Life Span
Annual
  
Perennial
  
Type
Vegetable
  
Vegetable
  
Origin
Hybrid origin, Africa, Southern Africa
  
Southeastern Asia, India
  
Types
Not Available
  
Basella rubra, L.Basella oleracea, Landw.Basella lucida, L.Basella japonica, Burm.f.Basella cordifolia,
  
Number of Varieties
Not Available
  
Habitat
along watercourse, Grassland
  
gardens
  
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-12
  
Not Available
  
AHS Heat Zone
12-4
  
12-7
  
Sunset Zone
A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 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
Prostrate/Trailing
  
Vining/Climbing
  
Plant Size
  
  
Minimum Width
Not Available
  
Plant Color
  
  
Flower Color
Yellow
  
White, Pink, Light Pink
  
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
  
Bicolor
  
Fruit Color
Green, Crimson, Dark Green
  
Purple, Black
  
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green
  
Green, Light Green
  
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Gray Green
  
Green, Dark Green
  
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Gray Green
  
Green, Dark Green
  
Leaf Color in Winter
Not Available
  
Green, Dark Green
  
Shape
  
  
Leaf Shape
Irregular
  
Round
  
Thorns
No
  
No
  
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
  
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
  
Growing Conditions
  
  
Sunlight
Full Sun
  
Full Sun, Partial Sun
  
Growth Rate
Very Fast
  
Fast
  
Type of Soil
Loam
  
Clay, Loam
  
The pH of Soil
Neutral
  
Neutral
  
Soil Drainage
Well drained
  
Well drained
  
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
  
Indeterminate
  
Repeat Bloomer
Yes
  
Yes
  
Tolerances
Drought
  
Drought
  
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
  
Ground, Pot
  
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Transplanting
  
Seedlings
  
Plant Maintenance
High
  
Medium
  
Watering Plants
  
  
Watering Requirements
Requires consistently moist soil, Requires regular watering, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply
  
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
Neutral
  
Neutral
  
Soil Type
Loam
  
Clay, Loam
  
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
  
Well drained
  
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
  
Full Sun, Partial Sun
  
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
  
Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Requires very little pruning
  
Fertilizers
fertilize in growing season, Nitrogen, Potassium
  
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
  
Pests and Diseases
brown-spot needle blight, Cutworms, Downy mildew, Flea beetle, Flea Beetles, Fungal Diseases, fungus, Fusarium wilt, Powdery mildew, Red blotch
  
Insects, Mites
  
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Salt
  
Drought
  
Flowers
Showy
  
Showy
  
Flower Petal Number
Single
  
Single
  
Fruits
  
  
Showy Fruit
Yes
  
Yes
  
Edible Fruit
Yes
  
Not Available
  
Fragrance
  
  
Fragrant Flower
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Fruit
Yes
  
No
  
Fragrant Leaf
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Bark/Stem
No
  
No
  
Showy Foliage
Yes
  
Yes
  
Showy Bark
No
  
No
  
Foliage Texture
Coarse
  
Medium
  
Foliage Sheen
Matte
  
Glossy
  
Evergreen
No
  
No
  
Invasive
No
  
Sometimes
  
Self-Sowing
Yes
  
Yes
  
Attracts
Bees, Insects, Squirrels
  
Not Available
  
Allergy
Stomach pain, Throat itching
  
no allergic reactions
  
Uses
  
  
Aesthetic Uses
Ground Cover
  
Not Used For Aesthetic Purpose
  
Beauty Benefits
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Edible Uses
Yes
  
Yes
  
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for animals, Food for birds, Food for insects, Versatility
  
Air purification
  
Plant Benefits
  
  
Medicinal Uses
High blood pressure, Nutrients
  
Astringent
  
Part of Plant Used
Fruits
  
Fruits, Leaves
  
Other Uses
Used As Food, Used for its medicinal properties, Used in making beverages
  
Culinary use, Used As Food
  
Used As Indoor Plant
No
  
No
  
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Garden Design
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
  
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
  
Botanical Name
CITRULLUS lanatus 'Crimson Sweet'
  
BASELLA alba
  
Common Name
Crimson Sweet Watermelon, Watermelon
  
Ceylon Spinach, Indian Spinach, Malabar Spinach
  
In Hindi
तरबूज़
  
भारतीय पालक
  
In German
Wassermelone
  
Indian Spinat
  
In French
Citrullus lanatus
  
épinards indienne
  
In Spanish
Citrullus lanatus
  
espinaca india
  
In Greek
καρπούζι
  
Ινδικό Σπανάκι
  
In Portuguese
Citrullus lanatus
  
espinafre indiano
  
In Polish
Citrullus lanatus
  
Indyjski szpinak
  
In Latin
Citrullus lanatus
  
Spinach Indian
  
Kingdom
Plantae
  
Plantae
  
Phylum
Embryophyta
  
Not Available
  
Class
Magnoliopsida
  
Not Available
  
Order
Cucurbitales
  
Caryophyllales
  
Family
Cucurbitaceae
  
Basellaceae
  
Genus
Citrullus
  
Basella
  
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
  
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
  
Tribe
Benincaseae
  
Not Available
  
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
  
Not Available
  
Number of Species
Not Available