Plant Name: Carissa carandas

Common name: Karanda

Marathi:              Karvand

Hindi:                   Karonda

English:                                Christ Thorn, Karanda

Identification guide

Sap

White milky sap is observed with a slight twist or twining of the stem and leaves

Stems

Bark is yellowish- brown in colour. Its branches spread forming dense masses with thorns. 

Leaves

Dark green, leathery, shiny and opposite. Leaf type is simple, oblong in shape, obtuse apex and acute to cuneate base with an entire margin.

Flowers               

White flowers with red rose stalk

Fruits

They form a cluster of ellipsoid berries; young fruits are green coloured with red ting and turn purplish to black when matured.

Habit / Habitat

It is a hardy evergreen spiny shrub

The plant is grown wild and thrives on the poorest and rockiest soil in India. It requires moist, fertile, and well-drained soil for higher fruit production2.

Occurrence

1) Karanda is native and commonly found in India, Myanmar, Srilanka, Burma, Malacca and arid regions of Ceylon. It has been introduced in as a hedge and for its fruits in many countries like Java and often grown in Thailand, South Vietnam, and East Africa.

Edible parts

World wide use

Fruits

Used by tribal community in Jawhar

Fruits

Method of consumption

Jawhar tribal

Ripen fruits are directly consumed.

Young fruits are pickled

Other Recipe

Karonda (Natal Plum or Corinda) Pickle - Karonda Aachar

Ingredients

1. 250 gm. karonda fruits
2. 1 tsp. chilli powder
3. 1 tsp. turmeric powder
4. 1/2 tsp. kalonji, Kalaunji or nigella seeds (Nigella sativa)
5. 60 gm. Salt
6. 50 gm. green chillies
7. 1 tbsp. large Saunf or fennel seeds, ground
8. 25 gm crushed rai or mustard seeds (smaller variety is used in pickles)
9. 1/2 cup mustard oil, heated until smoking and then cooled
10. 1/2 tsp. garam masala (optional as it will darken the colour of pickle)

Instructions

1. Wash fruits and dry completely.
2. Slit into half, lengthways to remove seeds.
3. Slice the green chillies in pieces.
4. Place halved karondas and green chillies in a bowl and add everything else to them. Mix well and fill the jars.
5. Allow to stand on a sunny window sill for a week.
6. Adjust seasoning (salt/chillies) and eat with Plain Paratha

Nutritional and medicinal information

Nutritive Significance

Nutrition Facts of Karonda fruits

Sr. No.                  Parameters                        Value*

1                              Energry(Ecals)                   42

2                              Moisture(gm)                    91

3                              Protein(gm)                       1

4                              Fat(gm)                                                3

5                              Mineral(gm)                       1

6                              Fibre(gm)                            1

7                              Carbohydrates(gm)        3

8                              Phosphorous(mg)           28

9                              Iron(mg                                               

10                           Calcium(mg)                       21

11                           Vitamin A                            1619IU

12                           Ascorbic Acid                     9-11mg

Pharmaceutical significance

Literature review

Methanolic extract of the bark of the karonda was evaluated for its anti-pyretic activity, acute toxicity, Gastrointestinal mortality, neuro-pharmacological and anti- nociceptive (a sensory neuron that initiates pain) activities. The extract showed significant effects on most of the activities expect acute toxicity, hence claims to justify its use in folkloric remedies in Bangladesh .

The unripe fruit of karonda was studied for its anti-diabetic

Harvesting and preserving

Plants take about 3 years to come into bearing from seed, 1 - 3 years from cuttings

Propagation and Storage

Season of collection

Flower

during March

Fruits

mid-May to mid-July

How to grow it?

Propagation is through seeds. In wild, birds are the major source of dispersion of seeds.

Method of storage

Propagule

Seeds are stored in cool temperature.

Edible parts

Mature raw fruits could be store for over two weeks, whereas, freshly picked ripe fruits cannot be stored more than 3-4 days2.

Other uses

Matured fruits are harvested for use in tarts, pudding, and jellies

Leaves are fodder for tussar silk worm and stems and wood is used as hedge and for fuel

Classification

Kingdom:            Plantae

Division:              Spermatophyta

Sub-division:     Angiospermae

Class:                    Dicotyledonae

Sub-class:            Gamopetalae

Series:                  Bicarpellatae

Order:                   Gentianales

Family:                 Apocynaceae

Genus:                 Carissa

Species:               carandas

References

1. http://indiabiodiversity.org/species/show/32472/?max=8&offset=0&classification=265799&taxon=30404&view=grid
2. https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/karanda.html#Description
3. http://www.mamtaskitchen.com/recipe_display.php?id=10602
4. http://www.fruitsinfo.com/karonda-fruit.php
5. http://www.ijppsjournal.com/Vol6Issue6/9417.pdf