Life Span
Annual and Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Vegetable
Origin
Southern Europe, Mediterranean
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
Silver Lace, Cirrus
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Number of Varieties
35
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Warmer regions
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
USDA Hardiness Zone
7-11-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
12*7
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 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
Cushion/Mound-forming
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
20.30 cm2.40 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.50 cm24.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Yellow, Purple
Red, Green, Orange Red
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Tan
White, Ivory
Leaf Color in Spring
Blue Green, Silver
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Blue Green, Silver
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Blue Green, Silver
Purple, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Purple, Gray Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Requires regular watering, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
In Summer
Lots of watering
Average Water
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove dead leaves, Remove deadheads
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
fertilize every 2-3 weeks while growing, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium
Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Blight, Downy mildew, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Rust, White mold
Aphids
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
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
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
Sometimes
Sometimes
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Flying insects, Insects
-
Allergy
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation, Skin rash, Toxic
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for insects, Prevent Soil Erosion
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Headache, Menstrual Disorders, Migraines
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Leaves
Other Uses
Employed in herbal medicine, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Cutflower, Edging, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
CENTAUREA cineraria
BASELLA alba
Common Name
Silver dust
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
In Hindi
डस्टी मिलर
पोई
In German
Dusty Miller
Malabarspinat
In French
Dusty Miller
L’épinard de Malabar
In Spanish
Dusty Miller
espinaca de Malabar
In Greek
Dusty Miller
Malabar Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
Dusty Miller
Malabar espinafre
In Polish
Dusty Miller
Szpinak Malabar
In Latin
Dusty Cicero
Spinach Malabar
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Anthophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Eudicotyledones
Order
Asterales
Caryophyllales
Family
Asteraceae
Basellaceae
Genus
Centaurea
Basella
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
Cynareae
-
Subfamily
Carduoideae
-
Number of Species
160
1
27800
👆🏻