Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
Southern Asia, India, Melanesia, Australia
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
etrog
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
-9999
9-11
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
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Oval or Rounded
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
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Ovate elongated
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
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
-
Early Spring, Spring, Winter, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Seedlings, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
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 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
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fragrant Bark/Stem
No
Yes
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Attracts
-
Birds, Butterflies
Aesthetic Uses
-
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Brightens the skin complexion, Good for skin and hair
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
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
No
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
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 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
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Sapindales
Family
Basellaceae
Rutaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Subfamily
-
Aurantioideae
Importance of Malabar Spinach and Citron
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Malabar Spinach and Citron. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Malabar Spinach and Citron 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 Citron is Antibiotic, Antidote, Pulmonary afflictions and Recovering internal injuries. Malabar Spinach has beauty benefits as follows: while Citron has beauty benefits as follows: .
Compare Facts of Malabar Spinach vs Citron
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 Citron 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 Citron have Mild Allergen respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Malabar Spinach has showy fruits and Citron has showy fruits. Also Malabar Spinach is not flowering and Citron is not flowering . You can compare Malabar Spinach and Citron facts and facts of other plants too.