Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Sedge or Rush
Vegetable
Origin
Africa
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
C. papyrus, C. papyrus 'Nanus
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Number of Varieties
25
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Lakes, Shores of rivers or lakes, sluggish streams and rivers, Swamps
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
USDA Hardiness Zone
7-11-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-7
12*7
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 16, 17, 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
Clump-Forming
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
60.00 cm2.40 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm24.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Tan
Red, Green, Orange Red
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
White, Ivory
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green
Purple, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Light Green
Purple, Gray Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Grass like
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Poorly Drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Stem Planting
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Keep ground moist, Requires a lot of watering
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
Neutral
Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Poorly Drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
fungus
Aphids
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
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
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Flying insects, Hummingbirds
-
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Cancer, Heals minor burns, Wounds
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Part of Plant Used
Stem
Leaves
Other Uses
Constructing Boats, Used as fuel, Used in paper industry
Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bog Garden, Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Water Gardens
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
CYPERUS 'Wild Spike'
BASELLA alba
Common Name
Papyrus, Wild Spike Cyperus
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
In Hindi
पेपिरस संयंत्र
पोई
In German
ägyptischen Papyrus-Pflanze
Malabarspinat
In French
Papyrus égyptien
L’épinard de Malabar
In Spanish
Papiro egipcio
espinaca de Malabar
In Greek
αιγυπτιακό πάπυρο
Malabar Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
Papiro egípcio
Malabar espinafre
In Polish
Papiro egipcio
Szpinak Malabar
In Latin
CHARTA
Spinach Malabar
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Agaricomycetes
Eudicotyledones
Order
Poales
Caryophyllales
Family
Cyperaceae
Basellaceae
Genus
Cyperus
Basella
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
Cariceae
-
Subfamily
Cyperoideae
-
Number of Species
160
1
27800
👆🏻