Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Vegetable
Origin
Latin America and the Caribbean
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
Heliconiaceae
Basella rubra, L.Basella oleracea, Landw.Basella lucida, L.Basella japonica, Burm.f.Basella cordifolia,
Habitat
Humid climates, Warmer regions
gardens
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-15
-9999
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 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
Thicket/Colonizing
Vining/Climbing
Flower Color
White, Yellow, Red, Green, Orange, Orange Red
White, Pink, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Red, Orange
Purple, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
From Rhizomes, Micropropagation
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
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 pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Cut or pinch the stems, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Requires very little pruning
Fertilizers
Fertilize every two months
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Mealybugs, Nematodes, Red blotch, Soft scales
Insects, Mites
Plant Tolerance
Salt
Drought
Flower Petal Number
-
Single
Foliage Texture
Coarse
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Invasive
Sometimes
Sometimes
Attracts
Hummingbirds, Insects
-
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden
-
Environmental Uses
Food for birds
Air purification
Medicinal Uses
Healing
Astringent
Part of Plant Used
Root, Seeds
Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Florist trade and landscaping
Culinary use, Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
No
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Cutflower, Feature Plant, Groundcover, Mixed Border, Tropical
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
HELICONIA psittacorum 'Lady Di'
BASELLA alba
Common Name
Heliconia, Lady Di Heliconia, Parakeet Flower
Ceylon Spinach, Indian Spinach, Malabar Spinach
In Hindi
Heliconia
भारतीय पालक
In German
Heliconia
Indian Spinat
In French
Heliconia
épinards indienne
In Spanish
Heliconia
espinaca india
In Greek
Heliconia
Ινδικό Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
Heliconia
espinafre indiano
In Polish
Heliconia
Indyjski szpinak
In Latin
Heliconia
Spinach Indian
Order
Zingiberales
Caryophyllales
Family
Heliconiaceae
Basellaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Importance of Heliconia and Indian Spinach
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Heliconia and Indian Spinach. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Heliconia and Indian 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 Heliconia is Healing whereas of Indian Spinach is Astringent. Heliconia has beauty benefits as follows: while Indian Spinach has beauty benefits as follows: .
Compare Facts of Heliconia vs Indian 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 Heliconia vs Indian 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 Heliconia are Toxic whereas of Indian Spinach have respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Heliconia has showy fruits and Indian Spinach has showy fruits. Also Heliconia is not flowering and Indian Spinach is not flowering . You can compare Heliconia and Indian Spinach facts and facts of other plants too.