Life Span
Perennial
Annual and Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Vegetable
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
Mexico, Central America, South America
Types
Basella rubra, L.Basella oleracea, Landw.Basella lucida, L.Basella japonica, Burm.f.Basella cordifolia,
Cherry tomato, Beefsteak tomato, Medium tomato
Number of Varieties
1050
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
gardens
Loamy soils, Shaded sites
USDA Hardiness Zone
-999911-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-7
12-1
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
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 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
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
2.40 cm30.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
20.00 cm30.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Pink, Light Pink
Yellow
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Purple, Black
Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Round
Elliptic, toothed
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Keep ground moist, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water less during winter
Allow to dry out slightly between watering, Do not water the foliage, Needs 2-3 times watering per week
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Requires very little pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove short branches, Remove short twigs
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Apply 5-10-5 amounts
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Aphids, Bees, Butterflies, Mosquitos
Allergy
-
Diarrhea, gastro-intestinal problems, Headache, Itchiness, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
As decorated salad
Beauty Benefits
-
Acne, Glowing Skin, Maintains teeth healthy
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Astringent
Antioxidants, Metabolism
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves
Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used As Food
Cosmetics, Culinary use, For making oil, Repellent
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Container, Edible, Herb, Vegetable
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
LYCOPERSICON esculentum var cerasiforme 'Grape'
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Indian Spinach, Malabar Spinach
Grape tomato
In Hindi
भारतीय पालक
अंगूर टमाटर
In German
Indian Spinat
Traube Tomate
In French
épinards indienne
tomate uva
In Spanish
espinaca india
tomate uva
In Greek
Ινδικό Σπανάκι
ντομάτα σταφυλιών
In Portuguese
espinafre indiano
tomate uva
In Polish
Indyjski szpinak
pomidorowa z winogro
In Latin
Spinach Indian
uva tomatoes
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Magnoliophyta
Class
-
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Solanales
Family
Basellaceae
Solanaceae
Genus
Basella
Solanum
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Solaneae
Subfamily
-
Solanoideae
Number of Species
530
1
27800
👆🏻