Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Vegetable
Origin
North America, Southwestern United States, Mexico
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
Colville's Barrel Cactus, Long-spined Barrel Cactus, Barrel Cactus
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Number of Varieties
295
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
limestone outcrops, Rocky areas, Semi desert
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
USDA Hardiness Zone
12-15-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12*7
Sunset Zone
12, 13, 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
40.00 cm2.40 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
13.00 cm24.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Magenta
Red, Green, Orange Red
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Pink, Red
White, Ivory
Leaf Color in Spring
-
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
-
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
-
Purple, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Purple, Gray Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
-
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
Slow
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs good drainage, Needs very little water, Water carefully
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
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
-
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
Bold
Medium
Foliage Sheen
-
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
-
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Part of Plant Used
Flowers
Leaves
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
ECHINOCACTUS horizonthalonius
BASELLA alba
Common Name
Devilshead, Turk's head cactus, Blue barrel cactus, Eagle's claw, Horse maimer, Horse crippler, Visnaga meloncillo
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
In Hindi
Blue barrel cactus
पोई
In German
Blau Faßkaktus
Malabarspinat
In French
Bleu barrel cactus
L’épinard de Malabar
In Spanish
biznaga Azul
espinaca de Malabar
In Greek
Μπλε βαρέλι κάκτος
Malabar Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
cacto de tambor azul
Malabar espinafre
In Polish
Niebieski baryłkę kaktus
Szpinak Malabar
In Latin
Blue Cactus
Spinach Malabar
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Eudicotyledones
Order
Caryophyllales
Caryophyllales
Family
Cactaceae
Basellaceae
Genus
Echinocactus
Basella
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
Cacteae
-
Subfamily
Cactaceae
-
Number of Species
2960
1
27800
👆🏻