Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Vegetable
Origin
North America, United States, North-Central United States, Central United States, Canada
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
Blue False Indigo
White False Indigo
Basella rubra, L.Basella oleracea, Landw.Basella lucida, L.Basella japonica, Burm.f.Basella cordifolia,
Number of Varieties
210
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
gardens, Grassland, Warmer regions
gardens
USDA Hardiness Zone
2-8-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
8-1
12-7
Sunset Zone
A1, A2, A3, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
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
Plant Size
Minimum Height
60.00 cm2.40 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
120.00 cm20.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple
White, Pink, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Light Green
Purple, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green, Gray Green, Gray
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green, Gray Green, Gray
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Light Green, Gray Green, Gray
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Green, Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Round
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
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, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, 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
Fine
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
-
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Astringent
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
Culinary use, Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
AMORPHA canescens
BASELLA alba
Common Name
False Indigo
Ceylon Spinach, Indian Spinach, Malabar Spinach
In Hindi
इंडिगो
भारतीय पालक
In German
falsches Indigo
Indian Spinat
In French
faux Indigo
épinards indienne
In Spanish
Falso Indigo
espinaca india
In Greek
Λάθος Indigo
Ινδικό Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
false Indigo
espinafre indiano
In Polish
fałsz Indigo
Indyjski szpinak
In Latin
falsum indicum
Spinach Indian
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
-
Class
-
-
Order
Fabales
Caryophyllales
Family
Fabaceae
Basellaceae
Genus
Amorpha
Basella
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
215
1
27800
👆🏻