Overview
Boxwood Beauty Carissa is a compact evergreen shrub with small glossy leaves and crisp white star-shaped flowers. Its dense habit gives South Tampa beds a polished boxwood-like look with better heat and salt tolerance.
Mature Size and Habit
It develops into a rounded shrub about 2 to 3 feet tall and wide. The compact branching responds well to light shaping but usually needs less pruning than larger Carissa selections.
Best Landscape Uses
Use it for low hedges, foundation borders, driveway islands, coastal beds, and formal accents. Keep enough spacing for airflow and easy access to windows and utilities.
Sunlight
Full sun produces the densest form and strongest flowering. Partial sun works well, but deep shade reduces blooms and opens the center.
Soil, Drainage, and Irrigation
Plant in well-drained soil and irrigate deeply during establishment. Once rooted, allow the soil surface to dry between waterings because saturated conditions cause root decline.
Best Planting Season for Tampa and Central Florida
Fall through early spring provides mild establishment weather in Tampa. Warm-season planting also works when irrigation is dependable and the root zone is checked frequently.
Pruning and Maintenance
Shape lightly after growth flushes and remove damaged stems with gloves. Monitor for scale, mites, fungal spotting, and nutrient stress in high-pH soils.
Wildlife Value
The white flowers attract bees and other pollinators. This nonnative shrub provides limited host-plant value, so mix it with Florida-native species where space permits.
Cold and Heat Sensitivity
It tolerates South Tampa heat, coastal exposure, and short droughts. Hard freezes can burn leaves and stems, especially on newly installed plants.
Safety, Roots, and Placement Warnings
Milky sap can irritate skin and eyes, and fruits should not be treated as edible unless correctly identified and fully ripe. Keep trimmings away from children and pets.
Invasive Concerns
Boxwood Beauty Carissa is nonnative and generally manageable in maintained beds. Remove unwanted seedlings and dispose of fruit and cuttings responsibly.
Helpful Resources
For site-specific guidance, review current UF/IFAS Florida-Friendly Landscaping recommendations and confirm local placement, irrigation, and maintenance requirements before installation.