Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
North America, Mexico, Central America
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
-
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
Loamy soils, Moist Soils, Subtropical climates
USDA Hardiness Zone
-9999
5-7
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
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Vining/Climbing
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
Yellow, Orange, Dark Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
Yellow, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Gray Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple, Gray Green
-
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Palmate
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
-
Indeterminate
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Requirements
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
Keep ground moist, Requires regular watering
In Summer
Average Water
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil Type
Clay, Loam
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 out old flower stalks, Prune after flowering, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
Apply 10-10-10 amount, Apply 12-12-12 amounts, Nitrogen, Phosphate, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Aphids, Army-worms, Bacteria wilt, Bacterial leaf spot, Blight, Cucumber beetles, Cutworms, Fusarium leaf spot, Red spider mite
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought, Full Sun, Salt and Soil Compaction
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Foliage Texture
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Attracts
-
Bees, Flies, Flying insects
Allergy
-
Hypoglycaemic Coma, Irregular Heart Rhythm, Miscarriage
Beauty Benefits
-
Acne, For treating wrinkles, Improve hair condition, Nourishes scalp, Removes dandruff
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Food for animals, Insect Repellent
Medicinal Uses
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Anti-fungal, Detoxification, Diabetes, Gastrointestinal disorders, Weight loss
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Fruits
Other Uses
Used As Food
Cosmetics, Repellent, Use in Chinese herbology
Used As Indoor Plant
No
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Dried Flower/Everlasting, Vine
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
CUCURBITA pepo 'Bicolor Pear'
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
Bicolor Pear Gourd, Ornamental Gourd
In German
Malabarspinat
Bittermelone
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
Momordica charantia
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
Momordica charantia
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
-
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
Momordica
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
Przepękla ogórkowata
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
-
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Spermatophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Violales
Family
Basellaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
-
Subfamily
-
Cucurbitoideae
Season and Care of Malabar Spinach and Bitter Gourd
Season and care of Malabar Spinach and Bitter Gourd is important to know. While considering everything about Malabar Spinach and Bitter Gourd Care, growing season is an essential factor. Malabar Spinach season is Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter and Bitter Gourd season is Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. The type of soil for Malabar Spinach is Clay, Loam and for Bitter Gourd is Loam, Sand while the PH of soil for Malabar Spinach is Neutral and for Bitter Gourd is Neutral.
Malabar Spinach and Bitter Gourd Physical Information
Malabar Spinach and Bitter Gourd physical information is very important for comparison. Malabar Spinach height is 2.40 cm and width 24.00 cm whereas Bitter Gourd height is 60.00 cm and width 90.00 cm. The color specification of Malabar Spinach and Bitter Gourd are as follows:
Malabar Spinach flower color: Red, Green and Orange Red
Malabar Spinach leaf color: Green and Light Green
Bitter Gourd flower color: Yellow, Orange and Dark Green
- Bitter Gourd leaf color: Green, Dark Green
Care of Malabar Spinach and Bitter Gourd
Care of Malabar Spinach and Bitter Gourd include pruning, fertilizers, watering etc. Malabar Spinach pruning is done Remove damaged leaves and Remove dead leaves and Bitter Gourd pruning is done Cut out old flower stalks, Prune after flowering and Remove dead or diseased plant parts. In summer Malabar Spinach needs Average Water and in winter, it needs Average Water. Whereas, in summer Bitter Gourd needs Lots of watering and in winter, it needs Average Water.