Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Cactus or Succulent, Perennial
Vegetable
Origin
North America, Central America, South America
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
princess of the night, Honolulu queen
Basella rubra, L.Basella oleracea, Landw.Basella lucida, L.Basella japonica, Burm.f.Basella cordifolia,
Number of Varieties
2010
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert, Semi desert
gardens
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-14-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12 - 10
12-7
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 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
Narrow Upright/Fastigiate
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
250.00 cm2.40 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
40.00 cm20.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Pink, White
White, Pink, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Pink, Purple, Salmon, Violet
Purple, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Green, Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Succulent
Round
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Fall, Spring, Summer, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Alkaline, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Spring
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Grafting, Seedlings, Stem Planting
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do not let dry out between waterings, Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Requires consistently moist soil, Requires regular 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
Average Water
Moderate
In Winter
Less Watering
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Alkaline, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune to stimulate growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Requires very little pruning
Fertilizers
fertilize every 2-3 weeks while growing
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Scale
Insects, Mites
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
Flower Petal Number
Semi-Double
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
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
-
Allergy
Diarrhea, Nausea, Vomiting
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
Improve hair condition, Improve skin condition
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antioxidants, cholesterol-lowering, Fever, Heart problems, Itching, Menstrual Disorders, Rheumatism, Treat Parasitic Intestinal Worms
Astringent
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Stem
Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, Economic Purpose, Employed in herbal medicine, Medicinal oil, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Culinary use, Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
CEREUS
BASELLA alba
Common Name
Night blooming cereus
Ceylon Spinach, Indian Spinach, Malabar Spinach
In Hindi
cereus
भारतीय पालक
In German
cereus
Indian Spinat
In French
cereus
épinards indienne
In Spanish
cereus
espinaca india
In Greek
cereus
Ινδικό Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
cereus
espinafre indiano
In Polish
cereus
Indyjski szpinak
In Latin
cereus
Spinach Indian
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
-
Class
Magnoliopsida
-
Order
Caryophyllales
Caryophyllales
Family
Cactaceae
Basellaceae
Genus
Selenicereus
Basella
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
Hylocereeae
-
Subfamily
Cactoideae
-
Number of Species
335
1
27800
👆🏻