Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Vegetable
Origin
North America, United States, North-Central United States, Central United States, Canada
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
Blue False Indigo
White False Indigo
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Number of Varieties
25
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
gardens, Grassland, Warmer regions
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
USDA Hardiness Zone
2-8-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
8-1
12*7
Sunset Zone
A1, A2, A3, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
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
Oval or Rounded
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
60.00 cm2.40 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
120.00 cm24.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple
Red, Green, Orange Red
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Light Green
White, Ivory
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green, Gray Green, Gray
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green, Gray Green, Gray
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Light Green, Gray Green, Gray
Purple, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Purple, Gray Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
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, 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 damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
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
Fine
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
-
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Leaves
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
AMORPHA canescens
BASELLA alba
Common Name
False Indigo
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
In Hindi
इंडिगो
पोई
In German
falsches Indigo
Malabarspinat
In French
faux Indigo
L’épinard de Malabar
In Spanish
Falso Indigo
espinaca de Malabar
In Greek
Λάθος Indigo
Malabar Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
false Indigo
Malabar espinafre
In Polish
fałsz Indigo
Szpinak Malabar
In Latin
falsum indicum
Spinach Malabar
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
-
Eudicotyledones
Order
Fabales
Caryophyllales
Family
Fabaceae
Basellaceae
Genus
Amorpha
Basella
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
2160
1
27800
👆🏻