Life Span
Perennial
  
Annual
  
Type
Vegetable
  
Flowering Plants
  
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
  
Mexico, Central America
  
Types
Basella rubra, L.Basella oleracea, Landw.Basella lucida, L.Basella japonica, Burm.f.Basella cordifolia,
  
MELAMPODIUM divaricatum 'Million Gold', MELAMPODIUM leucanthum, MELAMPODIUM divaricatum
  
Number of Varieties
Not Available
  
Habitat
gardens
  
Loamy soils, Sandy areas, Well Drained
  
USDA Hardiness Zone
Not Available
  
6-9
  
AHS Heat Zone
12-7
  
12 - 6
  
Sunset Zone
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
  
H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
  
Habit
Vining/Climbing
  
Clump-Forming
  
Plant Size
  
  
Minimum Width
Not Available
  
Plant Color
  
  
Flower Color
White, Pink, Light Pink
  
Yellow, Gold
  
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
  
Bicolor
  
Fruit Color
Purple, Black
  
Sandy Brown
  
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
  
Green
  
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
  
Green
  
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
  
Green
  
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Dark Green
  
Light Green
  
Shape
  
  
Leaf Shape
Round
  
Ovate
  
Thorns
No
  
No
  
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
  
Spring, Summer, Fall
  
Growing Conditions
  
  
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
  
Full Sun, Partial Sun
  
Growth Rate
Fast
  
Fast
  
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
  
Loam, Sand
  
The pH of Soil
Neutral
  
Neutral
  
Soil Drainage
Well drained
  
Well drained
  
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
  
Indeterminate
  
Repeat Bloomer
Yes
  
Yes
  
Tolerances
Drought
  
Drought
  
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
  
Container, Ground, Pot
  
How to Plant?
Seedlings
  
Seedlings
  
Plant Maintenance
Medium
  
Medium
  
Watering Plants
  
  
Watering Requirements
Keep ground moist, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water less during winter
  
Average Water Needs
  
In Summer
Lots of watering
  
Lots of watering
  
In Spring
Moderate
  
Moderate
  
In Winter
Average Water
  
Average Water
  
Soil
  
  
Soil pH
Neutral
  
Neutral
  
Soil Type
Clay, Loam
  
Loam, Sandy
  
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
  
Well drained
  
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
  
Full Sun
  
Pruning
Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Requires very little pruning
  
Prune in early spring, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
  
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
  
slow-release fertilizers
  
Pests and Diseases
Insects, Mites
  
Red blotch
  
Plant Tolerance
Drought
  
Drought
  
Flowers
Showy
  
Yes
  
Flower Petal Number
Single
  
Single
  
Fruits
  
  
Showy Fruit
Yes
  
No
  
Edible Fruit
Not Available
  
No
  
Fragrance
  
  
Fragrant Flower
No
  
Yes
  
Fragrant Fruit
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Leaf
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Bark/Stem
No
  
No
  
Showy Foliage
Yes
  
Yes
  
Showy Bark
No
  
No
  
Foliage Texture
Medium
  
Medium
  
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
  
Matte
  
Evergreen
No
  
No
  
Invasive
Sometimes
  
Sometimes
  
Self-Sowing
Yes
  
Yes
  
Attracts
Not Available
  
Butterflies
  
Allergy
no allergic reactions
  
allergic reaction, Avoid during Pregnancy
  
Uses
  
  
Aesthetic Uses
Not Used For Aesthetic Purpose
  
Showy Purposes
  
Beauty Benefits
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Edible Uses
Yes
  
No
  
Environmental Uses
Air purification
  
Air purification
  
Plant Benefits
  
  
Medicinal Uses
Astringent
  
Not Available
  
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves
  
Flowers, Seeds
  
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used As Food
  
Used as Ornamental plant
  
Used As Indoor Plant
No
  
Insignificant
  
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
  
Bonsai, Container
  
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
  
MELAMPODIUM divaricatum 'Showstar'
  
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Indian Spinach, Malabar Spinach
  
Butter Daisy
  
In Hindi
भारतीय पालक
  
Butterdaisy Plant
  
In German
Indian Spinat
  
Butterdaisy Pflanze
  
In French
épinards indienne
  
Butterdaisy Plante
  
In Spanish
espinaca india
  
Planta Butterdaisy
  
In Greek
Ινδικό Σπανάκι
  
Butterdaisy φυτών
  
In Portuguese
espinafre indiano
  
Butterdaisy Planta
  
In Polish
Indyjski szpinak
  
Butterdaisy roślin
  
In Latin
Spinach Indian
  
Planta Butterdaisy
  
Kingdom
Plantae
  
Plantae
  
Phylum
Not Available
  
Magnoliophyta
  
Class
Not Available
  
Magnoliopsida
  
Order
Caryophyllales
  
Asterales
  
Family
Basellaceae
  
Asteraceae
  
Genus
Basella
  
Melampodium
  
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
  
Angiosperms, Asterids, Campanuliden, Dicotyledonous
  
Tribe
Not Available
  
Millerieae
  
Subfamily
Not Available
  
Asteroideae
  
Number of Species
Not Available