Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Cactus
Vegetable
Origin
Central America, South America, Brazil
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
cleistocactus strausii, cleistocactus winteri, cleistocactus samaipatanus
Basella rubra, L.Basella oleracea, Landw.Basella lucida, L.Basella japonica, Burm.f.Basella cordifolia,
Number of Varieties
1510
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
-
gardens
USDA Hardiness Zone
12-15-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-7
Sunset Zone
12, 13, 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
Upright/Erect
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
60.00 cm2.40 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.00 cm20.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Orange, Salmon
White, Pink, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Purple, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
-
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
-
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
-
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Green, Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Succulent
Round
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
-
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring, Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Cutting
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Reduce watering in winter
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, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full 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
Fertilize the soil before planting, slow-release fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Bacterial Stem Rot, fungus, Mealybugs, Spider mites
Insects, Mites
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
Bold
Medium
Foliage Sheen
-
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Hummingbirds
-
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes, Wild gardens
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Astringent
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Florist trade and landscaping, 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
CLEISTOCACTUS
BASELLA alba
Common Name
Cleistocactus
Ceylon Spinach, Indian Spinach, Malabar Spinach
In Hindi
Cleistocactus
भारतीय पालक
In German
Cleistocactus
Indian Spinat
In French
Cleistocactus
épinards indienne
In Spanish
Cleistocactus
espinaca india
In Greek
Cleistocactus
Ινδικό Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
Cleistocactus
espinafre indiano
In Polish
Kleistokaktus
Indyjski szpinak
In Latin
Cleistocactus
Spinach Indian
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
-
Class
Magnoliopsida
-
Order
Caryophyllales
Caryophyllales
Family
Cactaceae
Basellaceae
Genus
Cleistocactus
Basella
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
Trichocereeae
-
Subfamily
Cactoideae
-
Number of Species
505
1
27800
👆🏻