Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Broadleaf Evergreen, Vines
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
India, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Southern Asia
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Red pepper, Orange pepper
Number of Varieties
57
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
Moist Soils, orchards, Temperate Regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99998-15
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
H1, H2, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
2.40 cm180.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
24.00 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
Lemon yellow
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
Red, Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Light Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Gray Green
Light Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple, Gray Green
Light Green, Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Circular cordate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
-
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Vegetative Reproduction
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
Do Not over Water, Sprinkle water over foliage, Water every two or three days during warmer months
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
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
A hard prune may be necessary if the plant becomes woody, Remove dead branches, Trim each shoot back to the first set of leaves
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
10-10-10 diluted liquid fertilizer, All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Do not let fertilizers touch the leaves
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Aphids, Beetles, Root rot, Rust, Scab
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Heat Tolerance, Humidity, Salt and Soil Compaction
Flowers
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
-
Aphids, Leafminer, Snails, Squirrels
Allergy
-
Oral Allergy
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Beautification, Cottage Garden, Decorating walls
Beauty Benefits
-
Acne, Blackheads
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Fixes Nitrogen, Insect Repellent
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Acid Reflux, Dysentry, Healthy teeth, Inflammation, Oral health
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Dried seeds
Other Uses
Used As Food
Culinary use, Oil is used for aromatherapy, Used in herbal medicines
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Container, Feature Plant, Hedges, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
Piper nigrum
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
Peppercorn, Piper, Black pepper
In Hindi
पोई
काली मिर्च
In German
Malabarspinat
Pfeffer
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
Piper nigrum
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
Poivrier noir
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
μαύρο πιπέρι
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
Pimenta-preta
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
Pieprz czarny
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
nigrum piperis
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Piperales
Family
Basellaceae
Piperaceae
Genus
Basella
Piper
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
601100
1
27800
👆🏻