Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
Middle Africa
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Perennial Grass
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
Floodplains, Forest margins, Tropical regions, waterways, Wet lands, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
-9999
7-11
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
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Clump-Forming
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
Sandy Brown
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Purple
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Gray Green
Purple
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple, Gray Green
Purple
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Long Linear
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
-
Summer, Late Summer
Tolerances
Drought
Cold climate, Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Budding, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Requirements
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
Requires regular watering, Water more in summer
In Summer
Average Water
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil pH
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
Nitrogen, organic fertlizers
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Insects, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Cold climate, Drought, Salt
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Foliage Texture
Medium
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Attracts
-
Birds, Flying insects
Allergy
-
Asthma, breathing problems
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Amazing growth rate, Food for animals, Food for insects, Prevent Soil Erosion, Shelter for wildlife, Wildlife, Windbreak
Medicinal Uses
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Eye Problems, Headache, Skin Disorders, Wounds
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Leaves, Seeds
Other Uses
Used As Food
Food for animals, Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
No
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Bedding Plant, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
PENNISETUM purpureum 'Prince'
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
Elephant Grass
In German
Malabarspinat
Elefantengras
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
l'herbe à éléphant
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
pasto elefante
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
ελέφαντα χόρτο
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
capim-elefante
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
trawa słoniowa
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
elephanti herba
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Liliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Poales
Family
Basellaceae
Poaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Importance of Malabar Spinach and Elephant Grass
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Malabar Spinach and Elephant Grass. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Malabar Spinach and Elephant Grass 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 Grass is Eye Problems, Headache, Skin Disorders and Wounds. Malabar Spinach has beauty benefits as follows: while Elephant Grass has beauty benefits as follows: .
Compare Facts of Malabar Spinach vs Elephant Grass
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 Grass 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 Grass have Asthma and breathing problems respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Malabar Spinach has showy fruits and Elephant Grass has no showy fruits. Also Malabar Spinach is not flowering and Elephant Grass is not flowering . You can compare Malabar Spinach and Elephant Grass facts and facts of other plants too.