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About African Iris and Indian Spinach


About Indian Spinach and African Iris


What is

Life Span
Perennial  
Perennial  

Type
Tender Perennial  
Vegetable  

Origin
Southern Africa  
Southeastern Asia, India  

Types
Perennial  
Basella rubra, L.Basella oleracea, Landw.Basella lucida, L.Basella japonica, Burm.f.Basella cordifolia,  

Number of Varieties
50  
99+
10  
99+

Habitat
Desert, Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Temperate Regions  
gardens  

USDA Hardiness Zone
8-10  
-9999  

AHS Heat Zone
10-8  
12-7  

Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24  
H1, H2, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24  

Habit
Clump-Forming  
Vining/Climbing  

Information

Plant Size
  
  

Minimum Height
61.30 cm  
99+
2.40 cm  
99+

Minimum Width
30.50 cm  
99+
20.00 cm  

Plant Color
  
  

Flower Color
Yellow, Light Yellow, Brown  
White, Pink, Light Pink  

Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor  
Bicolor  

Fruit Color
Green, Brown  
Purple, Black  

Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Gray Green  
Green, Light Green  

Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Gray Green  
Green, Dark Green  

Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Gray Green  
Green, Dark Green  

Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green  
Green, Dark Green  

Shape
  
  

Leaf Shape
Grass like  
Round  

Thorns
No  
No  

Season

Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter  
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter  

Growing Conditions
  
  

Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade  
Full Sun, Partial Sun  

Growth Rate
Medium  
Fast  

Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand  
Clay, Loam  

The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline  
Neutral  

Soil Drainage
Average  
Well drained  

Bloom Time
Indeterminate  
Indeterminate  

Repeat Bloomer
Yes  
Yes  

Tolerances
Drought  
Drought  

Care

Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot  
Ground, Pot  

How to Plant?
Rhizome division, Seedlings  
Seedlings  

Plant Maintenance
Medium  
Medium  

Watering Plants
  
  

Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering  
Keep ground moist, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water less during winter  

In Summer
Lots of watering  
Lots of watering  

In Spring
Moderate  
Moderate  

In Winter
Average Water  
Average Water  

Soil
  
  

Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline  
Neutral  

Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand  
Clay, Loam  

Soil Drainage Capacity
Average  
Well drained  

Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade  
Full Sun, Partial Sun  

Pruning
Remove dead leaves  
Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Requires very little pruning  

Fertilizers
Any balanced general purpose fertilizer  
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer  

Pests and Diseases
Nematodes, Scale  
Insects, Mites  

Plant Tolerance
Drought  
Drought  

Facts

Flowers
Showy  
Showy  

Flower Petal Number
Single  
Single  

Fruits
  
  

Showy Fruit
No  
Yes  

Edible Fruit
No  
-  

Fragrance
  
  

Fragrant Flower
No  
No  

Fragrant Fruit
No  
No  

Fragrant Leaf
No  
No  

Fragrant Bark/Stem
No  
No  

Showy Foliage
No  
Yes  

Showy Bark
No  
No  

Foliage Texture
Medium  
Medium  

Foliage Sheen
Matte  
Glossy  

Evergreen
No  
No  

Invasive
No  
Sometimes  

Self-Sowing
Yes  
Yes  

Attracts
Bees, Birds, Butterflies  
-  

Allergy
Skin irritation  
-  

Benefits

Uses
  
  

Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes  
-  

Beauty Benefits
-  
-  

Edible Uses
No  
Yes  

Environmental Uses
Ethnobotanic  
Air purification  

Plant Benefits
  
  

Medicinal Uses
-  
Astringent  

Part of Plant Used
Root  
Fruits, Leaves  

Other Uses
Roots were worn to protect and strengthen the wearer, Used as Ornamental plant  
Culinary use, Used As Food  

Used As Indoor Plant
No  
No  

Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes  
Yes  

Garden Design
Bog Garden, Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Tropical, Water Gardens  
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine  

Scientific Name

Botanical Name
DIETES bicolor  
BASELLA alba  

Common Name
African iris, Fortnight lily  
Ceylon Spinach, Indian Spinach, Malabar Spinach  

In Hindi
African Iris  
भारतीय पालक  

In German
Afrikanische Iris  
Indian Spinat  

In French
African Iris  
épinards indienne  

In Spanish
Iris africano  
espinaca india  

In Greek
Αφρικανική Iris  
Ινδικό Σπανάκι  

In Portuguese
Iris africano  
espinafre indiano  

In Polish
Afryki Iris  
Indyjski szpinak  

In Latin
African Iris  
Spinach Indian  

Classification

Kingdom
Plantae  
Plantae  

Phylum
Magnoliophyta  
-  

Class
Magnoliopsida  
-  

Order
Asparagales  
Caryophyllales  

Family
Iridaceae  
Basellaceae  

Genus
Dietes  
Basella  

Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots  
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots  

Tribe
Irideae  
-  

Subfamily
Iridoideae  
-  

Number of Species
300  
99+
5  
99+

Summary >>
<< Classification

Properties of African Iris and Indian Spinach

Wondering what are the properties of African Iris and Indian Spinach? We provide you with everything About African Iris and Indian Spinach. African Iris doesn't have thorns and Indian Spinach doesn't have thorns. Also African Iris does not have fragrant flowers. African Iris has allergic reactions like Skin irritation and Indian Spinach has allergic reactions like Skin irritation. Compare all the properties and characteristics of these two plants. Find out which of these plant can be used as indoor plant. If you are interested to decorate your house and garden, find out aesthetic uses, compare them and select the plant which will beautify your surrounding. Along with beautification, try comparing medicinal and edible uses of African Iris and Indian Spinach and you can choose the plant having best and most benefits.

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Season and Care of African Iris and Indian Spinach

Season and care of African Iris and Indian Spinach is important to know. While considering everything about African Iris and Indian Spinach Care, growing season is an essential factor. African Iris season is Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter and Indian Spinach season is Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. The type of soil for African Iris is Clay, Loam, Sand and for Indian Spinach is Clay, Loam while the PH of soil for African Iris is Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline and for Indian Spinach is Neutral.

African Iris and Indian Spinach Physical Information

African Iris and Indian Spinach physical information is very important for comparison. African Iris height is 61.30 cm and width 30.50 cm whereas Indian Spinach height is 2.40 cm and width 20.00 cm. The color specification of African Iris and Indian Spinach are as follows:

Care of African Iris and Indian Spinach

Care of African Iris and Indian Spinach include pruning, fertilizers, watering etc. African Iris pruning is done Remove dead leaves and Indian Spinach pruning is done Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts and Requires very little pruning. In summer African Iris needs Lots of watering and in winter, it needs Average Water. Whereas, in summer Indian Spinach needs Lots of watering and in winter, it needs Average Water.

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