Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
South-Eastern Asia, Southeastern Asia, Polynesia
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Gold Dust Croton, Banana Croton
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
Along Railroads, Pastures, Roadsides, Sandy areas, Waste areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
-9999
9-15
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, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Upright/Erect
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
White, Yellow
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
White, Yellow, Purple, Orange, Light Green, Chartreuse, Lime Green, Dark Green, Light Yellow, Lemon yellow, Yellow green, Gold
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Chartreuse, Lime Green, Dark Green, Light Yellow, Lemon yellow, Yellow green, Gold, Pink, Rose, Burgundy, Crimson, Dark Red, Copper, Bronze, Orange Red, Ivory
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Gray Green
White, Yellow, Purple, Orange, Light Green, Chartreuse, Pink, Rose, Burgundy, Crimson, Dark Red, Copper, Bronze, Orange Red, Ivory
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple, Gray Green
White, Yellow, Purple, Orange, Light Green, Gold, Pink, Rose, Burgundy, Crimson, Dark Red, Copper, Bronze, Orange Red, Ivory
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Long Elliptic
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
-
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Tolerances
Drought
Cold climate
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Requirements
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
Requires consistently moist soil, Requires regular watering, Requires watering in the growing season
In Summer
Average Water
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Less Watering
Soil pH
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Prune in spring, Remove branches that rub together
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
Less fertilizing
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fragrant Bark/Stem
No
Yes
Foliage Texture
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Attracts
-
Butterflies, Insects
Allergy
-
Dizziness, Eczema, Itchiness, Skin irritation, Skin rash, Vomiting
Aesthetic Uses
-
Beautification, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Improve hair condition, Skin Problems
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Prevent Soil Erosion
Medicinal Uses
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Bronchitis, Gallbladder Diseases, Gout, Joint pain, Malaria, Nerve pain, Upset stomach
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Seeds, Whole plant
Other Uses
Used As Food
Decoration Purposes, Employed in herbal medicine, Showy Purposes, Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
No
Yes
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Container, Cutflower, Feature Plant, Foundation, Hedges, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Screening, Wind Break, Tropical
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
CODIAEUM variegatum
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
Rushfoil, Croton
In Hindi
पोई
क्रोटोन प्लांट
In German
Malabarspinat
Kroton
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
Croton
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
Croton Planta
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
Κρότωνα φυτών
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
cróton
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
Kroto roślin
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
Planta Croton
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Malpighiales
Family
Basellaceae
Euphorbiaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Importance of Malabar Spinach and Croton
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Malabar Spinach and Croton. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Malabar Spinach and Croton 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 Croton is Bronchitis, Gallbladder Diseases, Gout, Joint pain, Malaria, Nerve pain and Upset stomach. Malabar Spinach has beauty benefits as follows: while Croton has beauty benefits as follows: .
Compare Facts of Malabar Spinach vs Croton
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 Croton 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 Croton have Dizziness, Eczema, Itchiness, Skin irritation, Skin rash and Vomiting respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Malabar Spinach has showy fruits and Croton has no showy fruits. Also Malabar Spinach is not flowering and Croton is not flowering . You can compare Malabar Spinach and Croton facts and facts of other plants too.