Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
North America, Southwestern United States, Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Astrophytum ornatum, Echinocactus grusonii, Echinocactus grusonii
Number of Varieties
56
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
Desert
USDA Hardiness Zone
-999912-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12*7
12-10
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
12, 13, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
2.40 cm90.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
24.00 cm15.20 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
Yellow, Red, Orange
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
Lemon yellow
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
-
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
-
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Gray Green
-
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple, Gray Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Succulent
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Slow
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
-
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
Do not water frequently
In Summer
Average Water
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand
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 leaves
-
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
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
Bold
Foliage Sheen
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
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
-
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Used As Food
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Container, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
FEROCACTUS
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
barrel cactus
In Hindi
पोई
barrel cactus
In German
Malabarspinat
Fass-Kaktus-
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
Barrel cactus
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
biznaga
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
βαρέλι κάκτος
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
Barrel cactus
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
cactus Barrel
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
cactus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Caryophyllales
Family
Basellaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Basella
Ferocactus
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
-
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
6010
1
27800
👆🏻