NUM-NUM

(Carissa bispinosa)

A fruit of num-num

Family: Apocynaceae

Common name: Noemnoem.

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Num-num is a native of Africa.  It bears small red fruits which are relished by local people. 

It is found in South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Zimbabwe and Mozambique extending westwards to Botswana and Namibia and sporadically further north as far as Kenya.

Description:

Num-num is more often a dense bush or rambling shrub in wooded spots or scrub but occasionally it can also attain a height of a small tree growing upto 5 m.  It is evergreen and twiggy, the branches exhibiting a repeated forked pattern. The plants contain a milky sap and the branches are often hairy. Spines are once- or twice-forked, rarely single, and are sometimes even absent.

Biforked spines of a num-num plant

Leaves are opposite, simple, shortly petiolate, ovate, broadly ovate or ovate-elliptic, with a smooth margin, glossy dark green above, paler below, with short, thorn-like tips (heart-shaped tapering to a sharp point).

Flowers are small, white or tinged pink, with a long, slender corolla tube, sweetly scented and clustered at the tips of twigs. Fruit are small, ovoid, edible, red berries.

The whole fruit, including the seed, is edible and although the skin is slightly milky, it has a delicious flavour. It is not uncommon to find fruit and flowers on the same plant.

Utilization:

Num-num fruits are eaten by local people.  The fruits are also processed at home scale to make jams and jellies.

The indigenous people use the roots to treat toothache.  Num-num is also used in an annual Swazi ceremony, increasing the courage and ferocity of a black bull when Swazi warriors have to be tested by killing the bull with their bare hands.

Cultivation:

Num-num is propagated by seed.  It is a fast-growing shrub and is cultivated extensively. Plants are also easily available from local nurseries countrywide.  

Num-num should be planted in light, well-drained soil with the addition of plenty of compost.  Plants should be spaced approximately a metre apart. to form an impenetrable hedge-they are well armed with thorns. They can also be used as ornamental plants in an informal border.  The plant can be lightly pruned to keep it neat. It can easily be cultivated from seed.

These plants are of decorative value because of the contrast in leaves, flowers and fruit. The shining green leaves complemented by either bright red fruit or shimmering white flowers and a pleasant scent will be a welcome addition to any garden.

INPUT FROM

Stoffel Petrus Bester
National Herbarium, Pretoria

South Africa