Life Span
Perennial
Annual and Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Fruit
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
Mexico, Central America
Types
Basella rubra, L.Basella oleracea, Landw.Basella lucida, L.Basella japonica, Burm.f.Basella cordifolia,
Male Papaya Tree, Female Papaya Tree, hermaphrodite Tree
Number of Varieties
1020
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
gardens
tropical environments, Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
-999910-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-7
12-10
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, 21, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
2.40 cm457.20 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
20.00 cm7.62 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Pink, Light Pink
Ivory
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Purple, Black
Green, Orange, Light Yellow
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Dark Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Round
Irregular
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
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand, Well drained
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
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
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Do not water frequently, Requires watering in the growing season
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, 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, Remove shoots, Remove short branches, Remove short twigs, Requires little pruning
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
14-14-14 Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Insects, Mites
Red blotch
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
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Ants, Bees, Hummingbirds
Allergy
-
Asthma, breathing problems, Itchiness, Itchy eyes, Red eyes, Runny nose, sneezing, Sore eyes, Swelling, Watery eyes, wheezing
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
-
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin, Good for skin and hair, Improve hair condition, Making cosmetics
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Astringent
Asthma, Bone strength, Cancer, Diabetes, Digestion problems, Heart problems, Inflammation, Skin Disorders
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves
Fruits, Seeds
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used As Food
Cosmetics, Making Shampoo, Used As Food, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Container, Edible, Feature Plant, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Tropical
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
CARICA papaya
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Indian Spinach, Malabar Spinach
Papaya
In Hindi
भारतीय पालक
पपीता
In German
Indian Spinat
Papaya
In French
épinards indienne
Papaye
In Spanish
espinaca india
Papaya
In Greek
Ινδικό Σπανάκι
Παπάγια
In Portuguese
espinafre indiano
Mamão
In Polish
Indyjski szpinak
Papaja
In Latin
Spinach Indian
Papaya
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Magnoliophyta
Class
-
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Brassicales
Family
Basellaceae
Caricaceae
Genus
Basella
Carica
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
530
1
27800
👆🏻