Life Span
Annual and Perennial
Perennial
Type
Aquatics
Vegetable
Origin
India
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
Ipomoea aquatica
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Number of Varieties
1205
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
subtropical regions, Tropical regions
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-15-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-6
12*7
Sunset Zone
21,22
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
Spreading
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
12.70 cm2.40 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
610.00 cm24.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Lavender
Red, Green, Orange Red
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Reddish Plum
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
Green
Purple, Gray Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Long Elliptic
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Poorly Drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
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
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Poorly Drained
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
Bacterial leaf spot, Damping-off, Root rot
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
Birds, Hens
-
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Anti-ageing Benefits, Antidiabetic, Reduces toothache, Skin Diseases
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Shoots, Stem
Leaves
Other Uses
Used in curries, soups, stews
Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Water Gardens
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
IPOMOEA aquatica
BASELLA alba
Common Name
Swamp Cabbage, Swamp Morning Glory, Water Spinach
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
In Hindi
Water Spinach
पोई
In German
Wasser-Spinat
Malabarspinat
In French
Épinards d'eau
L’épinard de Malabar
In Spanish
La espinaca de agua
espinaca de Malabar
In Greek
Σπανάκι νερό
Malabar Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
Espinafre de água
Malabar espinafre
In Polish
Szpinak wodny
Szpinak Malabar
In Latin
Water Spinach
Spinach Malabar
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Spermatophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Eudicotyledones
Order
Solanales
Caryophyllales
Family
Convolvulaceae
Basellaceae
Genus
Ipomoea
Basella
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
Ipomoeeae
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
50060
1
27800
👆🏻