Life Span
Perennial
Annual and Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Broadleaf Evergreen
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
North America, Europe, Asia
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Andromeda polifolia var. polifolia, Andromeda polifolia var. glaucophylla
Number of Varieties
52
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
Bog Garden, Fens, Swamps
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99992-6
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12*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
-
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Cushion/Mound-forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
2.40 cm33.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
24.00 cm46.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
White, Pink, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Gray Green
Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple, Gray Green
Gray Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Long Linear
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
Slow
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
-
Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
-
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
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 let dry out between waterings, Keep ground moist
In Summer
Average Water
Average Water, Ample Water
In Spring
Moderate
Ample Water
In Winter
Average Water
Not so frequently
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Acidic
Soil Type
Clay, Loam
Loam
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
Prune for size control, Remove short twigs
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
fertilize in spring
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
-
Plant Tolerance
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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
pollinators
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
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
Flowers
Other Uses
Used As Food
As a tea substitute
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Bog Garden, Container, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
ANDROMEDA polifolia
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
Bog Rosemary
In Hindi
पोई
Bog Rosemary
In German
Malabarspinat
Rosmarinheide
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
Andromeda polifolia
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
Andromeda polifolia
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
Bog Rosemary
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
Bog Rosemary
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
Modrzewnica zwyczajna
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
Bog Rosemary
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Ericales
Family
Basellaceae
Ericaceae
Genus
Basella
Andromeda
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
Vaccinioideae
Number of Species
602
1
27800
👆🏻