Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Perennial
Vegetable
Origin
Eastern Europe, Russia, Siberia
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
Iris sibirica
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Number of Varieties
905
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Damp shady woods, Pastures
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
USDA Hardiness Zone
3-8-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
7-1
12*7
Sunset Zone
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
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
Clump-Forming
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
50.80 cm2.40 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
61.00 cm24.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Purple, Blue Violet
Red, Green, Orange Red
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
White, Ivory
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Purple, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Purple, Gray Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Linear
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
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
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Bulbs, Seedlings
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Keep ground moist
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
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial 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
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
pollinators
-
Allergy
allergic reaction, Skin irritation
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Bog Garden, Showy Purposes, Woodland margins
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Expectorant
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Root
Leaves
Other Uses
Used as an insecticide
Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bog Garden, Cutflower, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
IRIS sibirica
BASELLA alba
Common Name
Siberian Iris
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
In Hindi
Siberian Iris
पोई
In German
Sibirische Schwertlilie
Malabarspinat
In French
L'Iris de Sibérie
L’épinard de Malabar
In Spanish
Siberian Iris
espinaca de Malabar
In Greek
Siberian Iris
Malabar Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
Siberian Iris
Malabar espinafre
In Polish
Kosaciec syberyjski
Szpinak Malabar
In Latin
Siberian Iris
Spinach Malabar
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheobionta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Eudicotyledones
Order
Liliales
Caryophyllales
Family
Iridaceae
Basellaceae
Genus
Iris
Basella
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
Irideae
-
Subfamily
Iridoideae
-
Number of Species
30060
1
27800
👆🏻