Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Tender Perennial
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
Southern Asia
Types
Basella rubra, L.Basella oleracea, Landw.Basella lucida, L.Basella japonica, Burm.f.Basella cordifolia,
African iris, Large wild iris, Cape iris
Number of Varieties
106
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
gardens
Coastal Regions, Forest margins, Slopes
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99999-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-7
12-10
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, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
2.40 cm70.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
20.00 cm50.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Pink, Light Pink
White, Yellow, Blue, Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Purple, Black
Green, Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Dark Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Round
Grass like
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Cutting, Stem Planting
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, Water more in summer
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Requires very little pruning
Cut or pinch the stems, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads, Remove short twigs, Remove wet foliage
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Apply N-P-K
Pests and Diseases
Insects, Mites
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Bees, Butterflies, Flying insects, Insects
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Borders, Ground Cover, Showy Purposes, Water gardening
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, soil stabilisation, Windbreak
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Astringent
-
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves
Flowers
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used As Food
Screen, useful as a ground cover
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Bedding Plant, Bog Garden, Container, Groundcover, Mixed Border, Tropical, Water Gardens
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
DIETES grandiflora
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Indian Spinach, Malabar Spinach
Butterfly Iris
In Hindi
भारतीय पालक
तितली आइरिस प्लांट
In German
Indian Spinat
Schmetterling Iris Pflanzen
In French
épinards indienne
Papillon Iris Plante
In Spanish
espinaca india
Planta del iris de la mariposa
In Greek
Ινδικό Σπανάκι
Πεταλούδα Iris Φυτών
In Portuguese
espinafre indiano
Borboleta da planta Iris
In Polish
Indyjski szpinak
Butterfly Iris Roślin
In Latin
Spinach Indian
Gloria Iris Planta
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Magnoliophyta
Class
-
Liliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Liliales
Family
Basellaceae
Iridaceae
Genus
Basella
Dietes Salisb
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
-
Irideae
Subfamily
-
Iridoideae
Number of Species
5260
1
27800
👆🏻