Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Vegetable
Origin
China, Korea
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
Castanea mollissima
Basella rubra, L.Basella oleracea, Landw.Basella lucida, L.Basella japonica, Burm.f.Basella cordifolia,
Number of Varieties
2010
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
disturbed sites, Forest edges
gardens
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-8-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
8-1
12-7
Sunset Zone
2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17
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
Spreading
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm2.40 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
1,220.00 cm20.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Light Yellow, Ivory
White, Pink, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Light Green, Chartreuse
Purple, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Gray Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Gray Green, Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Yellow, Gold, Tan
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Green, Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Lobed
Round
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Slow
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do Not over Water, Medium, Requires watering in the growing season
Keep ground moist, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water less during winter
In Summer
Adequately
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune in fall, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Requires very little pruning
Fertilizers
Nitrogen, Potassium
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Beetles, Leafhoppers
Insects, Mites
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
-
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
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
-
Allergy
Mild Allergen
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for animals, Food for birds, Food for insects, Nesting sites for birds, Prevent Soil Erosion
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Low calories, Nutrients
Astringent
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Seeds, Stem
Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Food for animals, Used as firewood, Used As Food, Used in biomass
Culinary use, Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
CASTANEA mollissima
BASELLA alba
Common Name
Chinese Chestnut
Ceylon Spinach, Indian Spinach, Malabar Spinach
In Hindi
चीनी अखरोट
भारतीय पालक
In German
chinesische Kastanie
Indian Spinat
In French
châtaignier chinois
épinards indienne
In Spanish
Castaño chino
espinaca india
In Greek
Κινέζικο κάστανο
Ινδικό Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
castanha chinesa
espinafre indiano
In Polish
Kasztan chiński
Indyjski szpinak
In Latin
Chinese Chestnut
Spinach Indian
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
-
Class
Magnoliopsida
-
Order
Fagales
Caryophyllales
Family
Fagaceae
Basellaceae
Genus
Castanea
Basella
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
Gloxinieae
-
Subfamily
Cassidinae
-
Number of Species
155
1
27800
👆🏻