Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Tree
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
Mexico, Central America
Types
Basella rubra, L.Basella oleracea, Landw.Basella lucida, L.Basella japonica, Burm.f.Basella cordifolia,
Criollo, Forastero, Trinitario
Number of Varieties
103
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
gardens
Lowland, Tropical rainforest, Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
-999911-15
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
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
2.40 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
20.00 cm370.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Pink, Light Pink
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Purple, Black
Gold, Burgundy, Dark Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Light Green, Dark Green, Pink, Copper
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Light Green, Dark Green, Copper
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Light Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Dark Green
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Round
Broad, Unlobed
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
-
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, 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
Keep ground moist, Requires watering in the growing season
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Requires very little pruning
Prune to stimulate growth, Prune twice a year, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Ammonia sulphate, Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Insects, Mites
Borers, Insects, Phytophthora, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Shade areas, Wet Site
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
-
-
Allergy
-
Diabetes, Diarrhea
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Astringent
Anti-oxidant, Antioxidants, Asthma, Cancer, Cardiovascular problems, constipation, High cholestrol, Wounds
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves
Leaves, Seeds
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used As Food
Employed in herbal medicine, Used for its medicinal properties, Used in making beverages
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Edible, Feature Plant, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Shade Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
THEOBROMA cacao
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Indian Spinach, Malabar Spinach
Cacao, Chocolate, Cocoa
In Hindi
भारतीय पालक
कोको संयंत्र
In German
Indian Spinat
Kakaopflanze
In French
épinards indienne
usine de cacao
In Spanish
espinaca india
planta del cacao
In Greek
Ινδικό Σπανάκι
φυτό του κακάο
In Portuguese
espinafre indiano
planta do cacau
In Polish
Indyjski szpinak
Kakao roślin
In Latin
Spinach Indian
Cocos herba
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Magnoliophyta
Class
-
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Malvales
Family
Basellaceae
Sterculiaceae
Genus
Basella
Theobroma
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Theobromeae
Subfamily
-
Byttneroideae
Number of Species
522
1
27800
👆🏻