Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Vegetable
Origin
Southwestern United States, Texas, Mexico
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
-
Basella rubra, L.Basella oleracea, Landw.Basella lucida, L.Basella japonica, Burm.f.Basella cordifolia,
Number of Varieties
2510
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Well Drained
gardens
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-11-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-7
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 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
Oval or Rounded
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
90.00 cm2.40 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
150.00 cm20.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Yellow, Ivory
White, Pink, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Black
Purple, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Gray Green, Dark Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Gray Green, Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Gray Green, Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Olive, Gray Green
Green, Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Elliptic
Round
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Fall, Late Fall, Early Winter
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt, Soil Compaction
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Budding, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do not water frequently, Prefer drip-irrigation instead of Over-head watering
Keep ground moist, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water less during winter
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Requires very little pruning
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply N-P-K, Phosphorous
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Pests and diseases free, Red blotch
Insects, Mites
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Dry Conditions
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
Coarse
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Hummingbirds, Butterflies
-
Allergy
Pollen
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Borders, Cottage Garden, Used in parkland
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Cough, Rheumatism
Astringent
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Fruits, Leaves
Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
Culinary use, Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Shade Trees, Tropical
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
CORDIA boissieri
BASELLA alba
Common Name
Anacahuita, Texas Olive
Ceylon Spinach, Indian Spinach, Malabar Spinach
In Hindi
Anacahuita
भारतीय पालक
In German
Anacahuita
Indian Spinat
In French
anacahuita
épinards indienne
In Spanish
anacahuita
espinaca india
In Greek
Anacahuita
Ινδικό Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
Anacahuita
espinafre indiano
In Polish
Anacahuita
Indyjski szpinak
In Latin
Anacahuita
Spinach Indian
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
-
Class
Magnoliopsida
-
Order
Boraginales
Caryophyllales
Family
Boraginaceae
Basellaceae
Genus
Cordia
Basella
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
3005
1
27800
👆🏻