Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Perennial
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
Southeastern United States, South-Central United States
Types
Basella rubra, L.Basella oleracea, Landw.Basella lucida, L.Basella japonica, Burm.f.Basella cordifolia,
Apricot Queen, August Flame, Autumn Fire
Number of Varieties
108
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
gardens
Fields, marshes, Swamps
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99996-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-7
-
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, 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 Height
2.40 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
20.00 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Pink, Light Pink
Orange, Dark Red, Orange Red, Copper, Chocolate, Black
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Purple, Black
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
Long Linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Poorly Drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Spring, Late Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
From Rhizomes, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Keep ground moist, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water less during winter
Do not let dry out between waterings, Needs Very high moisture
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
Poorly Drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
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
organic fertlizers
Pests and Diseases
Insects, Mites
Mosaic potyvirus
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
-
Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Allergy
-
Poisonous to grazing animals
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Bog Garden, Water gardening
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Astringent
Sedative
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves
Flowers
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used As Food
Oil is used for aromatherapy
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Bog Garden, Water Gardens, Wildflower
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
IRIS fulva
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Indian Spinach, Malabar Spinach
Copper iris
In Hindi
भारतीय पालक
Copper Iris
In German
Indian Spinat
Copper Iris
In French
épinards indienne
Copper Iris
In Spanish
espinaca india
Cobre Iris
In Greek
Ινδικό Σπανάκι
χαλκός Iris
In Portuguese
espinafre indiano
Copper Iris
In Polish
Indyjski szpinak
Miedź Iris
In Latin
Spinach Indian
Iris Copper
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Magnoliophyta
Class
-
Liliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Liliales
Family
Basellaceae
Iridaceae
Genus
Basella
Iris
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
-
Irideae
Subfamily
-
Iridoideae
Number of Species
5250
1
27800
👆🏻