Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Green Tomatillo, Purple Tomatillo
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
Cultivated Beds
USDA Hardiness Zone
-9999
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
A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Oval/Rounded
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
Yellow, Sandy Brown
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
Green, Purple, Yellow 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
-
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Lance shaped
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
-
Indeterminate
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Requirements
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
Average Water Needs
In Summer
Average Water
Drought Tolerant, Average Water
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil Type
Clay, Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Remove all suckers, Remove wet foliage
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Fungal Diseases
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Invasive
Sometimes
Sometimes
Attracts
-
Birds, Flea beetles
Allergy
-
Arthritis, Inflammation
Beauty Benefits
-
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
Cancer, Diabetes, Energy, Opthalmic
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Fruits
Other Uses
Used As Food
Used for making green salsas and chilli sauce, Used in salads
Used As Indoor Plant
No
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
PHYSALIS philadelphica
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
Green Tomato, Mexican Groundcherry, Tomatillo
In German
Malabarspinat
Tomatillos
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
Tomatilles
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
Tomatillos
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
Tomatillos
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
Tomatillos
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
Tomatillos
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
Tomatillos
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Solanales
Family
Basellaceae
Solanaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Season and Care of Malabar Spinach and Tomatillo
Season and care of Malabar Spinach and Tomatillo is important to know. While considering everything about Malabar Spinach and Tomatillo Care, growing season is an essential factor. Malabar Spinach season is Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter and Tomatillo season is Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. The type of soil for Malabar Spinach is Clay, Loam and for Tomatillo is Clay, Loam, Sand while the PH of soil for Malabar Spinach is Neutral and for Tomatillo is Neutral.
Malabar Spinach and Tomatillo Physical Information
Malabar Spinach and Tomatillo physical information is very important for comparison. Malabar Spinach height is 2.40 cm and width 24.00 cm whereas Tomatillo height is 60.00 cm and width 90.00 cm. The color specification of Malabar Spinach and Tomatillo are as follows:
Malabar Spinach flower color: Red, Green and Orange Red
Malabar Spinach leaf color: Green and Light Green
Tomatillo flower color: Yellow and Sandy Brown
- Tomatillo leaf color: Green
Care of Malabar Spinach and Tomatillo
Care of Malabar Spinach and Tomatillo include pruning, fertilizers, watering etc. Malabar Spinach pruning is done Remove damaged leaves and Remove dead leaves and Tomatillo pruning is done Remove all suckers and Remove wet foliage. In summer Malabar Spinach needs Average Water and in winter, it needs Average Water. Whereas, in summer Tomatillo needs Drought Tolerant, Average Water and in winter, it needs Average Water.