Life Span
Perennial
Biennial
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
South-Eastern Asia, Southeastern Asia, China
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Purple Orchid Tree, White Orchid Tree, Bidi leaf tree
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
Forests, Mountain Slopes, Valley
USDA Hardiness Zone
-9999
9-13
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, 9, 10, 11, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Upright/Erect
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
Light Pink, Magenta, Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
Green, Sandy Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Gray Green
Green, Gray Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple, Gray Green
Green, Gray Green, Yellow green
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Butterfly shaped
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
-
Early Spring, Spring
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Budding, Grafting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Requirements
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
Average Water Needs, Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, Water Deeply
In Summer
Average Water
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil pH
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Remove branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
Apply N-P-K
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Invasive
Sometimes
Sometimes
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Nesting sites for birds, Shadow Tree
Medicinal Uses
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Carminative, Laxative
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Buds, Flowers, Leaves, Root, Seeds, Stem
Other Uses
Used As Food
Fibre, Gum, Used as a dye
Used As Indoor Plant
No
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
BAUHINIA purpurea
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
Butterfly Tree, Orchid Tree
In Hindi
पोई
Butterfly tree
In German
Malabarspinat
Schmetterlings- Baum
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
arbre de papillon
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
árbol de la mariposa
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
δέντρο πεταλούδα
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
árvore borboleta
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
drzewo Butterfly
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
Gloria ligno
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Fabales
Family
Basellaceae
Fabaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Subfamily
-
Caesalpinioideae
Season and Care of Malabar Spinach and Butterfly Tree
Season and care of Malabar Spinach and Butterfly Tree is important to know. While considering everything about Malabar Spinach and Butterfly Tree Care, growing season is an essential factor. Malabar Spinach season is Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter and Butterfly Tree season is Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. The type of soil for Malabar Spinach is Clay, Loam and for Butterfly Tree is Clay, Loam, Sand while the PH of soil for Malabar Spinach is Neutral and for Butterfly Tree is Acidic, Neutral.
Malabar Spinach and Butterfly Tree Physical Information
Malabar Spinach and Butterfly Tree physical information is very important for comparison. Malabar Spinach height is 2.40 cm and width 24.00 cm whereas Butterfly Tree height is 760.00 cm and width 17.80 cm. The color specification of Malabar Spinach and Butterfly Tree are as follows:
Malabar Spinach flower color: Red, Green and Orange Red
Malabar Spinach leaf color: Green and Light Green
Butterfly Tree flower color: Light Pink, Magenta and Violet
- Butterfly Tree leaf color: Green and Gray Green
Care of Malabar Spinach and Butterfly Tree
Care of Malabar Spinach and Butterfly Tree include pruning, fertilizers, watering etc. Malabar Spinach pruning is done Remove damaged leaves and Remove dead leaves and Butterfly Tree pruning is done Remove branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves and Remove dead or diseased plant parts. In summer Malabar Spinach needs Average Water and in winter, it needs Average Water. Whereas, in summer Butterfly Tree needs Lots of watering and in winter, it needs Average Water.