Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Herbaceous Perennial
Vegetable
Origin
Africa, Kenya, South Africa
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
Freesia
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Habitat
gardens, Grassland, Homesteads, Tropical regions, Wet forest
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-10
-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
Habit
Upright/Erect
Vining/Climbing
Flower Color
Yellow
Red, Green, Orange Red
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
White, Ivory
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Yellow, Brown
Purple, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Purple, Gray Green
Leaf Shape
Linear
Heart-shaped
Plant Season
Spring
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Slightly Acidic
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring
-
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
From bulbs
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
High
Medium
Watering Requirements
Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, Needs a lot of moisture in the growing season, Stop watering completely once the plant becomes dormant
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 pH
Slightly Acidic
Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand, Well drained
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Shade, Indirect sunlight, Partial shade, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Cut away fading foliage, Remove deadheads, Requires very little pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
20-20-20 amount, All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Fertilize in early spring, Potash
Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Pests and diseases free
Aphids
Plant Tolerance
Salt and Soil Compaction, Shade areas
Drought
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Ground Cover, Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
Hair Conditioner, Making cosmetics, Skin cleanser
-
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
Bulbs, Flowers
Leaves
Other Uses
Cosmetics, Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used for fragrance
Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
Yes
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Flower borders, Screening
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
Freesia refracta
BASELLA alba
Common Name
Freesia
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
In German
Freesie
Malabarspinat
In French
Freesia
L’épinard de Malabar
In Spanish
fresia
espinaca de Malabar
In Greek
freesia
Malabar Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
freesia
Malabar espinafre
In Polish
frezja
Szpinak Malabar
In Latin
Freesia
Spinach Malabar
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Eudicotyledones
Order
Asparagales
Caryophyllales
Family
Iridaceae
Basellaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Season and Care of Freesia and Malabar Spinach
Season and care of Freesia and Malabar Spinach is important to know. While considering everything about Freesia and Malabar Spinach Care, growing season is an essential factor. Freesia season is Spring and Malabar Spinach season is Spring. The type of soil for Freesia is Clay, Loam, Sand and for Malabar Spinach is Clay, Loam while the PH of soil for Freesia is Slightly Acidic and for Malabar Spinach is Neutral.
Freesia and Malabar Spinach Physical Information
Freesia and Malabar Spinach physical information is very important for comparison. Freesia height is 50.00 cm and width 40.00 cm whereas Malabar Spinach height is 2.40 cm and width 24.00 cm. The color specification of Freesia and Malabar Spinach are as follows:
Freesia flower color: Yellow
Freesia leaf color: Green
Malabar Spinach flower color: Red, Green and Orange Red
- Malabar Spinach leaf color: Green and Light Green
Care of Freesia and Malabar Spinach
Care of Freesia and Malabar Spinach include pruning, fertilizers, watering etc. Freesia pruning is done Cut away fading foliage, Remove deadheads and Requires very little pruning and Malabar Spinach pruning is done Remove damaged leaves and Remove dead leaves. In summer Freesia 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.