Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Vegetable
Origin
North America, Latin America and the Caribbean, Central America, South America
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
Schlumbergera
Basella rubra, L.Basella oleracea, Landw.Basella lucida, L.Basella japonica, Burm.f.Basella cordifolia,
Number of Varieties
1510
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Mountains, Humid climates
gardens
USDA Hardiness Zone
-9999-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
12-7
Sunset Zone
7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 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
Minimum Height
45.70 cm2.40 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
71.10 cm20.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple
White, Pink, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Pink
Purple, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Toothed
Round
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
-
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Stem Planting, Transplanting
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Never Over-water
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
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Requires little pruning
Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Requires very little pruning
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
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
Bold
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
-
Allergy
Eye irritation, sneezing
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Astringent
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Christmas Tree, Used as Ornamental plant
Culinary use, 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
SCHLUMBERGERA x buckleyi
BASELLA alba
Common Name
Thanksgiving Cactus, Crab Cactus
Ceylon Spinach, Indian Spinach, Malabar Spinach
In Hindi
क्रिसमस कैक्टस
भारतीय पालक
In German
Weihnachtskaktus
Indian Spinat
In French
Cactus de Noël
épinards indienne
In Spanish
Cactus de Navidad
espinaca india
In Greek
Χριστούγεννα Cactus
Ινδικό Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
Cacto de Natal
espinafre indiano
In Polish
Christmas Cactus
Indyjski szpinak
In Latin
Nativitatis Cactus
Spinach Indian
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
-
Class
Magnoliopsida
-
Order
Caryophyllales
Caryophyllales
Family
Cactaceae
Basellaceae
Genus
Schlumbergera
Basella
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Cactoideae
-
Number of Species
65
1
27800
👆🏻