Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Flowering Plants
Vegetable
Origin
Southwestern United States, California
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
-
Basella rubra, L.Basella oleracea, Landw.Basella lucida, L.Basella japonica, Burm.f.Basella cordifolia,
Number of Varieties
4010
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dry areas, meadows
gardens
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-9-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-1
12-7
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21
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
61.00 cm2.40 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.40 cm20.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Crimson
White, Pink, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Purple, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Green, Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oblong
Round
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do Not over Water, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water when soil is dry
Keep ground moist, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water less during winter
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
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
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
No pruning needed in the early stages, Prune to stimulate growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove deadheads
Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Requires very little pruning
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply 10-10-10 amount
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Insects
Insects, Mites
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Hummingbirds
-
Allergy
Asthma
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Burns, Snakebite, Stomach aliments
Astringent
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
Culinary use, Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
PENSTEMON eatonii
BASELLA alba
Common Name
Firecracker Penstemon
Ceylon Spinach, Indian Spinach, Malabar Spinach
In Hindi
Firecracker penstemon
भारतीय पालक
In German
Kracher penstemon
Indian Spinat
In French
Firecracker penstemon
épinards indienne
In Spanish
Penstemon del petardo
espinaca india
In Greek
πυροτέχνημα penstemon
Ινδικό Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
Penstemon do foguete
espinafre indiano
In Polish
petarda penstemon
Indyjski szpinak
In Latin
Firecracker Persicaria
Spinach Indian
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
-
Class
-
-
Order
Lamiales
Caryophyllales
Family
Scrophulariaceae
Basellaceae
Genus
Penstemon
Basella
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
2505
1
27800
👆🏻