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About Mexican Bamboo and Malabar Spinach


About Malabar Spinach and Mexican Bamboo


What is

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
20  
99+
5  

Habitat
Subtropical climates, tropical environments  
Hot climate regions, Humid climates  

USDA Hardiness Zone
9-12  
-9999  

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  

Information

Plant Size
  
  

Minimum Height
240.00 cm  
99+
2.40 cm  
99+

Minimum Width
30.00 cm  
99+
24.00 cm  
99+

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
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, 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
No  
Yes  

Tolerances
Drought  
Drought  

Care

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  

Facts

Flowers
-  
Showy  

Flower Petal Number
Single  
Single  

Fruits
  
  

Showy Fruit
No  
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
Fine  
Medium  

Foliage Sheen
Matte  
Glossy  

Evergreen
No  
Yes  

Invasive
No  
Sometimes  

Self-Sowing
No  
Yes  

Attracts
Mealybugs  
-  

Allergy
Skin irritation  
-  

Benefits

Uses
  
  

Aesthetic Uses
Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes  
-  

Beauty Benefits
-  
-  

Edible Uses
No  
Yes  

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
No  
No  

Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes  
Yes  

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

Scientific Name

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  

Classification

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
55  
60  

Summary >>
<< Classification

Properties of Mexican Bamboo and Malabar Spinach

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

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Season and Care of Mexican Bamboo and Malabar Spinach

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

Mexican Bamboo and Malabar Spinach Physical Information

Mexican Bamboo and Malabar Spinach physical information is very important for comparison. Mexican Bamboo height is 240.00 cm and width 30.00 cm whereas Malabar Spinach height is 2.40 cm and width 24.00 cm. The color specification of Mexican Bamboo and Malabar Spinach are as follows:

Care of Mexican Bamboo and Malabar Spinach

Care of Mexican Bamboo and Malabar Spinach include pruning, fertilizers, watering etc. Mexican Bamboo pruning is done Prune every year, Prune to control growth and Remove dead or diseased plant parts and Malabar Spinach pruning is done Remove damaged leaves and Remove dead leaves. In summer Mexican Bamboo needs Lots of watering and in winter, it needs Average Water. Whereas, in summer Malabar Spinach needs Average Water and in winter, it needs Average Water.

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