Life Span
Perennial
  
Perennial
  
Type
Cactus or Succulent
  
Vegetable
  
Origin
North America, South America, Brazil
  
Southeastern Asia, India
  
Types
Peanut cactus
  
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
  
Number of Varieties
Not Available
  
Habitat
Desert, Sandy areas, Semi desert
  
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
  
USDA Hardiness Zone
12-15
  
Not Available
  
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
  
12*7
  
Sunset Zone
12, 13, 16, 17, 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
  
  
Plant Color
  
  
Flower Color
White, Yellow, Red, Purple, Orange, Rose
  
Red, Green, Orange Red
  
Flower Color Modifier
Not Available
  
Bicolor
  
Fruit Color
Green, Orange Red
  
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
Not Available
  
Purple, Gray Green
  
Shape
  
  
Leaf Shape
Succulent
  
Heart-shaped
  
Thorns
Yes
  
No
  
Plant Season
Not Available
  
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
  
Growing Conditions
  
  
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
  
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
  
Growth Rate
Slow
  
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
  
Not Available
  
Repeat Bloomer
No
  
Yes
  
Tolerances
Drought, Dry soil, Full Sun, Heat Tolerance, Rocky Soil
  
Drought
  
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
  
Ground
  
How to Plant?
Grafting, Seedlings, Stem Planting
  
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
  
Plant Maintenance
Low
  
Medium
  
Watering Plants
  
  
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Water once every two or three weeks, Water when top layer of soil becomes dry
  
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
  
In Summer
Average Water
  
Average Water
  
In Spring
Average Water
  
Moderate
  
In Winter
Less Watering
  
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, Partial Sun, Partial shade
  
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
  
Pruning
Remove dead or diseased plant parts
  
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
  
Fertilizers
fertilize in growing season, fertilize in summer, Potassium
  
Nitrogen
  
Pests and Diseases
Mealybugs, Scale
  
Aphids
  
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Dry soil, Full Sun, Heat Tolerance, Rocky Soil
  
Drought
  
Flowers
Showy
  
Showy
  
Flower Petal Number
Single
  
Single
  
Fruits
  
  
Showy Fruit
No
  
Yes
  
Edible Fruit
No
  
No
  
Fragrance
  
  
Fragrant Flower
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Fruit
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Leaf
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Bark/Stem
No
  
No
  
Showy Foliage
No
  
Yes
  
Showy Bark
No
  
No
  
Foliage Texture
Bold
  
Medium
  
Foliage Sheen
Not Available
  
Glossy
  
Evergreen
No
  
Yes
  
Invasive
No
  
Sometimes
  
Self-Sowing
No
  
Yes
  
Attracts
Hummingbirds
  
Not Available
  
Allergy
Skin cuts
  
Not Available
  
Uses
  
  
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
  
Not Used For Aesthetic Purpose
  
Beauty Benefits
No Beauty Benefits
  
Not Available
  
Edible Uses
Yes
  
Yes
  
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for insects, Versatility, Very little waste
  
Air purification
  
Plant Benefits
  
  
Medicinal Uses
Burns, Heals minor burns, Heart problems, High blood pressure, Wounds
  
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
  
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
  
Leaves
  
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
  
Used As Food
  
Used As Indoor Plant
Yes
  
No
  
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Garden Design
Container, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall
  
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
  
Botanical Name
ECHINOPSIS
  
BASELLA alba
  
Common Name
Hedgehog Cactus, Sea urchin cactus
  
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
  
In Hindi
हाथी कैक्टस
  
पोई
  
In German
Igel Kaktus
  
Malabarspinat
  
In French
hérisson cactus
  
L’épinard de Malabar
  
In Spanish
cactus de erizo
  
espinaca de Malabar
  
In Greek
κάκτος σκαντζόχοιρος
  
Malabar Σπανάκι
  
In Portuguese
hedgehog cactus
  
Malabar espinafre
  
In Polish
jeż kaktus
  
Szpinak Malabar
  
In Latin
cactus
  
Spinach Malabar
  
Kingdom
Plantae
  
Plantae
  
Phylum
Tracheophyta
  
Magnoliophyta
  
Class
Magnoliopsida
  
Eudicotyledones
  
Order
Caryophyllales
  
Caryophyllales
  
Family
Cactaceae
  
Basellaceae
  
Genus
Echinopsis
  
Basella
  
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
  
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
  
Tribe
Trichocereeae
  
Not Available
  
Subfamily
Cactoideae
  
Not Available
  
Number of Species
Not Available
  
Importance of Echinopsis and Malabar Spinach
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Echinopsis and Malabar Spinach. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Echinopsis 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 Echinopsis is Burns, Heals minor burns, Heart problems, High blood pressure and Wounds whereas of Malabar Spinach is Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A and Vitamin C. Echinopsis has beauty benefits as follows: No Beauty Benefits while Malabar Spinach has beauty benefits as follows: No Beauty Benefits.
Compare Facts of Echinopsis 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 Echinopsis 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 Echinopsis are Skin cuts whereas of Malabar Spinach have Not Available respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Echinopsis has no showy fruits and Malabar Spinach has showy fruits. Also Echinopsis is not flowering and Malabar Spinach is not flowering . You can compare Echinopsis and Malabar Spinach facts and facts of other plants too.