Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Vegetable
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
Northern Africa, South Africa
Types
Basella rubra, L.Basella oleracea, Landw.Basella lucida, L.Basella japonica, Burm.f.Basella cordifolia,
Xanthium strumarium canadense, Xanthium strumarium glabratum, Xanthium strumarium strumarium
Number of Varieties
103
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
gardens
Clay soil areas, Farms, Roadsides
USDA Hardiness Zone
-9999-9999
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
12, 13, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
2.40 cm5.10 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
20.00 cm15.20 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Pink, Light Pink
Yellow, Red, Burgundy
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Purple, Black
Brown, Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Dark Green
Green, Blue Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Round
Egg-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Slow
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Summer, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
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, Do Not over Water
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
Loam, Sand
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
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
-
Allergy
-
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Astringent
Analgesic, Antibacterial, Antispasmodic, Diuretic
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves
Leaves, Root
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used As Food
Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
Xanthium strumarium
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Indian Spinach, Malabar Spinach
Cocklebur
In Hindi
भारतीय पालक
cocklebur
In German
Indian Spinat
Klette
In French
épinards indienne
cocklebur
In Spanish
espinaca india
cadillo
In Greek
Ινδικό Σπανάκι
ήρα
In Portuguese
espinafre indiano
kokklevor
In Polish
Indyjski szpinak
kokklevor
In Latin
Spinach Indian
kokklevor
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Magnoliophyta
Class
-
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Asterales
Family
Basellaceae
Asclepiadaceae
Genus
Basella
Xanthium
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Heliantheae
Subfamily
-
Asteroideae
Number of Species
5200
1
27800
👆🏻