Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Tender Perennial
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
Southern Africa
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Perennial
Number of Varieties
550
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
Desert, Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Temperate Regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99998-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12*7
10-8
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
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
2.40 cm61.30 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
24.00 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
Yellow, Light Yellow, Brown
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
Green, Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Gray Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple, Gray Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Grass like
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
-
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Rhizome division, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
Requires regular watering
In Summer
Average Water
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
Any balanced general purpose fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Nematodes, Scale
Plant Tolerance
Drought
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
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Ethnobotanic
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
-
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Root
Other Uses
Used As Food
Roots were worn to protect and strengthen the wearer, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Bog Garden, Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Tropical, Water Gardens
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
DIETES bicolor
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
African iris, Fortnight lily
In Hindi
पोई
African Iris
In German
Malabarspinat
Afrikanische Iris
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
African Iris
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
Iris africano
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
Αφρικανική Iris
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
Iris africano
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
Afryki Iris
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
African Iris
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Asparagales
Family
Basellaceae
Iridaceae
Genus
Basella
Dietes
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
-
Irideae
Subfamily
-
Iridoideae
Number of Species
60300
1
27800
👆🏻