Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Tender Perennial
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
South America
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Heliotropium
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
Coastal Regions, tropical environments
USDA Hardiness Zone
-9999
9-13
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
H1, H2, 15, 16, 17, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Clump-Forming
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
White, Ivory
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Gray Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple, Gray Green
Light Green
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Ovate
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall
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
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
-
Indeterminate
Tolerances
Drought
Deer resistant, Drought, Heat Tolerance
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
Medium
In Summer
Average Water
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil pH
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
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 branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply 10-10-10 amount
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Aphids, Mealybugs, Spider mites, Whiteflies
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Deer resistant, Drought, Heat Tolerance
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Attracts
-
Birds, Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Aesthetic Uses
-
Beautification, Cottage Garden, Ground Cover, Showy Purposes
Environmental Uses
Air purification
-
Medicinal Uses
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Sore throat, Uterine Displacement
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Flowers, Whole plant
Other Uses
Used As Food
Decoration Purposes, Making Perfumes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for bedding in gardens
Used As Indoor Plant
No
Yes
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Bedding Plant, Container, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
HELIOTROPIUM arborescens
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
Heliotrope, Common Heliotrope, Garden Heliotrope
In German
Malabarspinat
Heliotrop
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
héliotrope
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
heliotropo
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
ηλιοτρόπιο
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
heliotrópio
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
heliotrop
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
Heliotrope
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Lamiales
Family
Basellaceae
Boraginaceae
Genus
Basella
Heliotropium
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Subfamily
-
Heliotropioideae
Season and Care of Malabar Spinach and Heliotrope
Season and care of Malabar Spinach and Heliotrope is important to know. While considering everything about Malabar Spinach and Heliotrope Care, growing season is an essential factor. Malabar Spinach season is Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter and Heliotrope season is Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. The type of soil for Malabar Spinach is Clay, Loam and for Heliotrope is Loam, Sand while the PH of soil for Malabar Spinach is Neutral and for Heliotrope is Acidic, Neutral.
Malabar Spinach and Heliotrope Physical Information
Malabar Spinach and Heliotrope physical information is very important for comparison. Malabar Spinach height is 2.40 cm and width 24.00 cm whereas Heliotrope height is 66.00 cm and width 61.00 cm. The color specification of Malabar Spinach and Heliotrope are as follows:
Malabar Spinach flower color: Red, Green and Orange Red
Malabar Spinach leaf color: Green and Light Green
Heliotrope flower color: White and Ivory
- Heliotrope leaf color: Dark Green
Care of Malabar Spinach and Heliotrope
Care of Malabar Spinach and Heliotrope include pruning, fertilizers, watering etc. Malabar Spinach pruning is done Remove damaged leaves and Remove dead leaves and Heliotrope 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 Heliotrope needs Lots of watering and in winter, it needs Average Water.