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
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Number of Varieties
205
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert, Semi desert
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
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 cm24.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Pink, White
Red, Green, Orange Red
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Pink, Purple, Salmon, Violet
White, Ivory
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Purple, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Purple, Gray Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Succulent
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Fall, Spring, Summer, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
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
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Grafting, Seedlings, Stem Planting
Leaf Cutting, 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
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
In Summer
Lots of watering
Average Water
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, Partial shade
Pruning
Prune to stimulate growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
fertilize every 2-3 weeks while growing
Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Scale
Aphids
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
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Stem
Leaves
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, Economic Purpose, Employed in herbal medicine, Medicinal oil, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
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, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
In Hindi
cereus
पोई
In German
cereus
Malabarspinat
In French
cereus
L’épinard de Malabar
In Spanish
cereus
espinaca de Malabar
In Greek
cereus
Malabar Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
cereus
Malabar espinafre
In Polish
cereus
Szpinak Malabar
In Latin
cereus
Spinach Malabar
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Eudicotyledones
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
3360
1
27800
👆🏻