Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Fern
Vegetable
Origin
Europe, Eastern Europe, Southern Europe, Western Europe, Turkey
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
Fern
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Number of Varieties
155
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Shady Edge, Woodland Garden Dappled Shade
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
USDA Hardiness Zone
6-9-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-5
12*7
Sunset Zone
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 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
Clump-Forming
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
90.00 cm2.40 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm24.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
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
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Purple, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Purple, Gray Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Saw-tooth like
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Shade, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
All year
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Dry Conditions, Light Frost, Shade areas, Variety of soil types
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Divison, From Rhizomes, Spores
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
when new, water every week
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, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Shade, 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
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
Fine
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
-
Sometimes
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies, Hummingbirds
-
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Poultice, Sore throat, Tonsillitis
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Root, Stem
Leaves
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Tropical, Water Gardens
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
POLYSTICHUM setiferum
BASELLA alba
Common Name
Alaska fern
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
In Hindi
Soft Shield Fern
पोई
In German
Grannen-Schildfarn
Malabarspinat
In French
Soft Shield Fern
L’épinard de Malabar
In Spanish
Soft Shield Fern
espinaca de Malabar
In Greek
Soft Shield Fern
Malabar Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
Soft Shield Fern
Malabar espinafre
In Polish
Soft Shield Fern
Szpinak Malabar
In Latin
Soft Shield Fern
Spinach Malabar
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Pteridophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Filicopsida
Eudicotyledones
Order
Polypodiales
Caryophyllales
Family
Dryopteridaceae
Basellaceae
Genus
Polystichum
Basella
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
43060
1
27800
👆🏻