Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Vegetable
Origin
Southern Africa
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
Hoodia albispina, Hoodia flava, Hoodia bainii
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Number of Varieties
Not Available
Habitat
Desert
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
USDA Hardiness Zone
12-15
Not Available
Sunset Zone
12, 13, 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
Clump-Forming
Vining/Climbing
Flower Color
Red, Pink, Tan
Red, Green, Orange Red
Flower Color Modifier
Not Available
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Not Available
White, Ivory
Leaf Color in Spring
Blue Green, Gray Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Not Available
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Blue Green
Purple, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Blue Green, Gray Green
Purple, Gray Green
Leaf Shape
Not Available
Heart-shaped
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
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
Not Available
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Requirements
Water when top layer of soil becomes dry
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
In Summer
Lots of watering
Average Water
In Spring
Average Water
Moderate
In Winter
Once a week
Average Water
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, Partial shade
Pruning
No pruning needed in the early stages
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
No fertilizers needed
Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Aphids
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Full Sun, Shade areas
Drought
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Foliage Texture
Bold
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Attracts
Flies, Insects
Not Available
Allergy
Dry Mouth
Not Available
Aesthetic Uses
Not Used For Aesthetic Purpose
Not Used For Aesthetic Purpose
Beauty Benefits
Weightloss
Not Available
Environmental Uses
Food for insects
Air purification
Medicinal Uses
Weight loss
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Part of Plant Used
Stem
Leaves
Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
Yes
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
Hoodia gordonii
BASELLA alba
Common Name
ǁhoba, Ghaap
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
In German
Hoodia
Malabarspinat
In French
Hoodia
L’épinard de Malabar
In Spanish
Hoodia
espinaca de Malabar
In Greek
Hoodia
Malabar Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
Hoodia
Malabar espinafre
In Polish
Hoodia
Szpinak Malabar
In Latin
Hoodia
Spinach Malabar
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Eudicotyledones
Order
Gentianales
Caryophyllales
Family
Apocynaceae
Basellaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
Stapeliae
Not Available
Subfamily
Asclepiadoideae
Not Available
Number of Species
Not Available
Importance of Hoodia and Malabar Spinach
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Hoodia and Malabar Spinach. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Hoodia and Malabar 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 Hoodia is Weight loss whereas of Malabar Spinach is Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A and Vitamin C. Hoodia has beauty benefits as follows: Weightloss while Malabar Spinach has beauty benefits as follows: Weightloss.
Compare Facts of Hoodia vs Malabar 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 Hoodia vs Malabar 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 Hoodia are Dry Mouth whereas of Malabar Spinach have Not Available respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Hoodia has no showy fruits and Malabar Spinach has showy fruits. Also Hoodia is not flowering and Malabar Spinach is not flowering . You can compare Hoodia and Malabar Spinach facts and facts of other plants too.