Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Herbs
Vegetable
Origin
-
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
Thymus citriodorus
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Number of Varieties
155
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
gardens
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
USDA Hardiness Zone
-9999-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-6
12*7
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 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
Cushion/Mound-forming
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
25.40 cm2.40 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.00 cm24.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Pink, Lavender
Red, Green, Orange Red
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
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
Ovate-lanceolate
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Deer resistant, Drought, Frost
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Softwood cuttings
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs less watering
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
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Root rot
Aphids
Plant Tolerance
Deer resistant, Drought, Frost
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
Fine
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Wildlife
-
Allergy
Avoid during Pregnancy, Nausea
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
Anti-ageing, Good for skin
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Bronchitis, Combats Stress, Indigestion, Upset stomach
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Leaves
Other Uses
Oil is used for aromatherapy, Used in herbal medicines, Used in salads, Used to make herbal teas
Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edging, Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
Thymus citriodorus
BASELLA alba
Common Name
Lemon Thyme, Citrus thyme
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
In Hindi
Lemon Thyme
पोई
In German
Zitronenthymian
Malabarspinat
In French
citron Thyme
L’épinard de Malabar
In Spanish
citron Thyme
espinaca de Malabar
In Greek
λεμόνι Θυμάρι
Malabar Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
limão Tomilho
Malabar espinafre
In Polish
tymianek cytrynowy
Szpinak Malabar
In Latin
lemon Thyme
Spinach Malabar
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Eudicotyledones
Order
Lamiales
Caryophyllales
Family
Lamiaceae
Basellaceae
Genus
Thymus
Basella
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Nepetoideae
-
Number of Species
35060
1
27800
👆🏻