Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Flowering Plants, Herbs
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
Hybrid origin
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Not Available
Number of Varieties
Not Available
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
moist forests, Mountains
USDA Hardiness Zone
Not Available
4-9
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
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Clump-Forming
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
Purple, Pink, Lavender
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Gray Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple, Gray Green
Green
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Pinnate
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Not Available
Late Spring, Summer
Tolerances
Drought
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Requirements
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
Needs very little water
In Summer
Average Water
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil pH
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
cut main trunk every 5 years, Prune after flowering, Prune central stem, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply 5-10-5 amounts, Compost
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Nematodes, Red blotch, Trunk Rot
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Attracts
Not Available
Butterflies, Leaf Hoppers
Allergy
Not Available
Itchiness, Not Available, Sore Throat
Aesthetic Uses
Not Used For Aesthetic Purpose
Beautification
Beauty Benefits
Not Available
Anti-ageing, Good Cleanser, Remove blemishes, Removes pimples
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Food for animals, Food for birds, soil stabilisation
Medicinal Uses
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Cough, Haemorrhages, Laxative, Obesity, Tonic
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Used As Food
Added to salads, Can be boiled and seasoned, pickled, Culinary use
Used As Indoor Plant
No
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
Averrhoa bilimbi
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
Bilimbi, Mimbro
In German
Malabarspinat
bilimbi
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
bilimbi
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
bilimbi
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
bilimbi
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
bilimbi
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
bilimbi
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
Rondo Beardtongue
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Oxalidales
Family
Basellaceae
Oxalidaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Not Available
Not Available
Subfamily
Not Available
Not Available
Number of Species
Not Available
Season and Care of Malabar Spinach and Bilimbi
Season and care of Malabar Spinach and Bilimbi is important to know. While considering everything about Malabar Spinach and Bilimbi Care, growing season is an essential factor. Malabar Spinach season is Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter and Bilimbi season is Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. The type of soil for Malabar Spinach is Clay, Loam and for Bilimbi is Clay, Loam, Sand while the PH of soil for Malabar Spinach is Neutral and for Bilimbi is Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline.
Malabar Spinach and Bilimbi Physical Information
Malabar Spinach and Bilimbi physical information is very important for comparison. Malabar Spinach height is 2.40 cm and width 24.00 cm whereas Bilimbi height is 38.10 cm and width 25.40 cm. The color specification of Malabar Spinach and Bilimbi are as follows:
Malabar Spinach flower color: Red, Green and Orange Red
Malabar Spinach leaf color: Green and Light Green
Bilimbi flower color: Purple, Pink and Lavender
- Bilimbi leaf color: Green
Care of Malabar Spinach and Bilimbi
Care of Malabar Spinach and Bilimbi include pruning, fertilizers, watering etc. Malabar Spinach pruning is done Remove damaged leaves and Remove dead leaves and Bilimbi pruning is done cut main trunk every 5 years, Prune after flowering, Prune central stem, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches and Remove dead leaves. In summer Malabar Spinach needs Average Water and in winter, it needs Average Water. Whereas, in summer Bilimbi needs Lots of watering and in winter, it needs Average Water.