Bio Diversity Park

Common Name : Bengal Currant, Christ’s Thorn

Hindi Name : करौंदा | Scientific Name : Carissa carandas
Family : Apocynaceae
Uses : It is commonly used to make ledge for orchards. It has been found that the fruit is the richest source of iron, vitamin C and pectin. Even it is used as an ingredient in most of the edible preparations such as jam, jelly, squash and syrup. The demand of the plant has been increased tremendously in the market as it contains antiscorbutic property and found very beneficiary effect in the treatment of anaemia. It has been utilised in many ayurvedic preparations. Root extract is used in chest pain. The leaf extracts are used in the treatment of fever. The fruits are richest source of thiamine, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, biotin and folic acid. Fruits are used as additive in many pickles or as a spice in northern India. It is drought-resistant plant that can be grown in a wide range of different types of soils.
Native: India
General Description:

It is an evergreen thorny shrub. It has small berry-shaped fruits. Leaves are ovate, green colour with glossy appearance from above surface and dull green shade at below surface. Stems have appearance of greenish-white bark on young shoots and greyish-brown bark on matured stems. The spines are erect with 1–3cm long; flowers are white in colour, clusters in 2–5 flowers, scented, seen in February to June and corymbose cymes; fruit are globose berry, slightly acidic in taste when fully ripened, appears from March to August and get ripened in the month of May–December.