Life Span
Perennial
Biennial
Type
Vegetable
Tree
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
-
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Chinese red birch, Betula fruticosa, Betula ermanii
Number of Varieties
560
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
Rocky areas, Sandy areas, Well Drained, Wet forest, Wet ground, Wet lands
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99994-7
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12*7
7-1
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
A2, A3, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 14, 15, 16
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Pyramidal
Plant Size
Minimum Height
2.40 cm1,219.20 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
24.00 cm762.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
Yellow, Tan
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
Bronze, Sandy Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
-
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
-
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Gray Green
Yellow, Red, Orange
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple, Gray Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
-
Early Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
-
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
Average Water Needs, Medium
In Summer
Average Water
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Prune in early spring, Prune in late winter, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove short branches
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Fertilize in early spring, Fertilize in late fall, Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
-
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
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, Birds, Insects
Allergy
-
Itchiness, Pollen, Sore Throat
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
-
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin, Skin Problems
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Shadow Tree
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
anti-inflammatory, Arthritis, Bone strength, Dermatitis, Eczema, Eliminate toxins, Heart problems, High cholestrol, Immunity, Kidney problems
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Whole plant
Other Uses
Used As Food
Used in paper industry
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Shade Trees
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
BETULA 'Crimson Frost'
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
Birch, Crimson Frost Birch
In Hindi
पोई
भोज पत्र
In German
Malabarspinat
Birke
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
Arbre de bouleau
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
Abedul
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
Birch Tree
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
bétula
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
Brzoza
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
Caerulus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Fagales
Family
Basellaceae
Betulaceae
Genus
Basella
Betula
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
Carpinaceae
Number of Species
6034
1
27800
👆🏻