Life Span
Perennial
Annual and Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Broadleaf Evergreen
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
China
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Osmanthus fragrans
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
Lowland, shaded fields, Shaded sites, Slopes, Subtropical climates
USDA Hardiness Zone
-9999
7-99
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
Oval or Rounded
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
Dark Blue, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Gray Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Gray Green
Gray Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple, Gray Green
Gray Green, Dark Green
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Oval
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
-
Early Spring, Late Winter
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Seedlings, Vegetative Reproduction
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Requirements
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
Allow soil to be completely dry in between waterings, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water deeply about once a week
In Summer
Average Water
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
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, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Do not prune during shooting season, No pruning needed in the early stages, Prune to stimulate growth, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads, Shape and thin as needed
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Pests and diseases free
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Foliage Texture
Medium
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Aesthetic Uses
-
Beautification
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Medicinal Uses
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Antioxidants
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Flowers, Fruits, Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Other Uses
Used As Food
Culinary use, Used for fragrance, Used for producing cooking oil, Used as a spice
Used As Indoor Plant
No
Yes
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Feature Plant, Foundation, Hedges, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
OSMANTHUS delavayi
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
Sweet Olive
Tea Olive
Fragrant Olive
In German
Malabarspinat
Tea Olive
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
Tea Olive
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
té verde oliva
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
τσάι Ελιάς
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
Tea Olive
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
Herbata z oliwek
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
Tea Olive
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Lamiales
Family
Basellaceae
Oleaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Season and Care of Malabar Spinach and Tea Olive
Season and care of Malabar Spinach and Tea Olive is important to know. While considering everything about Malabar Spinach and Tea Olive Care, growing season is an essential factor. Malabar Spinach season is Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter and Tea Olive season is Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. The type of soil for Malabar Spinach is Clay, Loam and for Tea Olive is Clay, Loam, Sand while the PH of soil for Malabar Spinach is Neutral and for Tea Olive is Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline.
Malabar Spinach and Tea Olive Physical Information
Malabar Spinach and Tea Olive physical information is very important for comparison. Malabar Spinach height is 2.40 cm and width 24.00 cm whereas Tea Olive height is 180.00 cm and width 180.00 cm. The color specification of Malabar Spinach and Tea Olive are as follows:
Malabar Spinach flower color: Red, Green and Orange Red
Malabar Spinach leaf color: Green and Light Green
Tea Olive flower color: White
- Tea Olive leaf color: Gray Green and Dark Green
Care of Malabar Spinach and Tea Olive
Care of Malabar Spinach and Tea Olive include pruning, fertilizers, watering etc. Malabar Spinach pruning is done Remove damaged leaves and Remove dead leaves and Tea Olive pruning is done Do not prune during shooting season, No pruning needed in the early stages, Prune to stimulate growth, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads and Shape and thin as needed. In summer Malabar Spinach needs Average Water and in winter, it needs Average Water. Whereas, in summer Tea Olive needs Lots of watering and in winter, it needs Average Water.