Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Cactus or Succulent, Flowering Plants
Vegetable
Origin
Mexico
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
Epiphyllum hybrids
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Number of Varieties
2005
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Tropical rainforest
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-11-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
11-1
12*7
Sunset Zone
H1, 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
15.20 cm2.40 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
6.78 cm24.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Orange, Magenta, Orange Red
Red, Green, Orange Red
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Purple, Red
White, Ivory
Leaf Color in Spring
-
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
-
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
-
Purple, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
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
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
From Rhizomes, Leaf Cutting, Stem Planting
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, Water occasionally
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
Neutral
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Aphids
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
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
Bold
Medium
Foliage Sheen
-
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Hummingbirds
-
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
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
Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Hanging Basket, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall, Tropical
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
DISOCACTUS ackermannii
BASELLA alba
Common Name
Orchid Cactus
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
In Hindi
आर्किड कैक्टस
पोई
In German
Orchid cactus
Malabarspinat
In French
Cactus Orchid
L’épinard de Malabar
In Spanish
cactus orquídea
espinaca de Malabar
In Greek
ορχιδέα κάκτος
Malabar Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
Orchid cactus
Malabar espinafre
In Polish
Orchid kaktus
Szpinak Malabar
In Latin
Orchid cactus
Spinach Malabar
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Embryophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Eudicotyledones
Order
Caryophyllales
Caryophyllales
Family
Cactaceae
Basellaceae
Genus
Disocactus
Basella
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
Hylocereeae
-
Subfamily
Cactoideae
-
Number of Species
2060
1
27800
👆🏻