Carissa Carandas, Koromcha, Karonda - 0.5 kg Seeds

Karonda (Carissa carandas), also called Koromcha, is a hardy, spiny evergreen shrub or small tree that bears clusters of small white, jasmine-scented flowers followed by glossy berries that ripen from pink to dark purple-black. Its dense, thorny habit and rich crop of tart fruit make it a dual-purpose plant for both protective hedging and harvest.

Native to India, it grows wild and is cultivated across the plains and lower hills, tolerating poor, dry and rocky soils with ease. The acidic fruit is widely used for pickles, chutneys, jams and cooling drinks, the plant is planted as a thorny live fence, and its roots, leaves and fruit feature in traditional medicine.

• Family: Apocynaceae
• Native region: India
• Mature height: 3-5 m
• Growth rate: Slow to moderate

Clean the pulp off ripe berries, then soak the seeds in water for about 24 hours before sowing them fresh, as viability falls quickly. Sow shallowly (about 1 cm) in seed trays or bags of well-drained mix kept warm and moist; germination is often slow and uneven, taking around 3-4 weeks. Grow the seedlings on in bags and transplant them out during the monsoon.