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
Not Available
  
Habitat
shaded riverbanks, Subtropical climates
  
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
  
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-11
  
Not Available
  
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
  
  
Plant Color
  
  
Flower Color
White, Light Pink, Lavender
  
Red, Green, Orange Red
  
Flower Color Modifier
Not Available
  
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
No
  
No
  
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
Not Available
  
Clay, Loam
  
The pH of Soil
Not Available
  
Neutral
  
Soil Drainage
Well drained
  
Well drained
  
Bloom Time
Fall, Late Fall, Early Winter, Winter
  
Not Available
  
Repeat Bloomer
No
  
Yes
  
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
No
  
Yes
  
Edible Fruit
No
  
No
  
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
Coarse
  
Medium
  
Foliage Sheen
Matte
  
Glossy
  
Evergreen
No
  
Yes
  
Invasive
No
  
Sometimes
  
Self-Sowing
No
  
Yes
  
Attracts
Aphids, Mites
  
Not Available
  
Allergy
conjunctivitis, Dermatitis, Skin rash
  
Not Available
  
Uses
  
  
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Showy Purposes
  
Not Used For Aesthetic Purpose
  
Beauty Benefits
No Beauty Benefits
  
Not Available
  
Edible Uses
No
  
Yes
  
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
Not Available
  
Leaves
  
Other Uses
Application in Handicrafts, Making Perfumes, Making Sweet Scented Oil, Used as Ornamental plant
  
Used As Food
  
Used As Indoor Plant
Yes
  
No
  
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
  
Yes
  
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
  
Not Available
  
Subfamily
Epidendroideae
  
Not Available
  
Number of Species
Not Available
  
Importance of Laelia and Malabar Spinach
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Laelia and Malabar Spinach. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Laelia and Malabar Spinach as they differ in many characteristics such as their life, care, benefits, facts, etc. Every gardener must at least have the slightest clue about the plants he wants to plant in his garden. Compare their benefits, which differ in many ways like facts and uses. The medicinal use of Laelia is Prevention of convulsion and Vasorelaxant whereas of Malabar Spinach is Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A and Vitamin C. Laelia has beauty benefits as follows: No Beauty Benefits while Malabar Spinach has beauty benefits as follows: No Beauty Benefits.
Compare Facts of Laelia vs Malabar Spinach
How to choose the best garden plant for your garden depending upon its facts? Here garden plant comparison will help you to solve this query. Compare the facts of Laelia vs Malabar Spinach and know which one to choose. As garden plants have benefits and other uses, allergy is also a major drawback of plants for some people. Allergic reactions of Laelia are conjunctivitis, Dermatitis and Skin rash whereas of Malabar Spinach have Not Available respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Laelia has no showy fruits and Malabar Spinach has showy fruits. Also Laelia is not flowering and Malabar Spinach is not flowering . You can compare Laelia and Malabar Spinach facts and facts of other plants too.