Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Palm or Cycad
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
United States, Southeastern United States, South-Central United States
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Palmetto
Number of Varieties
514
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
Floodplains, Lowland, River side, Swamps
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99997-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12*7
12-6
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, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
2.40 cm240.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
24.00 cm240.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
Ivory
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
Chocolate, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Gray Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Gray Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Gray Green
Green, Gray Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple, Gray Green
Olive, Gray Green, Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Circular, dissected, long and linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Slow
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Poorly Drained
Bloom Time
-
Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Wet Site, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Requires regular watering, Requires watering in the growing season
In Summer
Average Water
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
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, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
fertilize every 2-3 weeks while growing
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Insects
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
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
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Birds
Allergy
-
Avoid during Pregnancy
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Beautification, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Food for insects, Prevent Soil Erosion
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Asthma, Baldness, Cold, Cough, Migraines, Sore throat
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Whole plant
Other Uses
Used As Food
Decoration Purposes, Employed in herbal medicine, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Bog Garden, Feature Plant, Foundation, Hedges, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
SABAL minor
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
Bush Palmetto, Dwarf Palmetto, Little Blue Stem, Swamp Palmetto
In Hindi
पोई
बौना पल्मेट्टो
In German
Malabarspinat
Zwerg Palmetto
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
Palmetto nain
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
Palmetto enano
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
Νάνος Palmetto
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
Palmetto anão
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
Dwarf Palmetto
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
Pumilio Palmetto
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Liliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Arecales
Family
Basellaceae
Arecaceae
Genus
Basella
Sabal
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
Coryphoideae
Number of Species
6014
1
27800
👆🏻