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About Echinocactus and Indian Spinach


About Indian Spinach and Echinocactus


What is

Life Span
Perennial  
Perennial  

Type
Cactus or Succulent  
Vegetable  

Origin
North America, Southwestern United States, Mexico  
Southeastern Asia, India  

Types
Echinocactus parryi, Echinocactus texensis  
Basella rubra, L.Basella oleracea, Landw.Basella lucida, L.Basella japonica, Burm.f.Basella cordifolia,  

Number of Varieties
50  
99+
10  
99+

Habitat
Desert, Gravels, Sandy areas  
gardens  

USDA Hardiness Zone
9-15  
-9999  

AHS Heat Zone
12-10  
12-7  

Sunset Zone
12, 13, 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
Oval or Rounded  
Vining/Climbing  

Information

Plant Size
  
  

Minimum Height
30.00 cm  
99+
2.40 cm  
99+

Minimum Width
30.00 cm  
99+
20.00 cm  

Plant Color
  
  

Flower Color
Yellow, Magenta  
White, Pink, Light Pink  

Flower Color Modifier
-  
Bicolor  

Fruit Color
Yellow  
Purple, Black  

Leaf Color in Spring
-  
Green, Light Green  

Leaf Color in Summer
-  
Green, Dark Green  

Leaf Color in Fall
-  
Green, Dark Green  

Leaf Color in Winter
-  
Green, Dark Green  

Shape
  
  

Leaf Shape
Succulent  
Round  

Thorns
Yes  
No  

Season

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

Growing Conditions
  
  

Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun  
Full Sun, Partial Sun  

Growth Rate
Slow  
Fast  

Type of Soil
Loam, Sand  
Clay, Loam  

The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline  
Neutral  

Soil Drainage
Well drained  
Well drained  

Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer  
Indeterminate  

Repeat Bloomer
No  
Yes  

Tolerances
Drought, Heat Tolerance, Shade areas  
Drought  

Care

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

How to Plant?
Seedlings  
Seedlings  

Plant Maintenance
Low  
Medium  

Watering Plants
  
  

Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Requires watering in the growing season, Water when top layer of soil becomes dry  
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
Loam, Sand  
Clay, Loam  

Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained  
Well drained  

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

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

Fertilizers
fertilize in summer, Potassium  
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer  

Pests and Diseases
Mealybugs, Spider mites  
Insects, Mites  

Plant Tolerance
Drought, Full Sun, Heat Tolerance, Shade areas  
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
Bold  
Medium  

Foliage Sheen
-  
Glossy  

Evergreen
No  
No  

Invasive
No  
Sometimes  

Self-Sowing
No  
Yes  

Attracts
Insects, Mealybugs, Spider Mites  
-  

Allergy
Skin cuts  
-  

Benefits

Uses
  
  

Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes  
-  

Beauty Benefits
-  
-  

Edible Uses
No  
Yes  

Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for insects, Very little waste  
Air purification  

Plant Benefits
  
  

Medicinal Uses
-  
Astringent  

Part of Plant Used
Whole plant  
Fruits, Leaves  

Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant  
Culinary use, Used As Food  

Used As Indoor Plant
Yes  
No  

Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes  
Yes  

Garden Design
Container, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall  
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine  

Scientific Name

Botanical Name
ECHINOCACTUS  
BASELLA alba  

Common Name
Golden barrel cactus, Golden ball  
Ceylon Spinach, Indian Spinach, Malabar Spinach  

In Hindi
echinocactus  
भारतीय पालक  

In German
echinocactus  
Indian Spinat  

In French
echinocactus  
épinards indienne  

In Spanish
echinocactus  
espinaca india  

In Greek
Echinocactus  
Ινδικό Σπανάκι  

In Portuguese
Echinocactus  
espinafre indiano  

In Polish
Echinocactus  
Indyjski szpinak  

In Latin
Echinocactus  
Spinach Indian  

Classification

Kingdom
Plantae  
Plantae  

Phylum
Tracheophyta  
-  

Class
Magnoliopsida  
-  

Order
Caryophyllales  
Caryophyllales  

Family
Cactaceae  
Basellaceae  

Genus
Echinocactus  
Basella  

Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots  
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots  

Tribe
Cacteae  
-  

Subfamily
Cactoideae  
-  

Number of Species
11  
99+
5  
99+

Summary >>
<< Classification

Properties of Echinocactus and Indian Spinach

Wondering what are the properties of Echinocactus and Indian Spinach? We provide you with everything About Echinocactus and Indian Spinach. Echinocactus has thorns and Indian Spinach doesn't have thorns. Also Echinocactus does not have fragrant flowers. Echinocactus has allergic reactions like Skin cuts and Indian Spinach has allergic reactions like Skin cuts. 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 Echinocactus and Indian Spinach and you can choose the plant having best and most benefits.

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Season and Care of Echinocactus and Indian Spinach

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

Echinocactus and Indian Spinach Physical Information

Echinocactus and Indian Spinach physical information is very important for comparison. Echinocactus height is 30.00 cm and width 30.00 cm whereas Indian Spinach height is 2.40 cm and width 20.00 cm. The color specification of Echinocactus and Indian Spinach are as follows:

Care of Echinocactus and Indian Spinach

Care of Echinocactus and Indian Spinach include pruning, fertilizers, watering etc. Echinocactus pruning is done Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves and Remove dead or diseased plant parts and Indian Spinach pruning is done Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts and Requires very little pruning. In summer Echinocactus 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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