Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Broadleaf Evergreen
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
Southeastern Asia, China
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Schefflera actinophylla, Schefflera morototoni, Schefflera heptaphylla
Number of Varieties
53
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
Moist Soils
USDA Hardiness Zone
-999910-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
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
21,22
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
2.40 cm243.84 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
24.00 cm182.88 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
Red, Bronze
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
Orange, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Gray Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple, Gray Green
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
-
Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
-
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
Allow to dry out slightly between watering, Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Keep ground moist, 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
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune ocassionally, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Fertilize once a year
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
-
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
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
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Ants, Aphids, Birds, Bugs, Wildlife
Allergy
-
breathing problems, Burning sensation, Difficulty swallowing, Poisonous, Swelling
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Bonsai, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Indoor Air Purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Abdominal Disease, Arthritis, Bleeding, Kidney Stones, Muscle Pain, Recovering internal injuries, Rheumatism, Swelling, Upset stomach
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Flowers, Root
Other Uses
Used As Food
Container, Showy Purposes, Used for making hedge
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Container, Foundation, Hedges, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Screening, Wind Break, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier, Tropical
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
SCHEFFLERA arboricola
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
Umbrella plant
In Hindi
पोई
Arboricola
Plant
In German
Malabarspinat
arboricola
Pflanze
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
arboricola
Plante
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
arboricola
Planta
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
Αρμπορικόλα
Φυτό
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
arboricola
Plantar
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
arboricola
Roślina
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
arboricola
planta
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Vascular plant
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Apiales
Family
Basellaceae
Araliaceae
Genus
Basella
Schefflera
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
Aralioideae
Number of Species
60150
1
27800
👆🏻