Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Vegetable
Tender Perennial
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
-
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Flowering Plants, Fruits, Herbs
Number of Varieties
51000
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
Subtropical climates, Tropical rainforest, Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99998-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12*7
-
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, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
2.40 cm460.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
24.00 cm370.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
White, Yellow, Purple, Brown
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
Green, Light Green
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
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Oblanceolate , Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
-
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Divison
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
Water every two or three days during warmer months
In Summer
Average Water
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
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
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
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
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Insects
Allergy
-
Anaphylaxis
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
anti-cancer, Asthma, Diarrhea, Improve heart health, increase memory, lowering blood pressure, Potassium
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Flowers, Fruits, Leaves, Root, Sap
Other Uses
Used As Food
Animal Feed, Fine spines and trichomes are used as fiber for weaving, Leaves used for wrapping food, Pulp can be used to make rope place mats and other goods
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
Musa acuminata × Musa balbisiana
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
Banana, Hybrid Banana, Saba Banana
In Hindi
पोई
Saba kela
In German
Malabarspinat
saba Banane
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
saba banane
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
saba plátano
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
saba banana
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
saba de banana
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
saba banana
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
Saba Musa sapientum fixa
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Liliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Zingiberales
Family
Basellaceae
Musaceae
Genus
Basella
-
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
-
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
6070
1
27800
👆🏻