Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Cactus
Vegetable
Origin
South America, Argentina, Brazil
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
Cereus repandus
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Number of Varieties
505
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
USDA Hardiness Zone
11-15-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12*7
Sunset Zone
16, 17, 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
Upright/Erect
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm2.40 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
90.00 cm24.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Yellow
Red, Green, Orange Red
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Pink, Red
White, Ivory
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Purple, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Purple, Gray Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Toothed
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
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, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
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
Double
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
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Hummingbirds, Butterflies
-
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antioxidants, Indigestion, Oedema, Wounds
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Part of Plant Used
Fruits
Leaves
Other Uses
Showy Purposes
Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Fruit, Fruit Tree, Hedges, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall, Tropical
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
CEREUS hildmannianus ssp. uruguayanus
BASELLA alba
Common Name
Peruvian Apple Cactus
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
In Hindi
Peruvian Apple cactus
पोई
In German
Peruanische Apple-Kaktus
Malabarspinat
In French
Péruvienne d'Apple Cactus
L’épinard de Malabar
In Spanish
Peruana de Apple Cactus
espinaca de Malabar
In Greek
Του Περού μήλο κάκτος
Malabar Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
Cactus a Apple peruana
Malabar espinafre
In Polish
Peruwiański Jabłko Cactus
Szpinak Malabar
In Latin
Apple Peruviani Cactus
Spinach Malabar
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Eudicotyledones
Order
Caryophyllidae
Caryophyllales
Family
Cactaceae
Basellaceae
Genus
Cereus
Basella
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
Cereeae
-
Subfamily
Cactoideae
-
Number of Species
660
1
27800
👆🏻