Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Epiphyte
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
Mexico
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Laelia candida, Laelia discolor
Number of Varieties
525
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
shaded riverbanks, Subtropical climates
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99999-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12*7
12-8
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, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
2.40 cm45.70 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
24.00 cm45.70 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
White, Light Pink, Lavender
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
Dark Blue
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Gray Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple, Gray Green
Green, Gray Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Acicular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Slow
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
-
The pH of Soil
Neutral
-
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
-
Fall, Late Fall, Early Winter, Winter
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Heat Tolerance, Salt and Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Divison
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
Needs watering once a week
In Summer
Average Water
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Slightly Acidic
Soil Type
Clay, Loam
Well-aerated
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Remove lateral branches
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
Apply 10-10-10 amount, Use nitrogen rich soil
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Aphids, Bacterial leaf spot, Fusarium wilt
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Heat Tolerance, Salt and Soil Compaction
Flowers
Showy
Showy
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
-
Aphids, Mites
Allergy
-
conjunctivitis, Dermatitis, Skin rash
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Beautification, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Very little waste
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Prevention of convulsion, Vasorelaxant
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
-
Other Uses
Used As Food
Application in Handicrafts, Making Perfumes, Making Sweet Scented Oil, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
LAELIA anceps
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
Laelia, Orchid
In Hindi
पोई
Laelia
In German
Malabarspinat
Laelia
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
Laelia
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
Laelia
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
Laelia
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
Laelia
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
Laelia
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
Laelia
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Liliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Orchidales
Family
Basellaceae
Orchidaceae
Genus
Basella
Laelia
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
-
Epidendreae
Subfamily
-
Epidendroideae
Number of Species
6025
1
27800
👆🏻