Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Fruit
Vegetable
Origin
Southern Asia, India, Melanesia, Australia
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
etrog
Basella rubra, L.Basella oleracea, Landw.Basella lucida, L.Basella japonica, Burm.f.Basella cordifolia,
Number of Varieties
510
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Tropical regions
gardens
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-11-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-7
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 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
Oval or Rounded
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
240.00 cm2.40 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
180.00 cm20.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Purple
White, Pink, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow
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
Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate elongated
Round
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Winter, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Transplanting
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs less 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
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
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
Aphids, Citrus foot rot, Leafminers, Red blotch
Insects, Mites
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
-
Allergy
Mild Allergen
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
Brightens the skin complexion, Good for skin and hair
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antibiotic, Antidote, Pulmonary afflictions, Recovering internal injuries
Astringent
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves
Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Used as a nutritious food item, Used As Food, Used for its medicinal properties
Culinary use, Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Feature Plant, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Hedges, Houseplant, Shade Trees, Topiary / Bonsai / Espalier, Tropical
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
CITRUS medica
BASELLA alba
Common Name
Citron
Ceylon Spinach, Indian Spinach, Malabar Spinach
In Hindi
नीबू
भारतीय पालक
In German
Zitrone
Indian Spinat
In French
Citron
épinards indienne
In Spanish
Cidra
espinaca india
In Greek
Κίτρο
Ινδικό Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
cidra
espinafre indiano
In Polish
Cytryna
Indyjski szpinak
In Latin
Chron
Spinach Indian
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
-
Class
Magnoliopsida
-
Order
Sapindales
Caryophyllales
Family
Rutaceae
Basellaceae
Genus
Citrus
Basella
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
Citreae
-
Subfamily
Aurantioideae
-
Number of Species
75
1
27800
👆🏻