Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Flowering Plants
Vegetable
Origin
United States
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
-
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Number of Varieties
255
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Rich Woods
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-8-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
8-1
12*7
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17
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
Mat-forming
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
25.00 cm2.40 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
50.00 cm24.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Lavender, White
Red, Green, Orange Red
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
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
-
Purple, Gray Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate-lanceolate
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container
Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
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
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove dead flowers
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Apply 10-10-10 amount
Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Leaf spot, Powdery mildew, Rust
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
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Hummingbirds, Butterflies
-
Allergy
Mild Allergen
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Ground Cover
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Boils, Eczema, Intestinal disorders
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves, Root
Leaves
Other Uses
As a tea substitute, Used as eyewash
Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
Phlox bifida
BASELLA alba
Common Name
Phlox bifida, Phlox
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
In Hindi
Phlox bifida
पोई
In German
Phlox bifida
Malabarspinat
In French
Phlox bifida
L’épinard de Malabar
In Spanish
Phlox bifida
espinaca de Malabar
In Greek
Phlox bifida
Malabar Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
Phlox bifida
Malabar espinafre
In Polish
Phlox bifida
Szpinak Malabar
In Latin
Phlox bifida
Spinach Malabar
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Eudicotyledones
Order
Solanales
Caryophyllales
Family
Polemoniaceae
Basellaceae
Genus
Phlox
Basella
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
Phlocideae
-
Subfamily
Polemonioideae
-
Number of Species
6760
1
27800
👆🏻