Bengal currant
Carissa congesta

Family: Apocynaceae

What it is like

A shrub or small tree. It grows to 3-5 m tall. It can spread like a vine. It is thorny and prickly. The spines can be simple or forked and up to 5 cm long. It produces latex. The bark is pale brown or greyish and not very rough. The leaves are in opposite pairs. They taper at the base and are rounded at the tip. The tip has a tiny sharp point. Young leaves are red. The flowers are small and white. They are 3.5 cm across and tube shaped. They occur at the ends of the twigs. There are 5 pointy petals that overlap to the right. The fruit are pinkish or reddish-purple berries. They are 2.5 cm long. They have juicy acid pulp.

There about 20-37 Carissa species. All Carissa species bear edible fruit. They grow in the tropics and subtropics. Now Carissa spinarum.

Where it is found

A tropical and subtropical plant. Salt tolerance is high. In Nepal it grows to 1000 m altitude. It suits dry sunny places. In India they are common on dry, sandy or loamy soils in the plains and low hills. It is very hardy and drought tolerant. It cannot tolerate heavy rainfall or waterlogged soils.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, China, East Africa, East Timor, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Middle East, Myanmar, Nepal, Northeastern India, Pacific, Pakistan, Philippines, SE Asia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Vietnam

How it is used for food

Fruit can be eaten fresh or used for juice or jelly. The can be very sour but ripe fruit are sweet. They are used for puddings, pickles, jams or as cooked fruit. The unripe fruit are pickled.

The fruit are sold in markets in India. It is a cultivated food plant.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seed. Plants can be kept clipped into a shrub otherwise they will be a climbing creeper. Plants can be grown from cuttings. Plants are often grown as a hedge.

Plants grown from seed fruit is the third year. A plant can keep producing for 30 years. A plant produces 4-5 kg of fruit. Fruit mature 100-110 days after fruit set. The fruit become darker and softer on ripening. In southern India plants fruit in April to May.

Its other names

Local names

Avighna, Berenda, Caramba, Cay siro, Ci huang guo, Garchana kaayi, Kalakai, Kalakkay, Karamarda, Karamcha, Karanda, Karandan, Karande kaayi, Karaunda, Karaunte, Karekayi, Karonda, Karvanda, Karwand, Kerandang, Kerenda, Manaao ho, Naam daeng, Naam khee kaet, Nam-daeng, Perunkila, Senggaritan, Vaka, Wakay okachettu

Synonyms

Arduina carandas (Linnaeus) K. Schumann; Damna-canthus esquirolii H. Léveillé; Carissa carandas Linn.;