Life Span
Perennial
  
Perennial
  
Type
Tender Perennial
  
Vegetable
  
Origin
North America, Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean, Caribbean, Central America, South America
  
Southeastern Asia, India
  
Types
Cryptanthus 'Absolute Zero'
Cryptanthus 'Agate'
Cryptanthus 'Alberta'
Cryptanthus 'Alpine Frost'
  
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
  
Number of Varieties
Not Available
  
Habitat
Lowland evergreen rainforest, Rainforest, Shaded sites, Wild
  
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
  
USDA Hardiness Zone
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
AHS Heat Zone
Not Available
  
12*7
  
Sunset Zone
Not Available
  
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
Not Available
  
Vining/Climbing
  
Plant Size
  
  
Minimum Height
Not Available
  
Minimum Width
Not Available
  
Plant Color
  
  
Flower Color
Not Available
  
Red, Green, Orange Red
  
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
  
Bicolor
  
Fruit Color
Not Available
  
White, Ivory
  
Leaf Color in Spring
Not Available
  
Green, Light Green
  
Leaf Color in Summer
Not Available
  
Green, Dark Green
  
Leaf Color in Fall
Not Available
  
Purple, Gray Green
  
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
  
Purple, Gray Green
  
Shape
  
  
Leaf Shape
Linear
  
Heart-shaped
  
Thorns
Not Available
  
No
  
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
  
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
  
Growing Conditions
  
  
Sunlight
Not Available
  
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
  
Growth Rate
Not Available
  
Fast
  
Type of Soil
Not Available
  
Clay, Loam
  
The pH of Soil
Not Available
  
Neutral
  
Soil Drainage
Not Available
  
Well drained
  
Bloom Time
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Repeat Bloomer
Not Available
  
Yes
  
Tolerances
Drought
  
Drought
  
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
  
Ground
  
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
  
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
  
Plant Maintenance
Medium
  
Medium
  
Watering Plants
  
  
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do not water excessively, Keep the Soil well drained
  
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
Not Available
  
Neutral
  
Soil Type
Not Available
  
Clay, Loam
  
Soil Drainage Capacity
Not Available
  
Well drained
  
Sun Exposure
Not Available
  
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
  
Pruning
Pinch or prune as they grow to promote branching and bushiness, Pinching, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
  
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
  
Fertilizers
Does not require fertilizer once established
  
Nitrogen
  
Pests and Diseases
Pests and diseases free, Red blotch
  
Aphids
  
Plant Tolerance
Variety of soil types
  
Drought
  
Flowers
Showy
  
Showy
  
Flower Petal Number
Single
  
Single
  
Fruits
  
  
Showy Fruit
Not Available
  
Yes
  
Edible Fruit
Not Available
  
No
  
Fragrance
  
  
Fragrant Flower
Not Available
  
No
  
Fragrant Fruit
Not Available
  
No
  
Fragrant Leaf
Not Available
  
No
  
Fragrant Bark/Stem
Not Available
  
No
  
Showy Foliage
Not Available
  
Yes
  
Showy Bark
Not Available
  
No
  
Foliage Texture
Not Available
  
Medium
  
Foliage Sheen
Not Available
  
Glossy
  
Evergreen
No
  
Yes
  
Invasive
No
  
Sometimes
  
Self-Sowing
Not Available
  
Yes
  
Attracts
Ladybug beetles, Mealybugs, Scale Insects
  
Not Available
  
Allergy
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Uses
  
  
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Borders, Decorating walls, Ground Cover
  
Not Used For Aesthetic Purpose
  
Beauty Benefits
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Edible Uses
No
  
Yes
  
Environmental Uses
Air purification
  
Air purification
  
Plant Benefits
  
  
Medicinal Uses
Not Available
  
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
  
Part of Plant Used
Not Available
  
Leaves
  
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant, useful as a ground cover
  
Used As Food
  
Used As Indoor Plant
Yes
  
No
  
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Garden Design
Not Available
  
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
  
Botanical Name
CRYPTANTHUS
  
BASELLA alba
  
Common Name
Cryptanthus, Earth Star
  
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
  
In Hindi
Earth Star
  
पोई
  
In German
Erdstern
  
Malabarspinat
  
In French
Terre étoile
  
L’épinard de Malabar
  
In Spanish
estrella de la tierra
  
espinaca de Malabar
  
In Greek
γη αστεριών
  
Malabar Σπανάκι
  
In Portuguese
Estrela da terra
  
Malabar espinafre
  
In Polish
Gwiazda ziemi
  
Szpinak Malabar
  
In Latin
terra, stella
  
Spinach Malabar
  
Kingdom
Plantae
  
Plantae
  
Phylum
Tracheophyta
  
Magnoliophyta
  
Class
Liliopsida
  
Eudicotyledones
  
Order
Bromeliales
  
Caryophyllales
  
Family
Bromeliaceae
  
Basellaceae
  
Genus
Cryptanthus
  
Basella
  
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
  
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
  
Tribe
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Subfamily
Bromelioideae
  
Not Available
  
Number of Species
Not Available
  
Importance of Earth Star and Malabar Spinach
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Earth Star and Malabar Spinach. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Earth Star and Malabar Spinach as they differ in many characteristics such as their life, care, benefits, facts, etc. Every gardener must at least have the slightest clue about the plants he wants to plant in his garden. Compare their benefits, which differ in many ways like facts and uses. The medicinal use of Earth Star is Not Available whereas of Malabar Spinach is Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A and Vitamin C. Earth Star has beauty benefits as follows: Not Available while Malabar Spinach has beauty benefits as follows: Not Available.
Compare Facts of Earth Star vs Malabar Spinach
How to choose the best garden plant for your garden depending upon its facts? Here garden plant comparison will help you to solve this query. Compare the facts of Earth Star vs Malabar Spinach and know which one to choose. As garden plants have benefits and other uses, allergy is also a major drawback of plants for some people. Allergic reactions of Earth Star are Not Available whereas of Malabar Spinach have Not Available respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Earth Star has no showy fruits and Malabar Spinach has showy fruits. Also Earth Star is not flowering and Malabar Spinach is not flowering . You can compare Earth Star and Malabar Spinach facts and facts of other plants too.