Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Grass
Vegetable
Origin
World/Pandemic, Europe
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
-
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Number of Varieties
205
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Lake margins, Open areas, Stream side, Wet ground
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-8-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9 - 3
12*7
Sunset Zone
A1, A2, A3, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 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
Mat-forming
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
60.00 cm2.40 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
10.00 cm24.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Pink, White
Red, Green, Orange Red
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
White, Ivory
Leaf Color in Spring
White, Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
White, Green
Purple, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Brown
Purple, Gray Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
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, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site, Pollution, Salt, Soil Compaction
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Divison
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Reduce watering in winter, 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
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Prune to stimulate growth
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Doesn't require fertilization when grown in rich soil
Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
-
Aphids
Plant Tolerance
Pollution, Salt, Soil Compaction, Wet Site
Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
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
Bugs
-
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Ground Cover, Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for insects
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
Biodiesel
Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Mixed Border
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
PHALARIS arundinacea var. picta
BASELLA alba
Common Name
Canary Reedgrass, Ribbon Grass
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
In Hindi
Ribbon Grass
पोई
In German
rohrglanzgras
Malabarspinat
In French
roseau
L’épinard de Malabar
In Spanish
hierba cinta and pasto cinto
espinaca de Malabar
In Greek
κορδέλα Grass
Malabar Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
caniço-malhado
Malabar espinafre
In Polish
Wstążka Trawa
Szpinak Malabar
In Latin
Ribbon Grass
Spinach Malabar
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Eudicotyledones
Order
Cyperales
Caryophyllales
Family
Poaceae
Basellaceae
Genus
Phalaris
Basella
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
20060
1
27800
👆🏻