Malabar Spinach

Old Man Cactus

About Malabar Spinach and Old Man Cactus

Malabar Spinach

Old Man Cactus

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What is

Life Span

Perennial

Type

Vegetable

Cactus or Succulent

Origin

Southeastern Asia, India

Mexico

Types

Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach

Cephalocereus senilis

Number of Varieties

0 40000

👆🏻

Habitat

Hot climate regions, Humid climates

Dry areas, Forest margins, gardens, Semi arid regions, Semi desert

USDA Hardiness Zone

-999911-15

0 99

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AHS Heat Zone

12*7

12-10

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, 21, 22, 23, 24

Habit

Vining/Climbing

Narrow Upright/Fastigiate

Information

Plant Size

Minimum Height

2.40 cm460.00 cm

0 3900

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Minimum Width

24.00 cm30.00 cm

0 6350

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Plant Color

Flower Color

Red, Green, Orange Red

Pink

Flower Color Modifier

Bicolor

Fruit Color

White, Ivory

Light Pink

Leaf Color in Spring

Green, Light Green

White

Leaf Color in Summer

Green, Dark Green

White

Leaf Color in Fall

Purple, Gray Green

White

Leaf Color in Winter

Purple, Gray Green

White

Shape

Leaf Shape

Heart-shaped

Funnel shaped

Thorns

✔ ✘

Season

Plant Season

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Growing Conditions

Sunlight

Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade

Full Sun

Growth Rate

Fast

Very Slow

Type of Soil

Clay, Loam

Loam, Sand

The pH of Soil

Neutral

Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline

Soil Drainage

Well drained

Bloom Time

Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer

Repeat Bloomer

✔ ✘

Tolerances

Drought

Care

Where to Plant?

Ground

Container, Ground, Pot

How to Plant?

Leaf Cutting, Seedlings

Seedlings, Stem Planting, Vegetative Reproduction

Plant Maintenance

Medium

Watering Plants

Watering Requirements

Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil

Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Water when soil is dry

In Summer

Average Water

Lots of watering

In Spring

Moderate

In Winter

Average Water

Soil

Soil pH

Neutral

Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline

Soil Type

Clay, Loam

Loam, Sand

Soil Drainage Capacity

Well drained

Sun Exposure

Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade

Full Sun

Pruning

Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves

Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves

Fertilizers

Nitrogen

All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer

Pests and Diseases

Aphids

Red blotch

Plant Tolerance

Drought

Facts

Flowers

Showy

Flower Petal Number

Single

Fruits

Showy Fruit

✔ ✘

Edible Fruit

✔ ✘

Fragrance

Fragrant Flower

✔ ✘

Fragrant Fruit

✔ ✘

Fragrant Leaf

✔ ✘

Fragrant Bark/Stem

✔ ✘

Showy Foliage

✔ ✘

Showy Bark

✔ ✘

Foliage Texture

Medium

Bold

Foliage Sheen

Glossy

Matte

Evergreen

✔ ✘

Invasive

✔ ✘

Self-Sowing

✔ ✘

Attracts

Allergy

Skin irritation

Benefits

Uses

Aesthetic Uses

Showy Purposes

Beauty Benefits

Edible Uses

✔ ✘

Environmental Uses

Air purification

Plant Benefits

Medicinal Uses

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

Part of Plant Used

Leaves

Bulbs, Hair

Other Uses

Used As Food

Hair is used in making sweaters, Showy Purposes

Used As Indoor Plant

✔ ✘

Used As Outdoor Plant

✔ ✘

Garden Design

Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine

Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall

Scientific Name

Botanical Name

BASELLA alba

CEPHALOCEREUS senilis

Common Name

Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach

Bunny Cactus White Persian Cat cactus

In Hindi

पोई

ओल्ड मैन कैक्टस

In German

Malabarspinat

Old Man Cactus

In French

L’épinard de Malabar

Old Man Cactus

In Spanish

espinaca de Malabar

Viejo Cactus

In Greek

Malabar Σπανάκι

Γέρος Cactus

In Portuguese

Malabar espinafre

Old Man Cactus

In Polish

Szpinak Malabar

Stary Cactus

In Latin

Spinach Malabar

Senem Cactus

Classification

Kingdom

Plantae

Phylum

Magnoliophyta

Tracheophyta

Class

Eudicotyledones

Magnoliopsida

Order

Caryophyllales

Family

Basellaceae

Cactaceae

Genus

Basella

Cephalocereus

Clade

Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots

Tribe

Pachycereeae

Subfamily

Cactoideae

Number of Species

60200

1 27800

👆🏻

Properties of Malabar Spinach and Old Man Cactus

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

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Season and Care of Malabar Spinach and Old Man Cactus

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

Malabar Spinach and Old Man Cactus Physical Information

Malabar Spinach and Old Man Cactus physical information is very important for comparison. Malabar Spinach height is 2.40 cm and width 24.00 cm whereas Old Man Cactus height is 460.00 cm and width 30.00 cm. The color specification of Malabar Spinach and Old Man Cactus are as follows:

Malabar Spinach flower color: Red, Green and Orange Red
Malabar Spinach leaf color: Green and Light Green
Old Man Cactus flower color: Pink
Old Man Cactus leaf color: White

Care of Malabar Spinach and Old Man Cactus

Care of Malabar Spinach and Old Man Cactus include pruning, fertilizers, watering etc. Malabar Spinach pruning is done Remove damaged leaves and Remove dead leaves and Old Man Cactus 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 Old Man Cactus needs Lots of watering and in winter, it needs Average Water.