Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
North America, South America, Brazil
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Peanut cactus
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
Desert, Sandy areas, Semi desert
USDA Hardiness Zone
-9999
12-15
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
12, 13, 16, 17, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Upright/Erect
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
White, Yellow, Red, Purple, Orange, Rose
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
Green, Orange Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
-
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
-
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Gray Green
-
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple, Gray Green
-
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Succulent
Plant Season
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
Tolerances
Drought
Drought, Dry soil, Full Sun, Heat Tolerance, Rocky Soil
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Grafting, Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Requirements
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Water once every two or three weeks, Water when top layer of soil becomes dry
In Summer
Average Water
Average Water
In Spring
Moderate
Average Water
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
Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
fertilize in growing season, fertilize in summer, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Mealybugs, Scale
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought, Dry soil, Full Sun, Heat Tolerance, Rocky Soil
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Foliage Texture
Medium
Bold
Aesthetic Uses
-
Beautification, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Food for insects, Versatility, Very little waste
Medicinal Uses
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Burns, Heals minor burns, Heart problems, High blood pressure, Wounds
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Leaves
Other Uses
Used As Food
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
No
Yes
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Container, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
ECHINOPSIS
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
Hedgehog Cactus, Sea urchin cactus
In German
Malabarspinat
Igel Kaktus
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
hérisson cactus
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
cactus de erizo
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
κάκτος σκαντζόχοιρος
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
hedgehog cactus
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
jeż kaktus
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
cactus
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Caryophyllales
Family
Basellaceae
Cactaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Importance of Malabar Spinach and Echinopsis
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Malabar Spinach and Echinopsis. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Malabar Spinach and Echinopsis 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 Echinopsis is Burns, Heals minor burns, Heart problems, High blood pressure and Wounds. Malabar Spinach has beauty benefits as follows: while Echinopsis has beauty benefits as follows: .
Compare Facts of Malabar Spinach vs Echinopsis
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 Echinopsis 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 Echinopsis have Skin cuts respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Malabar Spinach has showy fruits and Echinopsis has no showy fruits. Also Malabar Spinach is not flowering and Echinopsis is not flowering . You can compare Malabar Spinach and Echinopsis facts and facts of other plants too.