Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Epiphyte
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
Southeastern United States, Latin America and the Caribbean, Caribbean, Central America, South America
Types
Basella rubra, L.Basella oleracea, Landw.Basella lucida, L.Basella japonica, Burm.f.Basella cordifolia,
-
Number of Varieties
103
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
gardens
Swamps
USDA Hardiness Zone
-999910-13
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-7
12-9
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, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
2.40 cm30.50 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
20.00 cm25.60 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Pink, Light Pink
White, Burgundy, Dark Red, Light Green, Violet, Dark Salmon
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Multi-Color
Fruit Color
Purple, Black
-
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
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Round
Long Linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Slow
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
-
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Neutral, Slightly Acidic
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall, Late Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
-
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Bulbs, By dividing rhizomes, tubers, Divison
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, Do Not over Water, Requires regular watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Neutral, Slightly Acidic
Soil Type
Clay, Loam
-
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Requires very little pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Insects, Mites
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
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
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Bees, pollinators
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Bouquets, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Astringent
Cancer, Eye Problems
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves
Bulbs, Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used As Food
Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
PROSTHECHEA cochleata
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Indian Spinach, Malabar Spinach
Clamshell Orchid, Cockleshell Orchid, Black Orchid
In Hindi
भारतीय पालक
Clamshell Orchid
In German
Indian Spinat
Clamshell Orchid
In French
épinards indienne
Clamshell Orchid
In Spanish
espinaca india
Clamshell Orchid
In Greek
Ινδικό Σπανάκι
Encyclia Cochleata
In Portuguese
espinafre indiano
Clamshell Orchid
In Polish
Indyjski szpinak
Clamshell Orchid
In Latin
Spinach Indian
Clamshell Orchid
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Magnoliophyta
Class
-
Liliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Orchidales
Family
Basellaceae
Orchidaceae
Genus
Basella
Prosthechea
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
-
Epidendreae
Subfamily
-
Epidendroideae
Number of Species
550
1
27800
👆🏻