Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
Central America, Mexico
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Slicing, Pickling and burpless
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
Floodplains, Wet forest
USDA Hardiness Zone
-9999
7-8
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
A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Vining/Climbing
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
Yellow, Gold
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Gray Green
Green, Dark Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple, Gray Green
-
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Heart-shaped
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
-
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Indeterminate
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, 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 a lot of watering, Requires regular watering, Requires watering in the growing season
In Summer
Average Water
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil Type
Clay, Loam
Loam
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
Prune after flowering, Remove shoots
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
Compost, organic fertlizers
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Bacteria wilt, Fungal Diseases, fungus, Fusarium wilt, Leaf spot, Striped cucumber beetles
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Cold climate
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Foliage Texture
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Attracts
-
Ants, Birds, Flying insects, Insects, Rats, Squirrels
Allergy
-
Throat itching, Vomiting
Aesthetic Uses
-
Showy Purposes
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Food for animals, Food for birds
Medicinal Uses
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Antioxidants, Combats Stress, Fiber, Improve heart health, Indigestion, Inflammation, Rich in Iron
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Fruits, Seeds
Other Uses
Used As Food
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
No
Yes
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
MELOTHRIA scabra
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
Mexican Sour Gherkins, cucamelon
In German
Malabarspinat
Maus Melone
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
Mousemelon
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
Mousemelon
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
πεπόνι ποντίκι
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
melão rato
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
mysz melona
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
mouse melon
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Cucurbitales
Family
Basellaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Subfamily
-
Cucurbitoideae
Season and Care of Malabar Spinach and Mouse Melon
Season and care of Malabar Spinach and Mouse Melon is important to know. While considering everything about Malabar Spinach and Mouse Melon Care, growing season is an essential factor. Malabar Spinach season is Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter and Mouse Melon season is Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. The type of soil for Malabar Spinach is Clay, Loam and for Mouse Melon is Loam while the PH of soil for Malabar Spinach is Neutral and for Mouse Melon is Neutral.
Malabar Spinach and Mouse Melon Physical Information
Malabar Spinach and Mouse Melon physical information is very important for comparison. Malabar Spinach height is 2.40 cm and width 24.00 cm whereas Mouse Melon height is 15.20 cm and width 180.00 cm. The color specification of Malabar Spinach and Mouse Melon are as follows:
Malabar Spinach flower color: Red, Green and Orange Red
Malabar Spinach leaf color: Green and Light Green
Mouse Melon flower color: Yellow and Gold
- Mouse Melon leaf color: Light Green
Care of Malabar Spinach and Mouse Melon
Care of Malabar Spinach and Mouse Melon include pruning, fertilizers, watering etc. Malabar Spinach pruning is done Remove damaged leaves and Remove dead leaves and Mouse Melon pruning is done Prune after flowering and Remove shoots. In summer Malabar Spinach needs Average Water and in winter, it needs Average Water. Whereas, in summer Mouse Melon needs Lots of watering and in winter, it needs Average Water.