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About Malabar Spinach and False Indigo


About False Indigo and Malabar Spinach


What is

Life Span
Perennial  
Perennial  

Type
Vegetable  
Shrub  

Origin
Southeastern Asia, India  
North America, United States, North-Central United States, Central United States, Canada  

Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach  
Blue False Indigo White False Indigo  

Number of Varieties
5  
2  
99+

Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates  
gardens, Grassland, Warmer regions  

USDA Hardiness Zone
-9999  
2-8  

AHS Heat Zone
12*7  
8-1  

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, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9  

Habit
Vining/Climbing  
Oval or Rounded  

Information

Plant Size
  
  

Minimum Height
2.40 cm  
99+
60.00 cm  
99+

Minimum Width
24.00 cm  
99+
120.00 cm  
99+

Plant Color
  
  

Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red  
Purple  

Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor  
-  

Fruit Color
White, Ivory  
Light Green  

Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green  
Light Green, Gray Green, Gray  

Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green  
Light Green, Gray Green, Gray  

Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Gray Green  
Light Green, Gray Green, Gray  

Leaf Color in Winter
Purple, Gray Green  
-  

Shape
  
  

Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped  
Ovate  

Thorns
No  
No  

Season

Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter  
Summer, Fall  

Growing Conditions
  
  

Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade  
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade  

Growth Rate
Fast  
Medium  

Type of Soil
Clay, Loam  
Loam, Sand  

The pH of Soil
Neutral  
Neutral, Alkaline  

Soil Drainage
Well drained  
Well drained  

Bloom Time
-  
Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall  

Repeat Bloomer
Yes  
No  

Tolerances
Drought  
Drought  

Care

Where to Plant?
Ground  
Ground, Pot  

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  

In Summer
Average Water  
Lots of watering  

In Spring
Moderate  
Moderate  

In Winter
Average Water  
Average Water  

Soil
  
  

Soil pH
Neutral  
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, Partial shade  

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  

Facts

Flowers
Showy  
Showy  

Flower Petal Number
Single  
Single  

Fruits
  
  

Showy Fruit
Yes  
No  

Edible Fruit
No  
No  

Fragrance
  
  

Fragrant Flower
No  
No  

Fragrant Fruit
No  
No  

Fragrant Leaf
No  
Yes  

Fragrant Bark/Stem
No  
Yes  

Showy Foliage
Yes  
Yes  

Showy Bark
No  
Yes  

Foliage Texture
Medium  
Fine  

Foliage Sheen
Glossy  
Matte  

Evergreen
Yes  
No  

Invasive
Sometimes  
No  

Self-Sowing
Yes  
-  

Attracts
-  
-  

Allergy
-  
-  

Benefits

Uses
  
  

Aesthetic Uses
-  
Showy Purposes  

Beauty Benefits
-  
-  

Edible Uses
Yes  
No  

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  
-  

Part of Plant Used
Leaves  
Whole plant  

Other Uses
Used As Food  
Used as Ornamental plant  

Used As Indoor Plant
No  
No  

Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes  
Yes  

Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine  
Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall  

Scientific Name

Botanical Name
BASELLA alba  
AMORPHA canescens  

Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach  
False Indigo  

In Hindi
पोई  
इंडिगो  

In German
Malabarspinat  
falsches Indigo  

In French
L’épinard de Malabar  
faux Indigo  

In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar  
Falso Indigo  

In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι  
Λάθος Indigo  

In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre  
false Indigo  

In Polish
Szpinak Malabar  
fałsz Indigo  

In Latin
Spinach Malabar  
falsum indicum  

Classification

Kingdom
Plantae  
Plantae  

Phylum
Magnoliophyta  
Magnoliophyta  

Class
Eudicotyledones  
-  

Order
Caryophyllales  
Fabales  

Family
Basellaceae  
Fabaceae  

Genus
Basella  
Amorpha  

Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots  
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids  

Tribe
-  
-  

Subfamily
-  
-  

Number of Species
60  
21  

Summary >>
<< Classification

Properties of Malabar Spinach and False Indigo

Wondering what are the properties of Malabar Spinach and False Indigo? We provide you with everything About Malabar Spinach and False Indigo. Malabar Spinach doesn't have thorns and False Indigo doesn't have thorns. Also Malabar Spinach does not have fragrant flowers. Malabar Spinach has allergic reactions like and False Indigo has allergic reactions like . Compare all the properties and characteristics of these two plants. Find out which of these plant can be used as indoor plant. If you are interested to decorate your house and garden, find out aesthetic uses, compare them and select the plant which will beautify your surrounding. Along with beautification, try comparing medicinal and edible uses of Malabar Spinach and False Indigo and you can choose the plant having best and most benefits.

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Season and Care of Malabar Spinach and False Indigo

Season and care of Malabar Spinach and False Indigo is important to know. While considering everything about Malabar Spinach and False Indigo Care, growing season is an essential factor. Malabar Spinach season is Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter and False Indigo season is Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. The type of soil for Malabar Spinach is Clay, Loam and for False Indigo is Loam, Sand while the PH of soil for Malabar Spinach is Neutral and for False Indigo is Neutral, Alkaline.

Malabar Spinach and False Indigo Physical Information

Malabar Spinach and False Indigo physical information is very important for comparison. Malabar Spinach height is 2.40 cm and width 24.00 cm whereas False Indigo height is 60.00 cm and width 120.00 cm. The color specification of Malabar Spinach and False Indigo are as follows:

Care of Malabar Spinach and False Indigo

Care of Malabar Spinach and False Indigo include pruning, fertilizers, watering etc. Malabar Spinach pruning is done Remove damaged leaves and Remove dead leaves and False Indigo 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 False Indigo needs Lots of watering and in winter, it needs Average Water.

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