Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Fruit
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
Asia
Types
Basella rubra, L.Basella oleracea, Landw.Basella lucida, L.Basella japonica, Burm.f.Basella cordifolia,
Avalon Lemon, Bears Lemon, Buddha's Hand, Bush Lemon, Citron
Number of Varieties
1050
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
gardens
Mixed deciduous forest, Tropical regions
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
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
2.40 cm120.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
20.00 cm150.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Pink, Light Pink
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Purple, Black
Yellow, Lemon yellow
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
Oval
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Keep ground moist, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water less during winter
Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, occasional watering once established
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well 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
Generally pruned to waist height, pruning needed for strong structure, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Doesn't require fertilization when grown in rich soil
Pests and Diseases
Insects, Mites
Aphids, Grasshoppers, Leafminers, Red blotch, Rust, Snails
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought, Drought and Salt
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
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
Diarrhea, Hyperacidity, Sore Throat, Whooping Cough
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Cottage Garden
Beauty Benefits
-
Glowing Skin, Maintains teeth healthy, Making cosmetics, Nourishes scalp, Perfumes, Skin inflammation
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Fixes Nitrogen, Insect Repellent, soil stabilisation
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Astringent
Acne, Antibacterial, Antirheumatic, Appetizer, Bone strength, Digestion problems, Hangover, Healthy teeth, Nutrients, Obesity, Oral health, Skin irritation
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves
Bark, Fruits, Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used As Food
Air freshner, Biomass for fuel, Can be made into a herbal tea, Leaves are used as mosquito repellent, Making Perfumes, Preferably used as black tea, Used as a nutritious food item
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Container, Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Hedges, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Topiary / Bonsai / Espalier, Tropical
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
CITRUS limon
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Indian Spinach, Malabar Spinach
Lemon
In Hindi
भारतीय पालक
नींबू
In German
Indian Spinat
Citrone or Limone or Zitrone
In French
épinards indienne
Citron or Citronnier
In Spanish
espinaca india
Limón or Limonero
In Greek
Ινδικό Σπανάκι
Λεμόνι [Lemóni]
In Portuguese
espinafre indiano
Limão
In Polish
Indyjski szpinak
Cytrynowy
In Latin
Spinach Indian
Limon
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Magnoliophyta
Class
-
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Sapindales
Family
Basellaceae
Rutaceae
Genus
Basella
Citrus
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
550
1
27800
👆🏻