Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
North America, Southwestern United States, Mexico
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Echinocactus parryi, Echinocactus texensis
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
Desert, Gravels, Sandy areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
-9999
9-15
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
12, 13, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Oval or Rounded
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
Yellow, Magenta
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
Yellow
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
-
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
-
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Gray Green
-
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple, Gray Green
-
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Succulent
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
-
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Tolerances
Drought
Drought, Heat Tolerance, Shade areas
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Requirements
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Requires watering in the growing season, Water when top layer of soil becomes dry
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
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 leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
fertilize in summer, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Mealybugs, Spider mites
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought, Full Sun, Heat Tolerance, Shade areas
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Foliage Texture
Medium
Bold
Attracts
-
Insects, Mealybugs, Spider Mites
Aesthetic Uses
-
Beautification, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Food for insects, Very little waste
Medicinal Uses
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
-
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Whole plant
Other Uses
Used As Food
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
No
Yes
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Container, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
ECHINOCACTUS
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
Golden barrel cactus, Golden ball
In Hindi
पोई
echinocactus
In German
Malabarspinat
echinocactus
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
echinocactus
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
echinocactus
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
Echinocactus
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
Echinocactus
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
Echinocactus
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
Echinocactus
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Caryophyllales
Family
Basellaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Basella
Echinocactus
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Season and Care of Malabar Spinach and Echinocactus
Season and care of Malabar Spinach and Echinocactus is important to know. While considering everything about Malabar Spinach and Echinocactus Care, growing season is an essential factor. Malabar Spinach season is Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter and Echinocactus season is Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. The type of soil for Malabar Spinach is Clay, Loam and for Echinocactus is Loam, Sand while the PH of soil for Malabar Spinach is Neutral and for Echinocactus is Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline.
Malabar Spinach and Echinocactus Physical Information
Malabar Spinach and Echinocactus physical information is very important for comparison. Malabar Spinach height is 2.40 cm and width 24.00 cm whereas Echinocactus height is 30.00 cm and width 30.00 cm. The color specification of Malabar Spinach and Echinocactus are as follows:
Malabar Spinach flower color: Red, Green and Orange Red
Malabar Spinach leaf color: Green and Light Green
Echinocactus flower color: Yellow and Magenta
- Echinocactus leaf color:
Care of Malabar Spinach and Echinocactus
Care of Malabar Spinach and Echinocactus include pruning, fertilizers, watering etc. Malabar Spinach pruning is done Remove damaged leaves and Remove dead leaves and Echinocactus pruning is done Remove damaged leaves, 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 Echinocactus needs Lots of watering and in winter, it needs Average Water.