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About Malabar Spinach and Hedgehog Cactus


About Hedgehog Cactus and Malabar Spinach


What is

Life Span
Perennial  
Perennial  

Type
Vegetable  
Perennial, Shrub  

Origin
Southeastern Asia, India  
-  

Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach  
Echinocereus reichenbachii albertii, Echinocereus reichenbachii fitchii, Echinocereus reichenbachii albispinus  

Number of Varieties
5  
9  
99+

Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates  
Desert, Grassland  

USDA Hardiness Zone
-9999  
-9999  

AHS Heat Zone
12*7  
-  

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  
7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24  

Habit
Vining/Climbing  
-  

Information

Plant Size
  
  

Minimum Height
2.40 cm  
99+
15.00 cm  

Minimum Width
24.00 cm  
99+
5.00 cm  

Plant Color
  
  

Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red  
-  

Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor  
-  

Fruit Color
White, Ivory  
Green, Dark Green, Olive  

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  
-  

Shape
  
  

Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped  
-  

Thorns
No  
-  

Season

Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter  
-  

Growing Conditions
  
  

Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade  
Full Sun  

Growth Rate
Fast  
-  

Type of Soil
Clay, Loam  
-  

The pH of Soil
Neutral  
-  

Soil Drainage
Well drained  
-  

Bloom Time
-  
-  

Repeat Bloomer
Yes  
-  

Tolerances
Drought  
Cold climate, Drought, Heat Tolerance  

Care

Where to Plant?
Ground  
Container, Ground, Pot  

How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings  
Seedlings, Stem Cutting  

Plant Maintenance
Medium  
Medium  

Watering Plants
  
  

Watering Requirements
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil  
Do Not over Water  

In Summer
Average Water  
Average Water  

In Spring
Moderate  
Moderate  

In Winter
Average Water  
Average Water  

Soil
  
  

Soil pH
Neutral  
-  

Soil Type
Clay, Loam  
-  

Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained  
-  

Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade  
Full Sun  

Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves  
Dispose of diseased portions, Remove dead or diseased plant parts  

Fertilizers
Nitrogen  
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer  

Pests and Diseases
Aphids  
Mealybugs, Scale insects  

Plant Tolerance
Drought  
Cold climate, Drought, Heat Tolerance  

Facts

Flowers
Showy  
-  

Flower Petal Number
Single  
-  

Fruits
  
  

Showy Fruit
Yes  
-  

Edible Fruit
No  
No  

Fragrance
  
  

Fragrant Flower
No  
-  

Fragrant Fruit
No  
-  

Fragrant Leaf
No  
-  

Fragrant Bark/Stem
No  
-  

Showy Foliage
Yes  
-  

Showy Bark
No  
-  

Foliage Texture
Medium  
Bold  

Foliage Sheen
Glossy  
-  

Evergreen
Yes  
No  

Invasive
Sometimes  
-  

Self-Sowing
Yes  
-  

Attracts
-  
Insects  

Allergy
-  
-  

Benefits

Uses
  
  

Aesthetic Uses
-  
Showy Purposes  

Beauty Benefits
-  
-  

Edible Uses
Yes  
Yes  

Environmental Uses
Air purification  
Deer resistant  

Plant Benefits
  
  

Medicinal Uses
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C  
-  

Part of Plant Used
Leaves  
Flowers, Fruits  

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  
-  

Scientific Name

Botanical Name
BASELLA alba  
Echinocereus reichenbachii  

Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach  
Hedgehog Cactus, Lace  

In Hindi
पोई  
Hedgehog cactus  

In German
Malabarspinat  
Igel Kaktus  

In French
L’épinard de Malabar  
hérisson cactus  

In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar  
cactus de erizo  

In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι  
κάκτος σκαντζόχοιρος  

In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre  
hedgehog cactus  

In Polish
Szpinak Malabar  
jeż kaktus  

In Latin
Spinach Malabar  
cactus  

Classification

Kingdom
Plantae  
Plantae  

Phylum
Magnoliophyta  
Magnoliophyta  

Class
Eudicotyledones  
Magnoliopsida  

Order
Caryophyllales  
Caryophyllales  

Family
Basellaceae  
Cactaceae  

Genus
Basella  
Echinocereus  

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

Tribe
-  
Pachycereeae  

Subfamily
-  
Cactoideae  

Number of Species
60  
208  
99+

Summary >>
<< Classification

Properties of Malabar Spinach and Hedgehog Cactus

Wondering what are the properties of Malabar Spinach and Hedgehog Cactus? We provide you with everything About Malabar Spinach and Hedgehog Cactus. Malabar Spinach doesn't have thorns and Hedgehog Cactus doesn't have thorns. Also Malabar Spinach does not have fragrant flowers. Malabar Spinach has allergic reactions like and Hedgehog Cactus 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 Hedgehog Cactus and you can choose the plant having best and most benefits.

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Season and Care of Malabar Spinach and Hedgehog Cactus

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

Malabar Spinach and Hedgehog Cactus Physical Information

Malabar Spinach and Hedgehog Cactus physical information is very important for comparison. Malabar Spinach height is 2.40 cm and width 24.00 cm whereas Hedgehog Cactus height is 15.00 cm and width 5.00 cm. The color specification of Malabar Spinach and Hedgehog Cactus are as follows:

Care of Malabar Spinach and Hedgehog Cactus

Care of Malabar Spinach and Hedgehog Cactus include pruning, fertilizers, watering etc. Malabar Spinach pruning is done Remove damaged leaves and Remove dead leaves and Hedgehog Cactus pruning is done Dispose of diseased portions and Remove dead or diseased plant parts. In summer Malabar Spinach needs Average Water and in winter, it needs Average Water. Whereas, in summer Hedgehog Cactus needs Average Water and in winter, it needs Average Water.

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