Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
Europe, Eastern Europe, Southern Europe, Western Europe, Turkey
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Not Available
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
Shady Edge, Woodland Garden Dappled Shade
USDA Hardiness Zone
Not Available
6-9
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
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Clump-Forming
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
Not Available
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
Not Available
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Gray Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple, Gray Green
Dark Green
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Saw-tooth like
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Shade, Partial shade
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Not Available
All year
Tolerances
Drought
Drought, Dry Conditions, Light Frost, Shade areas, Variety of soil types
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Divison, From Rhizomes, Spores
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Requirements
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
when new, water every week
In Summer
Average Water
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil pH
Neutral
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Shade, Partial shade
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
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Foliage Texture
Medium
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Invasive
Sometimes
Not Available
Attracts
Not Available
Birds, Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Allergy
Not Available
Not Available
Aesthetic Uses
Not Used For Aesthetic Purpose
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Not Available
Good for skin
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Medicinal Uses
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Poultice, Sore throat, Tonsillitis
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
Used As Food
Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
No
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Bedding Plant, Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Tropical, Water Gardens
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
POLYSTICHUM setiferum
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
Alaska fern
In Hindi
पोई
Soft Shield Fern
In German
Malabarspinat
Grannen-Schildfarn
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
Soft Shield Fern
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
Soft Shield Fern
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
Soft Shield Fern
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
Soft Shield Fern
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
Soft Shield Fern
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
Soft Shield Fern
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Pteridophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Filicopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Polypodiales
Family
Basellaceae
Dryopteridaceae
Genus
Basella
Polystichum
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Not Available
Tribe
Not Available
Not Available
Subfamily
Not Available
Not Available
Number of Species
Not Available
Not Available
Season and Care of Malabar Spinach and Soft Shield Fern
Season and care of Malabar Spinach and Soft Shield Fern is important to know. While considering everything about Malabar Spinach and Soft Shield Fern Care, growing season is an essential factor. Malabar Spinach season is Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter and Soft Shield Fern season is Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. The type of soil for Malabar Spinach is Clay, Loam and for Soft Shield Fern is Clay, Loam while the PH of soil for Malabar Spinach is Neutral and for Soft Shield Fern is Neutral, Alkaline.
Malabar Spinach and Soft Shield Fern Physical Information
Malabar Spinach and Soft Shield Fern physical information is very important for comparison. Malabar Spinach height is 2.40 cm and width 24.00 cm whereas Soft Shield Fern height is 90.00 cm and width 60.00 cm. The color specification of Malabar Spinach and Soft Shield Fern are as follows:
Malabar Spinach flower color: Red, Green and Orange Red
Malabar Spinach leaf color: Green and Light Green
Soft Shield Fern flower color: Not Available
- Soft Shield Fern leaf color: Green
Care of Malabar Spinach and Soft Shield Fern
Care of Malabar Spinach and Soft Shield Fern include pruning, fertilizers, watering etc. Malabar Spinach pruning is done Remove damaged leaves and Remove dead leaves and Soft Shield Fern 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 Soft Shield Fern needs Lots of watering and in winter, it needs Average Water.