Desert Star

Desert Star (Carissa macrocarpa 'Desert Star') is a dwarf Natal plum bred to stay low and spread wide, reaching about 60cm high and a metre across. It holds thick glossy leaves that look watered when they have not been, carries fragrant white star flowers through the warm months, then small red plum shaped fruit. If you have a hot, dry, salty strip of garden that keeps defeating you, try this there.

Why you'll love it

• Genuinely low, not a shrub pretending. This selection sits around 60cm without shearing, unlike the standard Natal plum which climbs to 2m and needs constant cutting.
• Perfume from a groundcover. The white star flowers carry a jasmine like scent, strongest in the evening, which is rare in a plant this tough.
• Built for the coast. Salt tolerant, wind tolerant and drought tolerant, so exposed front line beds suit it.
• Edible fruit, and the birds know. Ripe fruit tastes something like a tart cranberry, though the birds usually get there first.
• It asks for very little. No feeding regime, no shaping, no irrigation once established.

Where it works best

Borders and edging. Plant 60cm apart along a path for a low even band of glossy foliage. Note the small forked spines on the stems, so keep it a hand's width back from where people brush past.

Mass planting and groundcover. The same 60cm spacing gives full coverage within two seasons, which suits a hot median strip or a bank nobody wants to maintain.

Coastal gardens and pots. Salt spray, sand and wind do not trouble it, and the spreading habit spills over the rim of a trough.

Growing Desert Star in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the densest growth and the most flower; part shade works but the plant grows loose and flowers sparsely. It suits tropical, subtropical, warm temperate, Mediterranean and arid to semi-arid gardens, from Perth and Adelaide to Sydney and inland districts. It tolerates light frost only, so Canberra, the tablelands and Tasmania are too cold.

Soil. Drainage matters far more than fertility. Sand, poor soil and rocky ground all suit it. Heavy clay that stays wet is the one thing it will not survive, so mound the bed or add coarse gravel and compost first.

Water and feed. Water twice a week through the first summer, then step back. Established plants need almost nothing outside a long drought, and a light spring feed is plenty.

Pruning and safety. Tip prune after the main flush, and wear gloves because of the spines. The ripe fruit is edible, but the leaves, stems and unripe fruit carry an irritant milky sap, so this is not the plant for a yard where a dog chews shrubs.

What to expect when it arrives

Available as tubes, 140mm and 200mm packs, and 300mm pots. Tubes and 140mm plants are the sensible economics for a long border, since you need a plant every 60cm and they close the gap by the second season. The larger sizes give a fuller look straight away.

Plants arrive compact and low rather than tall, which is right for this cultivar. Growth is slow to moderate, so expect gradual spread. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse other fragrant plants for warm gardens
• Pots and troughs for spreading groundcovers
• How to prepare a bed for a mass planting

Common questions

How many plants do I need per square metre?

At 60cm spacing, roughly three per square metre. Stagger the rows rather than lining them up and the coverage closes more evenly.

Does it have thorns?

Yes. It is a reduced form of Natal plum and keeps the small forked spines on its stems. They are not vicious, but reason enough to plant it back from a footpath.

Will it work as a hedge?

Only a very low one. At 60cm it makes a border or an edge, not a screen. For height, look at the taller forms of Natal plum.