Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Epiphyte
Vegetable
Origin
Mexico
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
Laelia candida, Laelia discolor
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Number of Varieties
255
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
shaded riverbanks, Subtropical climates
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-11-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-8
12*7
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 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
Clump-Forming
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
45.70 cm2.40 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
45.70 cm24.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Light Pink, Lavender
Red, Green, Orange Red
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Dark Blue
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
Green, Gray Green
Purple, Gray Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Acicular
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Slow
Fast
Type of Soil
-
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
-
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Fall, Late Fall, Early Winter, Winter
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Heat Tolerance, Salt and Soil Compaction
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Divison
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs watering once a week
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
Slightly Acidic
Neutral
Soil Type
Well-aerated
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove lateral branches
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Apply 10-10-10 amount, Use nitrogen rich soil
Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Bacterial leaf spot, Fusarium wilt
Aphids
Plant Tolerance
Heat Tolerance, Salt and Soil Compaction
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
Coarse
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Aphids, Mites
-
Allergy
conjunctivitis, Dermatitis, Skin rash
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Very little waste
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Prevention of convulsion, Vasorelaxant
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Part of Plant Used
-
Leaves
Other Uses
Application in Handicrafts, Making Perfumes, Making Sweet Scented Oil, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Mixed Border
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
LAELIA anceps
BASELLA alba
Common Name
Laelia, Orchid
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
In Hindi
Laelia
पोई
In German
Laelia
Malabarspinat
In French
Laelia
L’épinard de Malabar
In Spanish
Laelia
espinaca de Malabar
In Greek
Laelia
Malabar Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
Laelia
Malabar espinafre
In Polish
Laelia
Szpinak Malabar
In Latin
Laelia
Spinach Malabar
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Eudicotyledones
Order
Orchidales
Caryophyllales
Family
Orchidaceae
Basellaceae
Genus
Laelia
Basella
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
Epidendreae
-
Subfamily
Epidendroideae
-
Number of Species
2560
1
27800
👆🏻