Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
World, Pandemic, North America, Europe, Africa, Asia
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Not Available
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
Bluffs, Sandy stream banks, Wooded slopes
USDA Hardiness Zone
Not Available
4-10
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
2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Clump-Forming
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
White, Purple, Lavender, Blue Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
Not Available
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Gray Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple, Gray Green
Light Green
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Long Linear
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, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Not Available
Spring
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Requirements
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
Medium, Requires watering in the growing season
In Summer
Average Water
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil pH
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
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 damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Attracts
Not Available
Bees, Insects
Allergy
Not Available
Skin irritation
Aesthetic Uses
Not Used For Aesthetic Purpose
Beautification, Ground Cover, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Not Available
Not Available
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Medicinal Uses
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Liver problems, Skin Disorders, Treatment of ulcers
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Used As Food
Employed in herbal medicine, Used as a spice
Used As Indoor Plant
No
Yes
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Bedding Plant, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
IRIS cristata
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
Crested Iris
In German
Malabarspinat
Crested Iris
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
Crested Iris
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
Crested Iris
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
Crested Iris
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
Crested Iris
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
Czubaty Iris
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
iubatum Iris
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Not Available
Class
Eudicotyledones
Liliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Asparagales
Family
Basellaceae
Iridaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
Not Available
Irideae
Subfamily
Not Available
Iridoideae
Number of Species
Not Available
Not Available
Season and Care of Malabar Spinach and Crested Iris
Season and care of Malabar Spinach and Crested Iris is important to know. While considering everything about Malabar Spinach and Crested Iris Care, growing season is an essential factor. Malabar Spinach season is Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter and Crested Iris season is Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. The type of soil for Malabar Spinach is Clay, Loam and for Crested Iris is Clay, Loam, Sand while the PH of soil for Malabar Spinach is Neutral and for Crested Iris is Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline.
Malabar Spinach and Crested Iris Physical Information
Malabar Spinach and Crested Iris physical information is very important for comparison. Malabar Spinach height is 2.40 cm and width 24.00 cm whereas Crested Iris height is 10.20 cm and width 15.20 cm. The color specification of Malabar Spinach and Crested Iris are as follows:
Malabar Spinach flower color: Red, Green and Orange Red
Malabar Spinach leaf color: Green and Light Green
Crested Iris flower color: White, Purple, Lavender and Blue Violet
- Crested Iris leaf color: Green
Care of Malabar Spinach and Crested Iris
Care of Malabar Spinach and Crested Iris include pruning, fertilizers, watering etc. Malabar Spinach pruning is done Remove damaged leaves and Remove dead leaves and Crested Iris pruning is done Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches and Remove dead leaves. In summer Malabar Spinach needs Average Water and in winter, it needs Average Water. Whereas, in summer Crested Iris needs Lots of watering and in winter, it needs Average Water.