Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Vegetable
Tender Perennial
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
-
Types
Basella rubra, L.Basella oleracea, Landw.Basella lucida, L.Basella japonica, Burm.f.Basella cordifolia,
herbaceous annuals
Number of Varieties
10200
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
gardens
Temperate Regions, Tropical Forests
USDA Hardiness Zone
-999910-15
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
8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
2.40 cm38.14 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
20.00 cm45.70 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Pink, Light Pink
White, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Purple, Black
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Gray Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Green, Gray Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Dark Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Round
Linear to lanceolate
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
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Neutral, Alkaline
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
Root Division, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Keep ground moist, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water less during winter
Water when soil is dry
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Neutral, Alkaline
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
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Insects, Mites
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
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
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Butterflies
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Astringent
Fever, Intestinal irritations, Kidney problems, Respiratory Disorders, Wounds
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves
Flowers, Leaves, Seeds
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used As Food
As a tea substitute, Culinary use, Medicinal oil, Oil is used in perfume, soaps, creams, etc., Used as essential oil, Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Hanging Basket, Herb / Vegetable, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
PELARGONIUM 'Bitter Lemon'
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Indian Spinach, Malabar Spinach
Bitter Lemon Scented Geranium, Scented Geranium
In Hindi
भारतीय पालक
Pelargonium
In German
Indian Spinat
Pelargonium
In French
épinards indienne
pélargonium
In Spanish
espinaca india
pelargonium
In Greek
Ινδικό Σπανάκι
Pelargonium
In Portuguese
espinafre indiano
pelargônio
In Polish
Indyjski szpinak
pelargonia
In Latin
Spinach Indian
Pelargonium
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Magnoliophyta
Class
-
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Geraniales
Family
Basellaceae
Geraniaceae
Genus
Basella
Pelargonium
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
5200
1
27800
👆🏻