Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Tree
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
India
Types
Basella rubra, L.Basella oleracea, Landw.Basella lucida, L.Basella japonica, Burm.f.Basella cordifolia,
Pednem Keri, Kasarpal, Parashte
Number of Varieties
10-
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
gardens
Foot Hills, Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99999-11
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
11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Spreading
Plant Size
Minimum Height
2.40 cm500.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
20.00 cm10.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Pink, Light Pink
Dark Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Purple, Black
Burgundy
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Light Green, Gray Green, Copper
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Dark Green
Olive, Gray Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Round
Oblong-lanceolate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Slow
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Early Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Grafting, 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 over Water, Needs more water during establishment
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
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial shade
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
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Insects, Mites
Leafminers, Red blotch, Root mealy bugs
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
-
Beauty Benefits
-
For treating wrinkles, Good for skin and hair, Hair Conditioner, Makes Hair Silkier, Promotes Healthy Hair
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Astringent
Anthelmintic, Antitumor, Astringent, Cardiotonic, Dysentry, Indigestion
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves
Fruits
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used As Food
Edible syrup, Used for its medicinal properties, Used to make juice
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Fruit, Fruit / Fruit Tree
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
Garcinia indica
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Indian Spinach, Malabar Spinach
Kokum
In Hindi
भारतीय पालक
Kokum
In German
Indian Spinat
Kokum
In French
épinards indienne
Kokum
In Spanish
espinaca india
Kokum
In Greek
Ινδικό Σπανάκι
Kokum
In Portuguese
espinafre indiano
Kokum
In Polish
Indyjski szpinak
Kokum
In Latin
Spinach Indian
Kokum
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Magnoliophyta
Class
-
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Theales
Family
Basellaceae
Zamiaceae
Genus
Basella
Garcinia
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Garcinieae
Subfamily
-
Clusioideae
Number of Species
51
1
27800
👆🏻