Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Vegetable
Origin
Southern Africa
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
Hoodia albispina, Hoodia flava, Hoodia bainii
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Number of Varieties
255
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
USDA Hardiness Zone
12-15-9999
0
99
👆🏻
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
Clump-Forming
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.50 cm2.40 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.50 cm24.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Pink, Tan
Red, Green, Orange Red
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
White, Ivory
Leaf Color in Spring
Blue Green, Gray Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
-
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Blue Green
Purple, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Blue Green, Gray Green
Purple, Gray Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
-
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Very 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
Spring
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Water when top layer of soil becomes dry
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
In Summer
Lots of watering
Average Water
In Spring
Average Water
Moderate
In Winter
Once a week
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, Partial shade
Pruning
No pruning needed in the early stages
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
No fertilizers needed
Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Aphids
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Full Sun, Shade areas
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
Bold
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Flies, Insects
-
Allergy
Dry Mouth
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
-
Beauty Benefits
Weightloss
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Food for insects
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Weight loss
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Part of Plant Used
Stem
Leaves
Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
Hoodia gordonii
BASELLA alba
Common Name
ǁhoba, Ghaap
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
In Hindi
Hoodia
पोई
In German
Hoodia
Malabarspinat
In French
Hoodia
L’épinard de Malabar
In Spanish
Hoodia
espinaca de Malabar
In Greek
Hoodia
Malabar Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
Hoodia
Malabar espinafre
In Polish
Hoodia
Szpinak Malabar
In Latin
Hoodia
Spinach Malabar
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Eudicotyledones
Order
Gentianales
Caryophyllales
Family
Apocynaceae
Basellaceae
Genus
Hoodia
Basella
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
Stapeliae
-
Subfamily
Asclepiadoideae
-
Number of Species
2560
1
27800
👆🏻