Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Epiphyte
Vegetable
Origin
Southeastern United States, Latin America and the Caribbean, Caribbean, Central America, South America
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
-
Basella rubra, L.Basella oleracea, Landw.Basella lucida, L.Basella japonica, Burm.f.Basella cordifolia,
Number of Varieties
310
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Swamps
gardens
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-13-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-7
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 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
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.50 cm2.40 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.60 cm20.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Burgundy, Dark Red, Light Green, Violet, Dark Salmon
White, Pink, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Multi-Color
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Purple, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Green, Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Long Linear
Round
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Slow
Fast
Type of Soil
-
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Slightly Acidic
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall, Late Fall
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Bulbs, By dividing rhizomes, tubers, Divison
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, 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
Neutral, Slightly Acidic
Neutral
Soil Type
-
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Requires very little pruning
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Insects, Mites
Plant Tolerance
Drought
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
Coarse
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, pollinators
-
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Bouquets, Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Cancer, Eye Problems
Astringent
Part of Plant Used
Bulbs, Flowers, Leaves
Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
Culinary use, Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Mixed Border
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
PROSTHECHEA cochleata
BASELLA alba
Common Name
Clamshell Orchid, Cockleshell Orchid, Black Orchid
Ceylon Spinach, Indian Spinach, Malabar Spinach
In Hindi
Clamshell Orchid
भारतीय पालक
In German
Clamshell Orchid
Indian Spinat
In French
Clamshell Orchid
épinards indienne
In Spanish
Clamshell Orchid
espinaca india
In Greek
Encyclia Cochleata
Ινδικό Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
Clamshell Orchid
espinafre indiano
In Polish
Clamshell Orchid
Indyjski szpinak
In Latin
Clamshell Orchid
Spinach Indian
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
-
Class
Liliopsida
-
Order
Orchidales
Caryophyllales
Family
Orchidaceae
Basellaceae
Genus
Prosthechea
Basella
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
Epidendreae
-
Subfamily
Epidendroideae
-
Number of Species
505
1
27800
👆🏻