Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Cactus
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
South America
Types
Basella rubra, L.Basella oleracea, Landw.Basella lucida, L.Basella japonica, Burm.f.Basella cordifolia,
Gymnocalycium alboareolatum , Gymnocalycium amerhauseri , Gymnocalycium andreae
Number of Varieties
1054
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
gardens
Desert, Semi desert
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99999-12
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
13,21,22,23,24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
2.40 cm12.50 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
20.00 cm8.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Pink, Light Pink
creamy white, Light Pink, Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Purple, Black
Pink
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
-
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
All year
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Part sun, Partial shade, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Sand, Sandy
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Sandy
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
All year
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Dry Conditions, Dry soil, Full Sun, Heat Tolerance
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Offsets
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 water excessively
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
Sandy
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Dry
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Part sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Requires very little pruning
-
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, can go long without fertilizers
Pests and Diseases
Insects, Mites
Mealy bugs, Root rot
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Dry soil, Full Sun, Heat Tolerance
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
-
Ants, Mealybugs
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Beautification, Cottage Garden, Ornamental use
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Food for animals, Food for birds, Food for insects
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Astringent
-
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves
Bark, Fruits
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used As Food
Decoration Purposes
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Container, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Showy Tree
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
GYMNOCALYCIUM
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Indian Spinach, Malabar Spinach
Chin Cactus
In Hindi
भारतीय पालक
Gymnocalycium
In German
Indian Spinat
Gymnocalycium
In French
épinards indienne
Gymnocalycium
In Spanish
espinaca india
Gymnocalycium
In Greek
Ινδικό Σπανάκι
Gymnocalycium
In Portuguese
espinafre indiano
Gymnocalycium
In Polish
Indyjski szpinak
Gymnocalycium
In Latin
Spinach Indian
Gymnocalycium
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Magnoliophyta
Class
-
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Caryophyllales
Family
Basellaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Basella
Gymnocalycium
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Trichocereeae
Subfamily
-
Cactoideae
Number of Species
554
1
27800
👆🏻