Home
Garden Plants


About Malabar Spinach and Switchgrass


About Switchgrass and Malabar Spinach


What is

Life Span
Perennial  
Perennial  

Type
Vegetable  
Grass  

Origin
Southeastern Asia, India  
North America, Canada, Mexico  

Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach  
Panicum abscissum, Panicum acostia, Panicum amarum  

Number of Varieties
5  
38  
99+

Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates  
Prairies  

USDA Hardiness Zone
-9999  
4-9  

AHS Heat Zone
12*7  
9 - 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  
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23  

Habit
Vining/Climbing  
Upright/Erect  

Information

Plant Size
  
  

Minimum Height
2.40 cm  
99+
150.00 cm  
99+

Minimum Width
24.00 cm  
99+
90.00 cm  
99+

Plant Color
  
  

Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red  
Green  

Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor  
Bicolor  

Fruit Color
White, Ivory  
-  

Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green  
Green, Light Green, Blue Green, Gray Green  

Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green  
Light Green  

Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Gray Green  
Red, Green, Orange, Blue Green, Gray Green, Bronze  

Leaf Color in Winter
Purple, Gray Green  
Tan, Sandy Brown  

Shape
  
  

Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped  
Grass like  

Thorns
No  
No  

Season

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  
Clay, Loam, Sand  

The pH of Soil
Neutral  
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline  

Soil Drainage
Well drained  
Average  

Bloom Time
-  
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer  

Repeat Bloomer
Yes  
No  

Tolerances
Drought  
Pollution, Soil Compaction  

Care

Where to Plant?
Ground  
Ground  

How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings  
Divison, Root Division  

Plant Maintenance
Medium  
Medium  

Watering Plants
  
  

Watering Requirements
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil  
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Requires regular watering  

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  
Average  

Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade  
Full Sun, Partial Sun  

Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves  
Prune in spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads  

Fertilizers
Nitrogen  
Nitrogen  

Pests and Diseases
Aphids  
Red blotch  

Plant Tolerance
Drought  
Pollution, Soil Compaction  

Facts

Flowers
Showy  
Yes  

Flower Petal Number
Single  
Single  

Fruits
  
  

Showy Fruit
Yes  
Yes  

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  
Fine  

Foliage Sheen
Glossy  
Matte  

Evergreen
Yes  
No  

Invasive
Sometimes  
No  

Self-Sowing
Yes  
Yes  

Attracts
-  
Birds, Wildlife  

Allergy
-  
-  

Benefits

Uses
  
  

Aesthetic Uses
-  
Showy Purposes  

Beauty Benefits
-  
-  

Edible Uses
Yes  
Insignificant  

Environmental Uses
Air purification  
Air purification, Provides ground cover, soil erosion prevension on hill slopes  

Plant Benefits
  
  

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

Part of Plant Used
Leaves  
Leaves  

Other Uses
Used As Food  
Cattle Fodder, Used as Biofuel  

Used As Indoor Plant
No  
No  

Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes  
Yes  

Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine  
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border  

Scientific Name

Botanical Name
BASELLA alba  
PANICUM virgatum  

Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach  
Switchgrass  

In Hindi
पोई  
Switchgrass  

In German
Malabarspinat  
Switchgrass  

In French
L’épinard de Malabar  
switchgrass  

In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar  
switchgrass  

In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι  
switchgrass  

In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre  
switchgrass  

In Polish
Szpinak Malabar  
switchgrass  

In Latin
Spinach Malabar  
switchgrass  

Classification

Kingdom
Plantae  
Plantae  

Phylum
Magnoliophyta  
Magnoliophyta  

Class
Eudicotyledones  
Liliopsida  

Order
Caryophyllales  
Cyperales  

Family
Basellaceae  
Poaceae  

Genus
Basella  
Panicum  

Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots  
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots  

Tribe
-  
Paniceae  

Subfamily
-  
Panicoideae  

Number of Species
60  
450  
99+

Summary >>
<< Classification

Properties of Malabar Spinach and Switchgrass

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

Compare List of Vegetables

Season and Care of Malabar Spinach and Switchgrass

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

Malabar Spinach and Switchgrass Physical Information

Malabar Spinach and Switchgrass physical information is very important for comparison. Malabar Spinach height is 2.40 cm and width 24.00 cm whereas Switchgrass height is 150.00 cm and width 90.00 cm. The color specification of Malabar Spinach and Switchgrass are as follows:

Care of Malabar Spinach and Switchgrass

Care of Malabar Spinach and Switchgrass include pruning, fertilizers, watering etc. Malabar Spinach pruning is done Remove damaged leaves and Remove dead leaves and Switchgrass pruning is done Prune in spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts and Remove deadheads. In summer Malabar Spinach needs Average Water and in winter, it needs Average Water. Whereas, in summer Switchgrass needs Lots of watering and in winter, it needs Average Water.

List of Vegetables

List of Vegetables

» More List of Vegetables

Compare List of Vegetables

» More Compare List of Vegetables