Climbing Num Num

Climbing Num Num (Carissa edulis) is a dense, thorny plant with shiny dark-green foliage and large numbers of fragrant white/pink, jasmine-like flowers. They grow in warm woodland areas or scrub mainly in the Zambezi Region (formerly the Caprivi Strip) and Okavango Delta, north-eastern Kalahari Desert and along the Kavango River as far west as Rundu.

Grey Louries, Black-collared and Crested Barbets, Parrots and Glossy Starling all eat the fruits. Monkeys and baboons also eat the fruits and many species of moth larvae feed on the leaves. The tasty fruits can be made to make fruits and jellies or a home-made wine or vinegar.

Flowers bloom in the springtime and this plant is frost hardy, requires a moderate amount of water and plenty of sunshine.