Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Fruit
Vegetable
Origin
Central Asia, Southern Asia, Western Ghats, India
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
congesta, paucinervia
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Number of Varieties
25
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Fertile bottom land, moist forests, Temperate Regions, Tropical Forests
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
USDA Hardiness Zone
-9999-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
8-3
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
Habit
Upright/Erect
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
120.00 cm2.40 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
120.00 cm24.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Pale White, White
Red, Green, Orange Red
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Purple, Black
White, Ivory
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Purple, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Purple, Gray Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Cutting
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Keep the ground moist but not water-logged
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
In Summer
Lots of watering
Average Water
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Compost, fertilize in growing season
Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Earwigs, Insects, Mildew, Red blotch, Rust, sawflies
Aphids
Plant Tolerance
Dry soil, Heat And Humidity
Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
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
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies, Fruit Bats
-
Allergy
Eczema, Mouth itching, Throat itching
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
-
Beauty Benefits
good for lips, Remove blemishes
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for animals, Food for birds, soil stabilisation
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Anemia, Diuretic, Potassium, Rich in Iron, Vitamin C
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves
Leaves
Other Uses
Added to salads, Cosmetics, Culinary use, Used as a nutritious food item, Used As Food, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Hedges
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
Carissa carandas
BASELLA alba
Common Name
Black Currant
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
In Hindi
करोंदा, कालि मैना
पोई
In German
Carandas
Malabarspinat
In French
karondas
L’épinard de Malabar
In Spanish
karondas
espinaca de Malabar
In Greek
karondas
Malabar Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
karondas
Malabar espinafre
In Polish
karondas
Szpinak Malabar
In Latin
karondas
Spinach Malabar
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Eudicotyledones
Order
Gentianales
Caryophyllales
Family
Apocynaceae
Basellaceae
Genus
Carissa
Basella
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
1060
1
27800
👆🏻