Life Span
Annual and Perennial
Perennial
Type
Broadleaf Evergreen
Vegetable
Origin
North America, Europe, Asia
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
Andromeda polifolia var. polifolia, Andromeda polifolia var. glaucophylla
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Number of Varieties
25
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Bog Garden, Fens, Swamps
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
USDA Hardiness Zone
2-6-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
12*7
Sunset Zone
-
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
Cushion/Mound-forming
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
33.00 cm2.40 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
46.00 cm24.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Pink, Light Pink
Red, Green, Orange Red
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
White, Ivory
Leaf Color in Spring
Gray Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Gray Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Gray Green
Purple, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Gray Green
Purple, Gray Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Long Linear
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Slow
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not let dry out between waterings, Keep ground moist
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
In Summer
Average Water, Ample Water
Average Water
In Spring
Ample Water
Moderate
In Winter
Not so frequently
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Prune for size control, Remove short twigs
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
fertilize in spring
Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
-
Aphids
Plant Tolerance
-
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Fine
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
pollinators
-
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
-
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Part of Plant Used
Flowers
Leaves
Other Uses
As a tea substitute
Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bog Garden, Container, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
ANDROMEDA polifolia
BASELLA alba
Common Name
Bog Rosemary
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
In Hindi
Bog Rosemary
पोई
In German
Rosmarinheide
Malabarspinat
In French
Andromeda polifolia
L’épinard de Malabar
In Spanish
Andromeda polifolia
espinaca de Malabar
In Greek
Bog Rosemary
Malabar Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
Bog Rosemary
Malabar espinafre
In Polish
Modrzewnica zwyczajna
Szpinak Malabar
In Latin
Bog Rosemary
Spinach Malabar
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Eudicotyledones
Order
Ericales
Caryophyllales
Family
Ericaceae
Basellaceae
Genus
Andromeda
Basella
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Vaccinioideae
-
Number of Species
260
1
27800
👆🏻