Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Vegetable
Origin
North America, Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean, Caribbean, Central America, South America
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
Cryptanthus 'Absolute Zero'
Cryptanthus 'Agate'
Cryptanthus 'Alberta'
Cryptanthus 'Alpine Frost'
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Habitat
Lowland evergreen rainforest, Rainforest, Shaded sites, Wild
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
USDA Hardiness Zone
-9999
-9999
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
Flower Color
-
Red, Green, Orange Red
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
White, Ivory
Leaf Color in Spring
-
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
-
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
-
Purple, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Purple, Gray Green
Leaf Shape
Linear
Heart-shaped
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
-
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Type of Soil
-
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage
-
Well drained
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do not water excessively, Keep the Soil well drained
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
In Summer
Lots of watering
Average Water
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil Drainage Capacity
-
Well drained
Sun Exposure
-
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Pinch or prune as they grow to promote branching and bushiness, Pinching, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Does not require fertilizer once established
Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Pests and diseases free, Red blotch
Aphids
Plant Tolerance
Variety of soil types
Drought
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Attracts
Ladybug beetles, Mealybugs, Scale Insects
-
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Borders, Decorating walls, Ground Cover
-
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Medicinal Uses
-
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Part of Plant Used
-
Leaves
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant, useful as a ground cover
Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
Yes
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
-
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
CRYPTANTHUS
BASELLA alba
Common Name
Cryptanthus, Earth Star
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
In German
Erdstern
Malabarspinat
In French
Terre étoile
L’épinard de Malabar
In Spanish
estrella de la tierra
espinaca de Malabar
In Greek
γη αστεριών
Malabar Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
Estrela da terra
Malabar espinafre
In Polish
Gwiazda ziemi
Szpinak Malabar
In Latin
terra, stella
Spinach Malabar
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Eudicotyledones
Order
Bromeliales
Caryophyllales
Family
Bromeliaceae
Basellaceae
Genus
Cryptanthus
Basella
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Subfamily
Bromelioideae
-
Season and Care of Earth Star and Malabar Spinach
Season and care of Earth Star and Malabar Spinach is important to know. While considering everything about Earth Star and Malabar Spinach Care, growing season is an essential factor. Earth Star season is Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter and Malabar Spinach season is Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. The type of soil for Earth Star is and for Malabar Spinach is Clay, Loam while the PH of soil for Earth Star is and for Malabar Spinach is Neutral.
Earth Star and Malabar Spinach Physical Information
Earth Star and Malabar Spinach physical information is very important for comparison. Earth Star height is 20.00 cm and width 15.00 cm whereas Malabar Spinach height is 2.40 cm and width 24.00 cm. The color specification of Earth Star and Malabar Spinach are as follows:
Care of Earth Star and Malabar Spinach
Care of Earth Star and Malabar Spinach include pruning, fertilizers, watering etc. Earth Star pruning is done Pinch or prune as they grow to promote branching and bushiness, Pinching, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches and Remove dead leaves and Malabar Spinach pruning is done Remove damaged leaves and Remove dead leaves. In summer Earth Star needs Lots of watering and in winter, it needs Average Water. Whereas, in summer Malabar Spinach needs Average Water and in winter, it needs Average Water.