Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
World, Pandemic, North America, Europe, Africa, Asia
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
-
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
Bluffs, Sandy stream banks, Wooded slopes
USDA Hardiness Zone
-9999
4-10
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
2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Clump-Forming
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
White, Purple, Lavender, Blue Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Gray Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple, Gray Green
Light Green
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Long Linear
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer
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, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Requirements
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
Medium, Requires watering in the growing season
In Summer
Average Water
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil pH
Neutral
Acidic, 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, 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
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Allergy
-
Skin irritation
Aesthetic Uses
-
Beautification, Ground Cover, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Medicinal Uses
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Liver problems, Skin Disorders, Treatment of ulcers
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Used As Food
Employed in herbal medicine, Used as a spice
Used As Indoor Plant
No
Yes
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Bedding Plant, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
IRIS cristata
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
Crested Iris
In German
Malabarspinat
Crested Iris
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
Crested Iris
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
Crested Iris
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
Crested Iris
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
Crested Iris
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
Czubaty Iris
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
iubatum Iris
Class
Eudicotyledones
Liliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Asparagales
Family
Basellaceae
Iridaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Importance of Malabar Spinach and Crested Iris
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Malabar Spinach and Crested Iris. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Malabar Spinach and Crested Iris 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 Crested Iris is Liver problems, Skin Disorders and Treatment of ulcers. Malabar Spinach has beauty benefits as follows: while Crested Iris has beauty benefits as follows: .
Compare Facts of Malabar Spinach vs Crested Iris
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 Crested Iris 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 Crested Iris have Skin irritation respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Malabar Spinach has showy fruits and Crested Iris has no showy fruits. Also Malabar Spinach is not flowering and Crested Iris is flowering. You can compare Malabar Spinach and Crested Iris facts and facts of other plants too.