Life Span
Annual
  
Perennial
  
Type
Trees
  
Vegetable
  
Origin
China, Korea
  
Southeastern Asia, India
  
Types
Sophora japonica
  
Basella rubra, L.Basella oleracea, Landw.Basella lucida, L.Basella japonica, Burm.f.Basella cordifolia,
  
Number of Varieties
Not Available
  
Habitat
Humid climates, Loamy soils, Low annual rainfall regions, Wet ground, Woods
  
gardens
  
USDA Hardiness Zone
5-9
  
Not Available
  
AHS Heat Zone
9-5
  
12-7
  
Sunset Zone
2a, 2b, 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, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
  
Habit
Oval or Rounded
  
Vining/Climbing
  
Plant Size
  
  
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm
  
33
Minimum Width
1,220.00 cm
  
14
Not Available
  
Plant Color
  
  
Flower Color
White, Light Green
  
White, Pink, Light Pink
  
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
  
Bicolor
  
Fruit Color
Green
  
Purple, Black
  
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
  
Green, Light Green
  
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
  
Green, Dark Green
  
Leaf Color in Fall
Yellow, Dark Green
  
Green, Dark Green
  
Leaf Color in Winter
Not Available
  
Green, Dark Green
  
Shape
  
  
Leaf Shape
Elliptic
  
Round
  
Thorns
No
  
No
  
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
  
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
  
Growing Conditions
  
  
Sunlight
Full Sun
  
Full Sun, Partial Sun
  
Growth Rate
Fast
  
Fast
  
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
  
Clay, Loam
  
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
  
Neutral
  
Soil Drainage
Average
  
Well drained
  
Bloom Time
Summer
  
Indeterminate
  
Repeat Bloomer
No
  
Yes
  
Tolerances
Pollution, Drought, Soil Compaction
  
Drought
  
Where to Plant?
Ground
  
Ground, Pot
  
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Transplanting
  
Seedlings
  
Plant Maintenance
Medium
  
Medium
  
Watering Plants
  
  
Watering Requirements
occasional watering once established, Requires watering in the growing season
  
Keep ground moist, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water less during winter
  
In Summer
Less Watering
  
Lots of watering
  
In Spring
Less Watering
  
Moderate
  
In Winter
Drought Tolerant
  
Average Water
  
Soil
  
  
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
  
Neutral
  
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
  
Clay, Loam
  
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
  
Well drained
  
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
  
Full Sun, Partial Sun
  
Pruning
Prune when young, Remove dead branches
  
Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Requires very little pruning
  
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
  
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
  
Pests and Diseases
Leaf spot, Red blotch, Woodpecker feeding
  
Insects, Mites
  
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Dry soil, Soil Compaction
  
Drought
  
Flowers
Showy
  
Showy
  
Flower Petal Number
Single
  
Single
  
Fruits
  
  
Showy Fruit
No
  
Yes
  
Edible Fruit
No
  
Not Available
  
Fragrance
  
  
Fragrant Flower
Yes
  
No
  
Fragrant Fruit
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Leaf
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Bark/Stem
No
  
No
  
Showy Foliage
No
  
Yes
  
Showy Bark
No
  
No
  
Foliage Texture
Medium
  
Medium
  
Foliage Sheen
Matte
  
Glossy
  
Evergreen
No
  
No
  
Invasive
Sometimes
  
Sometimes
  
Self-Sowing
Yes
  
Yes
  
Attracts
Bees, Hummingbirds, Woodpeckers
  
Not Available
  
Allergy
Eczema, Nausea, Swelling in the face
  
no allergic reactions
  
Uses
  
  
Aesthetic Uses
Bouquets, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
  
Not Used For Aesthetic Purpose
  
Beauty Benefits
Nourishes scalp, Restores Hair Colour, Stops hair loss
  
Not Available
  
Edible Uses
Sometimes
  
Yes
  
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Erosion control, Forms dense stands, Shadow Tree
  
Air purification
  
Plant Benefits
  
  
Medicinal Uses
Diuretic, Fever, Muscle Pain, Vomiting
  
Astringent
  
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Leaves
  
Fruits, Leaves
  
Other Uses
Used as a laxative, Used as firewood, Used as Ornamental plant, Used in construction
  
Culinary use, Used As Food
  
Used As Indoor Plant
No
  
No
  
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Garden Design
Shade Trees, Street Trees, Topiary / Bonsai / Espalier
  
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
  
Botanical Name
SOPHORA japonica
  
BASELLA alba
  
Common Name
Chinese Scholartree, Japanese Pagoda
  
Ceylon Spinach, Indian Spinach, Malabar Spinach
  
In Hindi
Gobur champ
  
भारतीय पालक
  
In German
Japanischer Schnurbaum
  
Indian Spinat
  
In French
Styphnolobium japonicum
  
épinards indienne
  
In Spanish
Styphnolobium japonicum
  
espinaca india
  
In Greek
Styphnolobium japonicum
  
Ινδικό Σπανάκι
  
In Portuguese
Styphnolobium japonicum
  
espinafre indiano
  
In Polish
Perełkowiec japoński
  
Indyjski szpinak
  
In Latin
Styphnolobium japonicum
  
Spinach Indian
  
Kingdom
Plantae
  
Plantae
  
Phylum
Angiosperms
  
Not Available
  
Class
Magnoliopsida
  
Not Available
  
Order
Fabales
  
Caryophyllales
  
Family
Fabaceae
  
Basellaceae
  
Genus
Styphnolobium
  
Basella
  
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
  
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
  
Tribe
Sophoreae
  
Not Available
  
Subfamily
Faboideae
  
Not Available
  
Number of Species
Not Available