Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Shrub
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
-
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Pixie Bush, Claypan Grass
Number of Varieties
540
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
Desert, Dry areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99999-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12*7
12-9
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
8, 9, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
2.40 cm180.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
24.00 cm90.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
Magenta, Rose
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
Light Pink
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Purple, Light Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Purple, Olive, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Gray Green
Purple, Olive, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple, Gray Green
Purple, Olive, Gray Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
-
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Cold climate, Light Frost, Pollution
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Grafting, Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
Average Water Needs, Never Over-water, Requires watering in the growing season, Water when top layer of soil becomes dry
In Summer
Average Water
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Average Water
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
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
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Prune to stimulate growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, fertilize in spring, Nitrogen, Phosphorous
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Insects, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Cold climate, Light Frost, Pollution
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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Birds, Hummingbirds
Allergy
-
Skin irritation, Skin rash
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Beautification, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin and hair, Improve hair condition, Improve skin condition
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Food for insects, Prevent Soil Erosion, Versatility
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
-
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Used As Food
Decoration Purposes, 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
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall, Screening, Wind Break, Tropical
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
EREMOPHILA 'Valentine'
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
Poverty Bush, Fuchsia bush
In Hindi
पोई
एमु बुश
In German
Malabarspinat
Emu Bush
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
Emu Bush
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
Emu Bush
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
emu Μπους
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
Emu de Bush
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
Emu Bush
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
Emu Bush
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Lamiales
Family
Basellaceae
Myoporaceae
Genus
Basella
Eremophila
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Myoporeae
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
60220
1
27800
👆🏻