Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Tender Perennial
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
Latin America and the Caribbean
Types
Basella rubra, L.Basella oleracea, Landw.Basella lucida, L.Basella japonica, Burm.f.Basella cordifolia,
Heliconiaceae
Habitat
gardens
Humid climates, Warmer regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
-9999
10-15
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, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Thicket/Colonizing
Flower Color
White, Pink, Light Pink
White, Yellow, Red, Green, Orange, Orange Red
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Purple, Black
Red, Orange
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Dark Green
Light Green
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
From Rhizomes, Micropropagation
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Requirements
Keep ground moist, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water less during winter
Average Water Needs
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil pH
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Requires very little pruning
Cut or pinch the stems, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Fertilize every two months
Pests and Diseases
Insects, Mites
Mealybugs, Nematodes, Red blotch, Soft scales
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Salt
Flower Petal Number
Single
-
Foliage Texture
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Invasive
Sometimes
Sometimes
Attracts
-
Hummingbirds, Insects
Aesthetic Uses
-
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Food for birds
Medicinal Uses
Astringent
Healing
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves
Root, Seeds
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used As Food
Florist trade and landscaping
Used As Indoor Plant
No
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Bedding Plant, Container, Cutflower, Feature Plant, Groundcover, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
HELICONIA psittacorum 'Lady Di'
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Indian Spinach, Malabar Spinach
Heliconia, Lady Di Heliconia, Parakeet Flower
In Hindi
भारतीय पालक
Heliconia
In German
Indian Spinat
Heliconia
In French
épinards indienne
Heliconia
In Spanish
espinaca india
Heliconia
In Greek
Ινδικό Σπανάκι
Heliconia
In Portuguese
espinafre indiano
Heliconia
In Polish
Indyjski szpinak
Heliconia
In Latin
Spinach Indian
Heliconia
Order
Caryophyllales
Zingiberales
Family
Basellaceae
Heliconiaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Importance of Indian Spinach and Heliconia
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Indian Spinach and Heliconia. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Indian Spinach and Heliconia as they differ in many characteristics such as their life, care, benefits, facts, etc. Every gardener must at least have the slightest clue about the plants he wants to plant in his garden. Compare their benefits, which differ in many ways like facts and uses. The medicinal use of Indian Spinach is Astringent whereas of Heliconia is Healing. Indian Spinach has beauty benefits as follows: while Heliconia has beauty benefits as follows: .
Compare Facts of Indian Spinach vs Heliconia
How to choose the best garden plant for your garden depending upon its facts? Here garden plant comparison will help you to solve this query. Compare the facts of Indian Spinach vs Heliconia and know which one to choose. As garden plants have benefits and other uses, allergy is also a major drawback of plants for some people. Allergic reactions of Indian Spinach are whereas of Heliconia have Toxic respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Indian Spinach has showy fruits and Heliconia has showy fruits. Also Indian Spinach is not flowering and Heliconia is not flowering . You can compare Indian Spinach and Heliconia facts and facts of other plants too.