Life Span
Perennial
  
Perennial
  
Type
Flowering Plants
  
Vegetable
  
Origin
Southwestern United States, California
  
Southeastern Asia, India
  
Types
Not Available
  
Basella rubra, L.Basella oleracea, Landw.Basella lucida, L.Basella japonica, Burm.f.Basella cordifolia,
  
Number of Varieties
Not Available
  
Habitat
Dry areas, meadows
  
gardens
  
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-9
  
Not Available
  
AHS Heat Zone
9-1
  
12-7
  
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21
  
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 Width
Not Available
  
Plant Color
  
  
Flower Color
Crimson
  
White, Pink, Light Pink
  
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
  
Bicolor
  
Fruit Color
Not Available
  
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
Not Available
  
Green, Dark Green
  
Shape
  
  
Leaf Shape
Oblong
  
Round
  
Thorns
No
  
No
  
Plant Season
Summer
  
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
  
Growing Conditions
  
  
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
  
Full Sun, Partial Sun
  
Growth Rate
Fast
  
Fast
  
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
  
Clay, Loam
  
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
  
Neutral
  
Soil Drainage
Well drained
  
Well drained
  
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
  
Indeterminate
  
Repeat Bloomer
No
  
Yes
  
Tolerances
Not Available
  
Drought
  
Where to Plant?
Ground
  
Ground, Pot
  
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
  
Seedlings
  
Plant Maintenance
Medium
  
Medium
  
Watering Plants
  
  
Watering Requirements
Do Not over Water, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water when soil is 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
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
No pruning needed in the early stages, Prune to stimulate growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove deadheads
  
Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Requires very little pruning
  
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply 10-10-10 amount
  
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
  
Pests and Diseases
Insects
  
Insects, Mites
  
Plant Tolerance
Drought
  
Drought
  
Flowers
Showy
  
Showy
  
Flower Petal Number
Single
  
Single
  
Fruits
  
  
Showy Fruit
No
  
Yes
  
Edible Fruit
No
  
Not Available
  
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
Medium
  
Medium
  
Foliage Sheen
Matte
  
Glossy
  
Evergreen
No
  
No
  
Invasive
No
  
Sometimes
  
Self-Sowing
No
  
Yes
  
Attracts
Hummingbirds
  
Not Available
  
Allergy
Asthma
  
no allergic reactions
  
Uses
  
  
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
  
Not Used For Aesthetic Purpose
  
Beauty Benefits
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Edible Uses
No
  
Yes
  
Environmental Uses
Air purification
  
Air purification
  
Plant Benefits
  
  
Medicinal Uses
Burns, Snakebite, Stomach aliments
  
Astringent
  
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
  
Fruits, Leaves
  
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
  
Culinary use, Used As Food
  
Used As Indoor Plant
No
  
No
  
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Garden Design
Container, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
  
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
  
Botanical Name
PENSTEMON eatonii
  
BASELLA alba
  
Common Name
Firecracker Penstemon
  
Ceylon Spinach, Indian Spinach, Malabar Spinach
  
In Hindi
Firecracker penstemon
  
भारतीय पालक
  
In German
Kracher penstemon
  
Indian Spinat
  
In French
Firecracker penstemon
  
épinards indienne
  
In Spanish
Penstemon del petardo
  
espinaca india
  
In Greek
πυροτέχνημα penstemon
  
Ινδικό Σπανάκι
  
In Portuguese
Penstemon do foguete
  
espinafre indiano
  
In Polish
petarda penstemon
  
Indyjski szpinak
  
In Latin
Firecracker Persicaria
  
Spinach Indian
  
Kingdom
Plantae
  
Plantae
  
Phylum
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Class
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Order
Lamiales
  
Caryophyllales
  
Family
Scrophulariaceae
  
Basellaceae
  
Genus
Penstemon
  
Basella
  
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
  
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
  
Tribe
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Subfamily
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Number of Species
Not Available
  
Season and Care of Firecracker Penstemon and Indian Spinach
Season and care of Firecracker Penstemon and Indian Spinach is important to know. While considering everything about Firecracker Penstemon and Indian Spinach Care, growing season is an essential factor. Firecracker Penstemon season is Summer and Indian Spinach season is Summer. The type of soil for Firecracker Penstemon is Loam, Sand and for Indian Spinach is Clay, Loam while the PH of soil for Firecracker Penstemon is Neutral, Alkaline and for Indian Spinach is Neutral.
Firecracker Penstemon and Indian Spinach Physical Information
Firecracker Penstemon and Indian Spinach physical information is very important for comparison. Firecracker Penstemon height is 61.00 cm and width 25.40 cm whereas Indian Spinach height is 2.40 cm and width Not Available. The color specification of Firecracker Penstemon and Indian Spinach are as follows:
Firecracker Penstemon flower color: Crimson
Firecracker Penstemon leaf color: Green
Indian Spinach flower color: White, Pink and Light Pink
- Indian Spinach leaf color: Green, Light Green
Care of Firecracker Penstemon and Indian Spinach
Care of Firecracker Penstemon and Indian Spinach include pruning, fertilizers, watering etc. Firecracker Penstemon pruning is done No pruning needed in the early stages, Prune to stimulate growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves and Remove deadheads and Indian Spinach pruning is done Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts and Requires very little pruning. In summer Firecracker Penstemon 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.