Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Perennial
Vegetable
Origin
North America, United States, Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Canada
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
-
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Number of Varieties
25
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
gardens, Hardwood forests
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
USDA Hardiness Zone
5-7-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
7-5
12*7
Sunset Zone
2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
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
15.20 cm2.40 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
12.70 cm24.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
Red, Green, Orange Red
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Light Green
White, Ivory
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Blue Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Gray Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Gray Green
Purple, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Purple, Gray Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Butterfly shaped
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial shade, Full Shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Slow
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Divison, Seedlings, Stem Planting
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
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
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Partial shade, Full Shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove deadheads, Requires very little pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
No fertilizers needed
Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Pests and diseases free, 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
Coarse
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Butterflies
-
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Cancer, Diuretic
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 Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Groundcover
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
JEFFERSONIA diphylla
BASELLA alba
Common Name
-
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
In Hindi
Twinleaf
पोई
In German
Twinleaf
Malabarspinat
In French
Twinleaf
L’épinard de Malabar
In Spanish
Twinleaf
espinaca de Malabar
In Greek
Twinleaf
Malabar Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
Twinleaf
Malabar espinafre
In Polish
Twinleaf
Szpinak Malabar
In Latin
Twinleaf
Spinach Malabar
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Eudicotyledones
Order
Ranunculales
Caryophyllales
Family
Berberidaceae
Basellaceae
Genus
Jeffersonia
Basella
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
260
1
27800
👆🏻