Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Perennial
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Central United States, Texas, Canada
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
-
Number of Varieties
510
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
Open areas, stream banks, Wet Woods
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99994-8
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12*7
8-1
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
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
2.40 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
24.00 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
Blue, Lavender, Blue Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Gray Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple, Gray Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Lanceolate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
-
Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Deer resistant, Shade areas, Wet Site
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Divison, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
Do not let dry out between waterings, Needs Very high moisture, Requires consistently moist soil
In Summer
Average Water
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves, Remove deadheads
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
10-10-10, Balanced liquid fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Head smut, Rust, Slugs, Snails
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Deer resistant, Shade areas, Wet Site
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Bees, Birds, Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Allergy
-
Skin irritation, Skin rash, Toxic if not prepared properly
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Beautification, Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Skin Problems
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Diarrhea, Dysentry, Healing, Stomach pain, Syphilis
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Bark, Flowers, Leaves, Root
Other Uses
Used As Food
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
Mixed Border, Wildflower
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
LOBELIA siphilitica
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
Great blue lobelia, great lobelia
In Hindi
पोई
महान ब्लू लोबेलिआ
In German
Malabarspinat
Great Blue Lobelia
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
Great Lobelia bleu
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
Gran Lobelia azul
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
Μεγάλη Μπλε Lobelia
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
Grande Lobelia azul
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
Great Blue Lobelia
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
Blue Lobelia
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Campanulales
Family
Basellaceae
Lobeliaceae
Genus
Basella
Lobelia
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
Lobelioideae
Number of Species
60415
1
27800
👆🏻