Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
Mediterranean
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
California bay leaf, Indian bay leaf or malabathrum, Indonesian bay leaf
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
Forest edges, Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
-9999
8-11
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
5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Pyramidal
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
Yellow green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Gray Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple, Gray Green
Dark Green
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Linear
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
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 pH
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Prune in summer, Prune in the late winter or spring, Remove damaged leaves, Remove shoots
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Medicinal Uses
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
anti-allergy, Arthritis, Bronchitis, Headache, Muscle Pain, Pain killer
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Used As Food
Cosmetics, Oil is used for aromatherapy, Oil is used in perfume, soaps, creams, etc., Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
No
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Hedges, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border, Topiary / Bonsai / Espalier
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
LAURUS nobilis
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
Bay Laurel, Sweet Bay
In German
Malabarspinat
Lorbeer
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
laurier
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
laurel
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
δάφνη
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
louro
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
wawrzynu
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
sinus laurus
Order
Caryophyllales
Laurales
Family
Basellaceae
Lauraceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Magnoliids
Importance of Malabar Spinach and Bay Laurel
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Malabar Spinach and Bay Laurel. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Malabar Spinach and Bay Laurel 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 Malabar Spinach is Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A and Vitamin C whereas of Bay Laurel is anti-allergy, Arthritis, Bronchitis, Headache, Muscle Pain and Pain killer. Malabar Spinach has beauty benefits as follows: while Bay Laurel has beauty benefits as follows: .
Compare Facts of Malabar Spinach vs Bay Laurel
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 Malabar Spinach vs Bay Laurel 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 Malabar Spinach are whereas of Bay Laurel have Asthma respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Malabar Spinach has showy fruits and Bay Laurel has showy fruits. Also Malabar Spinach is not flowering and Bay Laurel is not flowering . You can compare Malabar Spinach and Bay Laurel facts and facts of other plants too.