Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
Southeastern Asia, India, China
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Tropical Fruit Tree
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
Subtropical forests, Tropical Forests
USDA Hardiness Zone
-9999
10-15
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, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Spreading
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
Ivory
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
Green, Yellow green, Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Gray Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple, Gray Green
Dark Green
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Oblong or Lanceolate
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
-
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Requirements
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
Average Water Needs
In Summer
Average Water
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil pH
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Remove dead branches
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
Put diluted fertilizers
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Chlorosis, Susceptible to insect pests and moulds
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Foliage Texture
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Aesthetic Uses
-
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
Antibacterial, Antidiabetic, Antifungal, antimicrobial, Astringent, Expectorant
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Bark, Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Used As Food
Jam, Jelly, used in Indian cuisine in curries
Used As Indoor Plant
No
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Edible, Feature Plant, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Shade Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
DILLENIA indica
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
Chulta, Elephant Apple
In Hindi
पोई
Elephant Apple
In German
Malabarspinat
Elefant von Apple
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
Elephant d'Apple
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
El elefante de Apple
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
ελέφαντας της Apple
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
Elefante da Apple
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
Słoń Jabłko
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
Elephant Apple
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Dilleniales
Family
Basellaceae
Dilleniaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Importance of Malabar Spinach and Elephant Apple
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Malabar Spinach and Elephant Apple. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Malabar Spinach and Elephant Apple 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 Elephant Apple is Antibacterial, Antidiabetic, Antifungal, antimicrobial, Astringent and Expectorant. Malabar Spinach has beauty benefits as follows: while Elephant Apple has beauty benefits as follows: .
Compare Facts of Malabar Spinach vs Elephant Apple
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 Elephant Apple 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 Elephant Apple have respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Malabar Spinach has showy fruits and Elephant Apple has showy fruits. Also Malabar Spinach is not flowering and Elephant Apple is not flowering . You can compare Malabar Spinach and Elephant Apple facts and facts of other plants too.