Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Broadleaf Evergreen, Grass
Vegetable
Origin
Mexico
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
Otatea acuminata ssp. acuminata, Otatea acuminata ssp. aztecorum, Otatea acuminata 'Dwarf'
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Number of Varieties
205
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Subtropical climates, tropical environments
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-12-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
10 - 7
12*7
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 9, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
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
Habit
Weeping
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
240.00 cm2.40 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.00 cm24.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
Red, Green, Orange Red
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
White, Ivory
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Yellow green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Yellow green
Purple, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Yellow green
Purple, Gray Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Long linear and narrow
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
-
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Divison
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Never Over-water
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
In Summer
Lots of watering
Average Water
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Prune every year, Prune to control growth, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Requires high amount of nitrogen
Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Mealybugs
Aphids
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
-
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Fine
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Mealybugs
-
Allergy
Skin irritation
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Windbreak
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Leaves
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Tropical
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
OTATEA acuminata
BASELLA alba
Common Name
Clumping Bamboo, Mexican Weeping Bamboo
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
In Hindi
मैक्सिकन बांस
पोई
In German
Mexican Bambus
Malabarspinat
In French
Bamboo mexicaine
L’épinard de Malabar
In Spanish
bambú mexicana
espinaca de Malabar
In Greek
Μεξικού μπαμπού
Malabar Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
Bamboo Mexican
Malabar espinafre
In Polish
Mexican Bamboo
Szpinak Malabar
In Latin
Mexicanus Bamboo
Spinach Malabar
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Magnoliophyta
Class
-
Eudicotyledones
Order
Poales
Caryophyllales
Family
Poaceae
Basellaceae
Genus
Otatea
Basella
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
5560
1
27800
👆🏻