Karonda
Carissa carandas
Tart pink berries for pickle and jam on a thorny hedge; a classic Indian living fence.
Hardiness: zones 9 to 12
Light: full sun
Size: about 8 ft tall, 8 ft wide
Harvest: July to September
From: India
Here: Too tender to overwinter outdoors on the Lake Erie shore (zone 6b to 7a): grow it in a pot and bring it in, or treat it as an annual.
Good for: food, wildlife.
Native to: South & Southeast Asian tropics. Hardy in zones 9 to 12.
The story
Karonda has been planted as a living fence around Indian fields for centuries, its thorns stopping cattle and its tart fruit pickled, candied and cooked into chutney; the Bengali and Marathi names mean the same small, sharp berry.
Planting
Full sun, any drained soil, heat; it takes drought and light frost. Plant seed or a cutting, 3 feet apart for a hedge; thorny, to 10 feet.
Growing
Water the first year, then nothing. Clip as a hedge after fruiting. Very tough.
Harvest and use
Berries ripen pink-red in summer; sour fresh, excellent pickled, candied, or as jam and chutney.
What to watch for
Thorns; nothing else of note.
See if Karonda fits your yard
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More berries and small fruit
General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home