Natal plums or Carissa macrocarpa. The crimson fruits, peeping from the hedge plants attracted my attention. I picked a few just for fun. Little did i know, these brilliant colored fruits are edible. Unlike other fruits of Apocyanaceae family, this one is safe to eat, of course when fully ripe.
I learnt that the latex, secreting from the pulp are undesirable, so I often washed it, before enjoying them. The fruits tasted okay, though I won't rate it delicious.The sweet-tart taste is fine with me but the characteristic aroma repels me. However, this shrub motivated me to compile a review paper on it, which I have just communicated to a journal. It was nice discovering this possible food plant. One species of this genus, Carissa carandas is even used for making palatable pickle in India.
Fruits look like baubles on a Christmas tree...........
Seen them grown as street-side plants in Orange and San Diego county.......
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