Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Aquatics
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
Eastern Europe, Western Asia
Types
Basella rubra, L.Basella oleracea, Landw.Basella lucida, L.Basella japonica, Burm.f.Basella cordifolia,
Common Cattail, Southern Cattail, Dwarf Bulrush
Number of Varieties
1030
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
gardens
Lake margins, Ponds, Swamps
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99993-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-7
12-1
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
21,22
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
2.40 cm30.50 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
20.00 cm45.70 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Pink, Light Pink
Yellow, Green, Brown, Chocolate
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Purple, Black
Light brown, Light Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Dark Green
Brown
Shape
Leaf Shape
Round
Long linear and narrow
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Poorly Drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Wet Site
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, In Water
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Runners
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Keep ground moist, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water less during winter
Plant grows in water
In Summer
Lots of watering
Aquatic Plant
In Spring
Moderate
Aquatic Plant
In Winter
Average Water
Aquatic Plant
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Poorly Drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Requires very little pruning
Prune in early spring, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Nitrogen, Phosphate
Pests and Diseases
Insects, Mites
Red blotch
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
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Birds, Flying insects
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Beautification, Showy Purposes, Water gardening
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Food for animals, Food for birds, Food for insects, Nesting sites for birds
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Astringent
Nutrients
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves
Leaves
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used As Food
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Bog Garden, Container, Water Gardens
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
TYPHA minima
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Indian Spinach, Malabar Spinach
Dwarf Cattail
In Hindi
भारतीय पालक
बौना कैटेल
In German
Indian Spinat
Dwarf Rohrkolben
In French
épinards indienne
Cattail nain
In Spanish
espinaca india
Espadaña enano
In Greek
Ινδικό Σπανάκι
Νάνος Cattail
In Portuguese
espinafre indiano
Tifa Dwarf
In Polish
Indyjski szpinak
Dwarf Ożypałka
In Latin
Spinach Indian
Pumilio Cattail
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Tracheophyta
Class
-
Liliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Poales
Family
Basellaceae
Typhaceae
Genus
Basella
Typha
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
51
1
27800
👆🏻