Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Ornamental Grasses and Bamboo
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
Southern Europe, Western Europe, Mediterranean
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
-
Number of Varieties
510
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
Desert, Dry areas, Dry Forest, Rocky areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99994-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12*7
9 - 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
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Cushion/Mound-forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
2.40 cm45.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
24.00 cm60.96 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
Blue Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Blue Green, Silver, Gray
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Gray Green
Blue Green, Silver, Gray
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple, Gray Green
Blue Green, Tan, Silver, Gray
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
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
-
Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Rooted stem cutting, 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, occasional watering once established, Requires regular watering, Requires watering in the growing season
In Summer
Average Water
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
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
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Cut or pinch the stems, Pinch Tips, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Salt
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Allergy
-
Asthma, Itchiness, Rash, Rhinitis
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Ground Cover
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
-
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Stem
Other Uses
Used As Food
Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Container, Edging, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
HELICTOTRICHON sempervirens
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
Blue Oat Grass
In Hindi
पोई
ब्लू जई घास
In German
Malabarspinat
Blau Ährengras
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
Bleu Oat Grass
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
Azul hierba de avena
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
Μπλε βρώμης Grass
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
Azul Aveia
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
Niebieski Owies trawa
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
Blue Oat Grass
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Liliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Poales
Family
Basellaceae
Poaceae
Genus
Basella
Helictotrichon
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
-
Aveneae
Subfamily
-
Pooideae
Number of Species
6070
1
27800
👆🏻