Life Span
Perennial
Annual and Biennials
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
India, Philippines, Southeast Asia
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Lagenaria siceraria
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
Moist Soils, Tropical Climate
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
Requires watering in the growing season, water on alternate days
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 branches that rub together, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
High potassium diluted feed of 5-10-5, Nitrogen, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Army-worms, Bacteria wilt, Bacterial leaf spot, Blight, Cucumber beetles, Cutworms, Fusarium leaf spot, Leaf rust, Red spider mite, Striped cucumber beetles
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Full Sun, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shallow soil
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Foliage Texture
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Attracts
-
Bees, Flies, Flying insects
Allergy
-
Hypoglycaemic Coma, Irregular Heart Rhythm
Aesthetic Uses
-
Decorating walls, Ornamental use
Beauty Benefits
-
Anti-ageing, Making cosmetics
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, Blood disorders, Culinary Usage, Diabetes, Gastrointestinal disorders, Laxative, Nutritive, Weight loss
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Fruits
Other Uses
Used As Food
Cosmetics, Culinary use, Repellent, Used in making musical instruments
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
Lagenaria siceraria
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
calabash, bottle gourd, white-flowered gourd, opo squash
In German
Malabarspinat
Flaschenkürbis
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
Lagenaria siceraria
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
Lagenaria siceraria
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
Τσότρα
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
Cabaça
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
Tykwa pospolita
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
utrem cucurbita
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Cucurbitales
Family
Basellaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Subfamily
-
Papilionoideae
Season and Care of Malabar Spinach and Bottle Gourd
Season and care of Malabar Spinach and Bottle Gourd is important to know. While considering everything about Malabar Spinach and Bottle Gourd Care, growing season is an essential factor. Malabar Spinach season is Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter and Bottle Gourd season is Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. The type of soil for Malabar Spinach is Clay, Loam and for Bottle Gourd is Loam, Sand while the PH of soil for Malabar Spinach is Neutral and for Bottle Gourd is Neutral.
Malabar Spinach and Bottle Gourd Physical Information
Malabar Spinach and Bottle Gourd physical information is very important for comparison. Malabar Spinach height is 2.40 cm and width 24.00 cm whereas Bottle Gourd height is 60.00 cm and width 90.00 cm. The color specification of Malabar Spinach and Bottle Gourd are as follows:
Malabar Spinach flower color: Red, Green and Orange Red
Malabar Spinach leaf color: Green and Light Green
Bottle Gourd flower color: Yellow, Orange and Dark Green
- Bottle Gourd leaf color: Green, Dark Green
Care of Malabar Spinach and Bottle Gourd
Care of Malabar Spinach and Bottle Gourd include pruning, fertilizers, watering etc. Malabar Spinach pruning is done Remove damaged leaves and Remove dead leaves and Bottle Gourd pruning is done Cut out old flower stalks, Prune after flowering, Remove branches that rub together and Remove dead or diseased plant parts. In summer Malabar Spinach needs Average Water and in winter, it needs Average Water. Whereas, in summer Bottle Gourd needs Lots of watering and in winter, it needs Average Water.