Life Span
Perennial
Annual and Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Vegetable, Vines
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
North America, Mexico, Central America
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Winter squash, Field pumpkin, Crookneck pumpkin
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
close to waterfalls, Riverbanks, Warmer regions, waterways, Wet ground
USDA Hardiness Zone
-9999
1-6
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
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Vining/Climbing
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
Yellow
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
Orange Red, Yellow Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Light 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
-
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Heart-shaped
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Early Winter
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Well drained
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Requirements
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, 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 Type
Clay, Loam
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
prune leaves so as to circulate fresh air, Remove Vines
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
Apply 5-10-5 amounts, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Gray leaf blight, Scab
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Salt and Soil Compaction
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Foliage Texture
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Allergy
-
Asthma, breathing problems, Itchiness, Swelling in the face
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin and hair, Skin cleanser, Skin Problems
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Medicinal Uses
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Anemia, Antibacterial, anti-cancer, cholesterol-lowering, High blood pressure, Immunity, Prevention of convulsion, Regulates Blood Sugar
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Fruits, Leaves, Seeds
Other Uses
Used As Food
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties, Used in salads
Used As Indoor Plant
No
Yes
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
CUCURBITA moschata 'Long Island Cheese'
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
Long Island Cheese Pumpkin, Winter Pumpkin
In German
Malabarspinat
chinesisch Kürbis
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
potiron chinois
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
calabaza china
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
κινέζικο κολοκύθα
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
abóbora chinês
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
Chiński dyni
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
Chinese cucurbita
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Violales
Family
Basellaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Subfamily
-
Cucurbitoideae
Importance of Malabar Spinach and Cheese Pumpkin
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Malabar Spinach and Cheese Pumpkin. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Malabar Spinach and Cheese Pumpkin 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 Cheese Pumpkin is Anemia, Antibacterial, anti-cancer, cholesterol-lowering, High blood pressure, Immunity, Prevention of convulsion and Regulates Blood Sugar. Malabar Spinach has beauty benefits as follows: while Cheese Pumpkin has beauty benefits as follows: .
Compare Facts of Malabar Spinach vs Cheese Pumpkin
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 Cheese Pumpkin 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 Cheese Pumpkin have Asthma, breathing problems, Itchiness and Swelling in the face respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Malabar Spinach has showy fruits and Cheese Pumpkin has showy fruits. Also Malabar Spinach is not flowering and Cheese Pumpkin is not flowering . You can compare Malabar Spinach and Cheese Pumpkin facts and facts of other plants too.