Life Span
Perennial
  
Perennial
  
Type
Vegetable
  
Bulb or Corm or Tuber
  
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
  
Not Available
  
Types
Basella rubra, L.Basella oleracea, Landw.Basella lucida, L.Basella japonica, Burm.f.Basella cordifolia,
  
Not Available
  
Number of Varieties
Not Available
  
Habitat
gardens
  
Subtropical climates, Sunny Edge
  
USDA Hardiness Zone
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
AHS Heat Zone
12-7
  
Not Available
  
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
  
21,22
  
Habit
Vining/Climbing
  
Clump-Forming
  
Plant Size
  
  
Minimum Height
Not Available
  
Plant Color
  
  
Flower Color
White, Pink, Light Pink
  
White, Orange, Pink, Hot Pink, Coral, Crimson, Lavender, Ivory
  
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
  
Bicolor
  
Fruit Color
Purple, Black
  
Not Available
  
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
  
Green, Gray Green, Dark Green
  
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
  
Light Green
  
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
  
Several shades of Green
  
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Dark Green
  
Light Green
  
Shape
  
  
Leaf Shape
Round
  
Long linear and narrow
  
Thorns
No
  
No
  
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
  
Spring, Summer, Fall
  
Growing Conditions
  
  
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
  
Full Sun, Partial Sun
  
Growth Rate
Fast
  
Medium
  
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
  
Not Available
  
The pH of Soil
Neutral
  
Not Available
  
Soil Drainage
Well drained
  
Well drained
  
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
  
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
  
Repeat Bloomer
Yes
  
No
  
Tolerances
Drought
  
Drought
  
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
  
Ground
  
How to Plant?
Seedlings
  
From bulbs
  
Plant Maintenance
Medium
  
Medium
  
Watering Plants
  
  
Watering Requirements
Keep ground moist, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water less during winter
  
Needs very little water
  
In Summer
Lots of watering
  
Lots of watering
  
In Spring
Moderate
  
Moderate
  
In Winter
Average Water
  
Average Water
  
Soil
  
  
Soil pH
Neutral
  
Not Available
  
Soil Type
Clay, Loam
  
Not Available
  
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
  
Cut back the foliage when the plants die back naturally, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
  
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
  
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
  
Pests and Diseases
Insects, Mites
  
Pests and diseases free
  
Plant Tolerance
Drought
  
Full Sun
  
Flowers
Showy
  
Showy
  
Flower Petal Number
Single
  
Single
  
Fruits
  
  
Showy Fruit
Yes
  
No
  
Edible Fruit
Not Available
  
No
  
Fragrance
  
  
Fragrant Flower
No
  
Yes
  
Fragrant Fruit
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Leaf
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Bark/Stem
No
  
No
  
Showy Foliage
Yes
  
Yes
  
Showy Bark
No
  
No
  
Foliage Texture
Medium
  
Medium
  
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
  
Matte
  
Evergreen
No
  
No
  
Invasive
Sometimes
  
No
  
Self-Sowing
Yes
  
No
  
Attracts
Not Available
  
Bees, Butterflies, pollinators
  
Allergy
no allergic reactions
  
Unknown
  
Uses
  
  
Aesthetic Uses
Not Used For Aesthetic Purpose
  
Beautification, Cottage Garden, Informal Hedge, Mixed Border, Showy Purposes
  
Beauty Benefits
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Edible Uses
Yes
  
Yes
  
Environmental Uses
Air purification
  
Air purification, Deer resistant, Food for insects
  
Plant Benefits
  
  
Medicinal Uses
Astringent
  
Unknown
  
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves
  
Bulbs
  
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used As Food
  
bulb used as starch
  
Used As Indoor Plant
No
  
No
  
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
  
Cutflower, Feature Plant, Mixed Border
  
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
  
LYCORIS
  
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Indian Spinach, Malabar Spinach
  
Naked Ladies, Spiderlily, Surprise Lily
  
In Hindi
भारतीय पालक
  
surprise lily
  
In German
Indian Spinat
  
Überraschung Lilie
  
In French
épinards indienne
  
Lycoris squamigera
  
In Spanish
espinaca india
  
Lycoris squamigera
  
In Greek
Ινδικό Σπανάκι
  
surprise lily
  
In Portuguese
espinafre indiano
  
surpresa lírio
  
In Polish
Indyjski szpinak
  
niespodzianka lilia
  
In Latin
Spinach Indian
  
surprise lily
  
Kingdom
Plantae
  
Plantae
  
Phylum
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Class
Not Available
  
Liliopsida
  
Order
Caryophyllales
  
Asparagales
  
Family
Basellaceae
  
Amaryllidaceae
  
Genus
Basella
  
Lycoris
  
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
  
Angiosperms, Monocotyledonous
  
Tribe
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Subfamily
Not Available
  
Amaryllidoideae
  
Number of Species
Not Available