD, WA
- Original list
- No
- Research date
- 10/10/2026
- Research notes
- Profile enriched from botanical/nursery sources. Dimensions are unpruned regional estimates where available; missing measurements remain explicit. Seasons are regional guides and vary with climate, location, cultivar and plant maturity. Drought and cultivation guidance are qualitative garden inferences, not measured ratings.
- Evidence status
- Published food use; preparation detail review pending
- Fruiting season
- After flowering.
- Background photo
- Not recorded
- Edible component
- Fully ripe fruit flesh
- Flowering season
- Summer in NSW flora.
- Brief description
- Spiny glossy-leaved shrub or scrambling climber with fragrant white flowers.
- Drought tolerance
- Moderate to high once established.
- Preparation notes
- Use only correctly identified fully ripe fruit; other plant parts are not the food component.
- Flower description
- Fragrant white flowers with a tubular base and spreading star-like lobes.
- General cultivation
- General guidance (qualitative): Promising warm sunny site; keep spines away from paths and confirm ripe food part.
- Botanical description
- Not recorded
- Other botanical names
- Not recorded
- Attracts birds and bugs
- Native bees and insects visit flowers; canopy shelters birds.
- Flora of Australia profile
- Not recorded
- Fruit type and description
- Purple-black berry around 12-18 mm, usually with one seed; use ripe fruit only.
- Flora of Australia citation
- Not recorded
- Flora of Australia retrieved
- Not recorded