Karonda
Carissa opaca

Family: Apocynaceae

What it is like

A shrub. It grows 3.5 m high. It keeps its leaves throughout the year. There are spines about 3 cm long. They can be straight or divided. The young shoots have milky sap. The leaves are opposite and oval or rounded. They are 1.5 cm long by 2 cm wide. Usually flowers are in threes. The fruit is an oval berry. It is 6-8 mm long. It is dark purple when ripe. It is juicy and edible.

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

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in the drier parts of India and Pakistan. It grows up into the Himalayas to 2,000 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Himalayas, India, Myanmar, NW India, Pakistan, SE Asia, Sri Lanka

How it is used for food

The ripe fruit is eaten raw and also used for jams. The unripe fruit are used for pickles

The fruit are eaten especially by children.

Edible parts

Fruit, leaves, roots

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seed or cuttings.

In Jammu & Kashmir plants flower and fruit June to December.

Its other names

Local names

Gan, Garanda, Garna, Garnoin, Garnu, Karaunda, Karaunj, Karonda, Khirokoli

Synonyms

Carissa spinarum auct. non Linn.