Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Fruit
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
Southern Asia, India, Melanesia, Australia
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
etrog
Number of Varieties
55
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99999-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12*7
12-9
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
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
2.40 cm240.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
24.00 cm180.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
White, Purple
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
Yellow
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Dark 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
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Ovate elongated
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
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
-
Early Spring, Spring, Winter, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Seedlings, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
Needs less watering
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
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
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Aphids, Citrus foot rot, Leafminers, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Showy
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
-
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
Mild Allergen
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Brightens the skin complexion, Good for skin and hair
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
Antibiotic, Antidote, Pulmonary afflictions, Recovering internal injuries
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Used As Food
Used as a nutritious food item, Used As Food, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Container, Edible, Feature Plant, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Hedges, Houseplant, Shade Trees, Topiary / Bonsai / Espalier, Tropical
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
CITRUS medica
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
Citron
In Hindi
पोई
नीबू
In German
Malabarspinat
Zitrone
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
Citron
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
Cidra
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
Κίτρο
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
cidra
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
Cytryna
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
Chron
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Sapindales
Family
Basellaceae
Rutaceae
Genus
Basella
Citrus
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Citreae
Subfamily
-
Aurantioideae
Number of Species
607
1
27800
👆🏻