Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Tree
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
Southeastern Asia, Melanesia, Micronesia, Polynesia
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
-
Number of Varieties
5-
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
Subtropical climates, Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
-999910-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12*7
12-9
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
H2, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
2.40 cm1,370.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
24.00 cm1,520.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
Light Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Gray Green, Gray
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Gray Green, Gray
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Gray Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple, Gray Green
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
-
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Wet Site, Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Requires a lot of watering
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
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
-
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
constipation, Diarrhea, Digestive disorders, Dysentry, Fever, Tooth ache
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Fruits, Seeds
Other Uses
Used As Food
Making Shampoo, Making Sweet Scented Oil, Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Mixed Border, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
ALEURITES moluccanus
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
Candleberry, Candlenut, Kukui
In Hindi
पोई
candlenut पेड़
In German
Malabarspinat
Candlenut Baum
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
arbre Candlenut
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
árbol candlenut
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
candlenut δέντρο
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
candlenut árvore
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
Tung Molukański drzewo
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
Candlenut ligno
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Spermatophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Dicotyledonae
Order
Caryophyllales
Malpighiales
Family
Basellaceae
Euphorbiaceae
Genus
Basella
Aleurites
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Aleuritideae
Subfamily
-
Crotonoideae
Number of Species
60600
1
27800
👆🏻