Carissa is a popular first name for girls. It means grace. It is of Greek origin. It is a simplified version of Charissa which in turn comes from the name Charis. It has many variant spellings and forms like Carisa, Caresa, Karissa, Kharissa and Carrisa. In the US Census carried out in 1993 it ranked 953 out of 4275 names in the survey carried out amongst females of all ages with regards to their first names. It is also a rather rare surname.
Carissa is also a genus consisting of around thirty different types of shrubs and tiny trees which are found in Asia and Africa. This species typically grows to a height of 3 to ten metres. They have branches with spines. Their leaves are oblong and waxy. They perennially produce flowers which have a fragrance very similar to the Gardenia. Because of their potentially dangerous thorns these plants are generally grown on hedges surrounding property to keep out trespassers.
Carissa is also a genus consisting of around thirty different types of shrubs and tiny trees which are found in Asia and Africa. This species typically grows to a height of 3 to ten metres. They have branches with spines. Their leaves are oblong and waxy. They perennially produce flowers which have a fragrance very similar to the Gardenia. Because of their potentially dangerous thorns these plants are generally grown on hedges surrounding property to keep out trespassers.
