Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Vegetable
Origin
Southern Africa
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
Manihot esculenta, Euphorbia esula
Basella rubra, L.Basella oleracea, Landw.Basella lucida, L.Basella japonica, Burm.f.Basella cordifolia,
Number of Varieties
-10
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert, rocky banks of streams, Sandy stream banks
gardens
USDA Hardiness Zone
-9999-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-7
Sunset Zone
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
Minimum Height
90.00 cm2.40 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
90.00 cm20.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow
White, Pink, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Purple, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Gray Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Gray Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Gray Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Gray Green
Green, Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Linear
Round
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very 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, Late Spring, Early Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Spores, Stem Planting
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not water frequently
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
Acidic, 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
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Requires very little pruning
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Insects, Mites
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
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
Bold
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
-
Allergy
allergic conjunctivitis, Toxic, Vomiting
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, soil stabilisation
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Laxative
Astringent
Part of Plant Used
-
Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Used to poison animals during hunting
Culinary use, Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Rock Garden, Wall
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
EUPHORBIA virosa
BASELLA alba
Common Name
Gifboom
Ceylon Spinach, Indian Spinach, Malabar Spinach
In Hindi
Gifboom
भारतीय पालक
In German
Namibische Giftwolfmilch
Indian Spinat
In French
Euphorbia virosa
épinards indienne
In Spanish
Euphorbia virosa
espinaca india
In Greek
Euphorbia virosa
Ινδικό Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
Euphorbia virosa
espinafre indiano
In Polish
Euphorbia virosa
Indyjski szpinak
In Latin
Euphorbia virosa
Spinach Indian
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Angiosperms
-
Class
-
-
Order
Malpighiales
Caryophyllales
Family
Euphorbiaceae
Basellaceae
Genus
Euphorbia
Basella
Clade
Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Euphorbioideae
-
Number of Species
-5
1
27800
👆🏻