Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Aquatics
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
Eastern Europe, Western Asia
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Common Cattail, Southern Cattail, Dwarf Bulrush
Number of Varieties
530
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
Lake margins, Ponds, Swamps
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99993-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12*7
12-1
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
21,22
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
2.40 cm30.50 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
24.00 cm45.70 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
Yellow, Green, Brown, Chocolate
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
Light brown, Light Red
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
Brown
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Long linear and narrow
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Poorly Drained
Bloom Time
-
Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Wet Site
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, In Water
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Runners
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
Plant grows in water
In Summer
Average Water
Aquatic Plant
In Spring
Moderate
Aquatic Plant
In Winter
Average Water
Aquatic Plant
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Poorly Drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Prune in early spring, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
Nitrogen, Phosphate
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
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
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Birds, Flying insects
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Beautification, Showy Purposes, Water gardening
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Food for animals, Food for birds, Food for insects, Nesting sites for birds
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Nutrients
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Leaves
Other Uses
Used As Food
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Bog Garden, Container, Water Gardens
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
TYPHA minima
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
Dwarf Cattail
In Hindi
पोई
बौना कैटेल
In German
Malabarspinat
Dwarf Rohrkolben
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
Cattail nain
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
Espadaña enano
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
Νάνος Cattail
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
Tifa Dwarf
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
Dwarf Ożypałka
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
Pumilio Cattail
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Liliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Poales
Family
Basellaceae
Typhaceae
Genus
Basella
Typha
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
601
1
27800
👆🏻