Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Broadleaf Evergreen
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
North America, Northeastern United States, Southeastern United States, South-Central United States
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Not Available
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
Coastal Regions, Lowland, Mountains, Subtropical climates, Suburban areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
Not Available
5-9
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
Not Available
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Oval or Rounded
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Not Available
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Gray Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple, Gray Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Ovate
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Not Available
Late Spring, Early Summer
Tolerances
Drought
Not Available
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Requirements
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
Keep ground moist, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water more in summer, Water when soil is dry
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
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
No pruning needed in the early stages, Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Shape and thin as needed
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Aphids
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Not Available
Attracts
Not Available
Birds
Allergy
Not Available
no allergic reactions
Aesthetic Uses
Not Used For Aesthetic Purpose
Not Used For Aesthetic Purpose
Beauty Benefits
Not Available
Not Available
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Medicinal Uses
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Not Available
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Used As Food
Can be made into a herbal tea
Used As Indoor Plant
No
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Mixed Border, Wildflower
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
ILEX glabra
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
American Pokeweed, Inkberry, Silberstein American Pokeweed
In German
Malabarspinat
Inkberry
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
Inkberry
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
Inkberry
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
Inkberry
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
Inkberry
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
inkberry
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
Inkberry
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Not Available
Class
Eudicotyledones
Not Available
Order
Caryophyllales
Aquifoliales
Family
Basellaceae
Phytolaccaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Not Available
Not Available
Subfamily
Not Available
Not Available
Number of Species
Not Available
Season and Care of Malabar Spinach and Inkberry
Season and care of Malabar Spinach and Inkberry is important to know. While considering everything about Malabar Spinach and Inkberry Care, growing season is an essential factor. Malabar Spinach season is Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter and Inkberry season is Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. The type of soil for Malabar Spinach is Clay, Loam and for Inkberry is Clay, Loam, Sand while the PH of soil for Malabar Spinach is Neutral and for Inkberry is Acidic, Neutral.
Malabar Spinach and Inkberry Physical Information
Malabar Spinach and Inkberry physical information is very important for comparison. Malabar Spinach height is 2.40 cm and width 24.00 cm whereas Inkberry height is 120.00 cm and width 180.00 cm. The color specification of Malabar Spinach and Inkberry are as follows:
Malabar Spinach flower color: Red, Green and Orange Red
Malabar Spinach leaf color: Green and Light Green
Inkberry flower color: White
- Inkberry leaf color: Green and Dark Green
Care of Malabar Spinach and Inkberry
Care of Malabar Spinach and Inkberry include pruning, fertilizers, watering etc. Malabar Spinach pruning is done Remove damaged leaves and Remove dead leaves and Inkberry pruning is done No pruning needed in the early stages, Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves and Shape and thin as needed. In summer Malabar Spinach needs Average Water and in winter, it needs Average Water. Whereas, in summer Inkberry needs Lots of watering and in winter, it needs Average Water.