Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Perennial
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
Europe
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
-
Number of Varieties
56
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
dry rocky watercourses
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99993-9
0
99
👆🏻
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
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
2.40 cm71.10 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
24.00 cm45.70 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
Blue Violet, Lavender, Purple, White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
Green, Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Sea Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Sea Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Gray Green
Green, Sea Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple, Gray Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Lanceolate to elliptical
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
-
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Rhizome division
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
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
Aphids, Bacterial leaf spot, Billbugs, Borers, Fungal leaf spots
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Butterflies
Allergy
-
Gastric disturbances, Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Showy Purposes
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
Juice of fresh root used for treatment of dropsy
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Root
Other Uses
Used As Food
Making Perfumes, Used as a flavouring in food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Cutflower, Feature Plant, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
Iris germanica
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
German Iris
In Hindi
पोई
German Iris
In German
Malabarspinat
German Iris
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
German Iris
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
German Iris
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
German Iris
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
German Iris
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
German Iris
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
German Iris
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Liliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Asparagales
Family
Basellaceae
Iridaceae
Genus
Basella
Iris
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
-
Irideae
Subfamily
-
Iridoideae
Number of Species
60300
1
27800
👆🏻