Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
Southern Asia, Southeastern Asia, India, Nepal
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Rubber Plant, Rubber Fig
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
agricultural areas, Along Railroads, Coastal Regions, Forests, Roadsides, Scrubs, Suburban areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
-9999
10-11
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, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Upright/Erect
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
-
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
Yellow, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Red, Dark Green, Crimson
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Red, Dark Green, Crimson
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Gray Green
Red, Dark Green, Crimson
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple, Gray Green
Red, Dark Green, Crimson
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Elliptic to oblong
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
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
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Seedlings, Vegetative Reproduction
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Requirements
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
Keep ground moist, Requires a lot of watering
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
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
Prune for shortening long shoots
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
don't fertilize in winter
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Mealybugs, Red blotch, Scale, Spider mites, Yellow Leaves
Plant Tolerance
Drought
-
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
Single
-
Foliage Texture
Medium
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Allergy
-
Asthma, breathing problems
Aesthetic Uses
-
Showy Purposes
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, soil erosion prevension on hill slopes
Medicinal Uses
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
-
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Latex
Other Uses
Used As Food
Making rubber, Making tyres
Used As Indoor Plant
No
Yes
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Shade Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
FICUS elastica
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
Rubber Plant
In Hindi
पोई
रबड़ का पौधा
In German
Malabarspinat
Ficus elastica
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
Ficus elastica
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
ficus
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
ελαστικός φίκος
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
fábrica de borracha
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
gumy roślin
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
Flexilis herba
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Rosales
Family
Basellaceae
Moraceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Importance of Malabar Spinach and Ficus Elastica
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Malabar Spinach and Ficus Elastica. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Malabar Spinach and Ficus Elastica 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 Ficus Elastica is . Malabar Spinach has beauty benefits as follows: while Ficus Elastica has beauty benefits as follows: .
Compare Facts of Malabar Spinach vs Ficus Elastica
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 Ficus Elastica 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 Ficus Elastica 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 Ficus Elastica has no showy fruits. Also Malabar Spinach is not flowering and Ficus Elastica is not flowering . You can compare Malabar Spinach and Ficus Elastica facts and facts of other plants too.