Life Span
Perennial
  
Perennial
  
Type
Tender Perennial
  
Vegetable
  
Origin
Africa, Asia, Polynesia, Australia
  
Southeastern Asia, India
  
Types
assera , caerulea , cinerascens , petasmatodes
  
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
  
Number of Varieties
Not Available
  
Habitat
mild coastal areas, Upland sandy savannas
  
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
  
USDA Hardiness Zone
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
AHS Heat Zone
Not Available
  
12*7
  
Sunset Zone
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
  
  
Plant Color
  
  
Flower Color
White, Blue, Blue Violet
  
Red, Green, Orange Red
  
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
  
Bicolor
  
Fruit Color
Blue, Violet
  
White, Ivory
  
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Blue Green, Dark Green
  
Green, Light Green
  
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Blue Green, Dark Green
  
Green, Dark Green
  
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Blue Green, Dark Green
  
Purple, Gray Green
  
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
  
Purple, Gray Green
  
Shape
  
  
Leaf Shape
Long Narrow
  
Heart-shaped
  
Thorns
No
  
No
  
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
Medium
  
Fast
  
Type of Soil
Loamy, Sandy, Well drained
  
Clay, Loam
  
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Slightly Acidic
  
Neutral
  
Soil Drainage
Well drained
  
Well drained
  
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
  
Not Available
  
Repeat Bloomer
Yes
  
Yes
  
Tolerances
Deer resistant, Drought, Heat Tolerance, Light Frost
  
Drought
  
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
  
Ground
  
How to Plant?
Rhizome division, Seedlings
  
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
  
Plant Maintenance
Medium
  
Medium
  
Watering Plants
  
  
Watering Requirements
Requires plenty of water during the growing season
  
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, Slightly Acidic
  
Neutral
  
Soil Type
Loamy, Sandy, Well drained
  
Clay, Loam
  
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
  
Well drained
  
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
  
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
  
Pruning
Prune in the late winter or spring, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
  
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
  
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, slow-release fertilizers
  
Nitrogen
  
Pests and Diseases
Crown rot, Fungal leaf spots
  
Aphids
  
Plant Tolerance
Deer resistant, Drought, Heat Tolerance, Light Frost
  
Drought
  
Flowers
Showy
  
Showy
  
Flower Petal Number
Single
  
Single
  
Fruits
  
  
Showy Fruit
Yes
  
Yes
  
Edible Fruit
No
  
No
  
Fragrance
  
  
Fragrant Flower
Not Available
  
No
  
Fragrant Fruit
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Leaf
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Bark/Stem
No
  
No
  
Showy Foliage
Yes
  
Yes
  
Showy Bark
No
  
No
  
Foliage Texture
Not Available
  
Medium
  
Foliage Sheen
Not Available
  
Glossy
  
Evergreen
No
  
Yes
  
Invasive
No
  
Sometimes
  
Self-Sowing
Yes
  
Yes
  
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies, Caterpillar
  
Not Available
  
Allergy
breathing problems, Dizziness, poisonous if ingested
  
Not Available
  
Uses
  
  
Aesthetic Uses
along a porch, deck or patio, Showy Purposes, small hedge, Wild gardens
  
Not Used For Aesthetic Purpose
  
Beauty Benefits
Unknown
  
Not Available
  
Edible Uses
No
  
Yes
  
Environmental Uses
Air purification
  
Air purification
  
Plant Benefits
  
  
Medicinal Uses
Unknown
  
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
  
Part of Plant Used
Not Available
  
Leaves
  
Other Uses
Beneficial species for attracting pollinators
  
Used As Food
  
Used As Indoor Plant
Sometimes
  
No
  
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Garden Design
Mixed Border, Tropical
  
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
  
Botanical Name
DIANELLA caerulea
  
BASELLA alba
  
Common Name
Blue Flax Lily, Blueberry Lily, Paroo Lily
  
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
  
In Hindi
blue flax lily
  
पोई
  
In German
blau Flachs Lilie
  
Malabarspinat
  
In French
Dianella caerulea
  
L’épinard de Malabar
  
In Spanish
Dianella caerulea
  
espinaca de Malabar
  
In Greek
Dianella caerulea
  
Malabar Σπανάκι
  
In Portuguese
blue flax lily
  
Malabar espinafre
  
In Polish
blue flax lily
  
Szpinak Malabar
  
In Latin
blue flax lily
  
Spinach Malabar
  
Kingdom
Plantae
  
Plantae
  
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
  
Magnoliophyta
  
Class
Monocots
  
Eudicotyledones
  
Order
Asparagales
  
Caryophyllales
  
Family
Liliaceae
  
Basellaceae
  
Genus
Dianella
  
Basella
  
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
  
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
  
Tribe
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Subfamily
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Number of Species
Not Available