Life Span
Perennial
  
Annual and Perennial
  
Type
Vegetable
  
Bulb or Corm or Tuber
  
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
  
Central America, South America
  
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
  
Vine, Flowering plant
  
Number of Varieties
Not Available
  
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
  
All sorts of environments, Along Railroads, Banks, Moist Ditches, Roadsides, rocky banks of streams
  
USDA Hardiness Zone
Not Available
  
10-13
  
AHS Heat Zone
12*7
  
12-1
  
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
  
21,22
  
Habit
Vining/Climbing
  
Vining/Climbing
  
Plant Size
  
  
Minimum Width
Not Available
  
Plant Color
  
  
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
  
Purple, Rose
  
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
  
Bicolor
  
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
  
Not Available
  
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
  
Purple, Dark Green, Black
  
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
  
Light Green
  
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Gray Green
  
Several shades of Green
  
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple, Gray Green
  
Light Green
  
Shape
  
  
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
  
Acicular
  
Thorns
No
  
No
  
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
  
Very Fast
  
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
  
Clay, Loam, Sand
  
The pH of Soil
Neutral
  
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
  
Soil Drainage
Well drained
  
Well drained
  
Bloom Time
Not Available
  
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall, Late Fall
  
Repeat Bloomer
Yes
  
No
  
Tolerances
Drought
  
Drought
  
Where to Plant?
Ground
  
Container, Ground
  
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
  
Cuttings, Leaf Cutting, Tuber propagation
  
Plant Maintenance
Medium
  
Medium
  
Watering Plants
  
  
Watering Requirements
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
  
Keep the Soil well drained, Needs very little water
  
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
  
Clay, Loam, Sand
  
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
  
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
  
Single
  
Fruits
  
  
Showy Fruit
Yes
  
No
  
Edible Fruit
No
  
No
  
Fragrance
  
  
Fragrant Flower
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Fruit
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Leaf
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Bark/Stem
No
  
No
  
Showy Foliage
Yes
  
Yes
  
Showy Bark
No
  
No
  
Foliage Texture
Medium
  
Coarse
  
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
  
Matte
  
Evergreen
Yes
  
No
  
Invasive
Sometimes
  
No
  
Self-Sowing
Yes
  
No
  
Attracts
Not Available
  
Aphids, Beetles, Cutworms, Insects, Mites, Whiteflies
  
Allergy
Not Available
  
Abdominal pain, allergic reaction, Nausea, Skin rash, Twitching of face
  
Uses
  
  
Aesthetic Uses
Not Used For Aesthetic Purpose
  
Not Used For Aesthetic Purpose
  
Beauty Benefits
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Edible Uses
Yes
  
Yes
  
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
  
Cures constipation, Fiber, Low calories, lowering blood pressure, Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
  
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
  
Leaves, Root, Shoots, Stem, Tuber
  
Other Uses
Used As Food
  
Starch, Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
  
Used As Indoor Plant
No
  
Sometimes
  
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
  
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Hanging Basket, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Vine
  
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
  
IPOMOEA batatas 'Blackie'
  
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
  
Blackie Sweet Potato Vine, Sweet Potato Vine
  
In Hindi
पोई
  
शकरकन्द
  
In German
Malabarspinat
  
Süßkartoffel
  
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
  
Patate douce
  
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
  
Ipomoea batatas
  
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
  
Sweet potato
  
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
  
Batata-doce
  
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
  
Wilec ziemniaczany
  
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
  
Ipomoea batatas
  
Kingdom
Plantae
  
Plantae
  
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
  
Tracheophyta
  
Class
Eudicotyledones
  
Magnoliopsida
  
Order
Caryophyllales
  
Solanales
  
Family
Basellaceae
  
Convolvulaceae
  
Genus
Basella
  
Ipomoea
  
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
  
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
  
Tribe
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Subfamily
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Number of Species
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Season and Care of Malabar Spinach and Sweet Potato Vine
Season and care of Malabar Spinach and Sweet Potato Vine is important to know. While considering everything about Malabar Spinach and Sweet Potato Vine Care, growing season is an essential factor. Malabar Spinach season is Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter and Sweet Potato Vine season is Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. The type of soil for Malabar Spinach is Clay, Loam and for Sweet Potato Vine is Clay, Loam, Sand while the PH of soil for Malabar Spinach is Neutral and for Sweet Potato Vine is Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline.
Malabar Spinach and Sweet Potato Vine Physical Information
Malabar Spinach and Sweet Potato Vine physical information is very important for comparison. Malabar Spinach height is 2.40 cm and width 24.00 cm whereas Sweet Potato Vine height is 15.00 cm and width Not Available. The color specification of Malabar Spinach and Sweet Potato Vine are as follows:
Malabar Spinach flower color: Red, Green and Orange Red
Malabar Spinach leaf color: Green and Light Green
Sweet Potato Vine flower color: Purple and Rose
- Sweet Potato Vine leaf color: Purple, Dark Green and Black
Care of Malabar Spinach and Sweet Potato Vine
Care of Malabar Spinach and Sweet Potato Vine include pruning, fertilizers, watering etc. Malabar Spinach pruning is done Remove damaged leaves and Remove dead leaves and Sweet Potato Vine 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 Sweet Potato Vine needs Lots of watering and in winter, it needs Average Water.